Trivia

While at the Pasadena Playhouse, Hackman and a classmate were voted "Least likely to succeed". The classmate was Dustin Hoffman.

Announces his retirement from acting at the age of 78. (April 2008)

Runaway Jury (2003) was the first time he and former roommate Dustin Hoffman performed on the screen together.

He was initially reluctant to take the role of Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) as he didn't want to shave off a mustache that he had recently grown. Richard Donner made a deal with him that if he shaved it off, Donner would shave off his as well. After Hackman did so, Donner revealed that the mustache he was wearing was a fake. This made Hackman instantly respect and like Donner immensely.

Was the first choice to play Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

When asked about friendship in an interview, Robert Duvall replied: "A friend is someone who, many years ago, offered you his last $300 when you broke your pelvis. A friend is Gene Hackman.".

One of the most sustaining actors of all time, he still averaged two films a year in his 70s, having starred in six in 2001 alone. This all changed however in 2004, when he last acted in Welcome to Mooseport (2004). He has not appeared in anything since.

Both Hackman and his former roommate, Dustin Hoffman, had their big breaks in 1967, Hackman in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Hoffman in The Graduate (1967).

Dustin Hoffman asked for the part of Rankin Fitch in Runaway Jury (2003), which had gone to Hackman. Hoffman admits to asking, "Can't you get rid of Gene and give me the part?".

After flunking out of the Pasadena Playhouse and moving to New York City with fellow drop-out Dustin Hoffman, Hackman worked at the Howard Johnson's restaurant in Times Square as a doorman. One day, a Pasadena Playhouse acting teacher whom Hackman hated walked by him, stopped, and told him that he had been right, that Hackman would never amount to anything.

Was admitted into the famed Pasadena Playhouse on the G.I. Bill. He failed out of it after 3 months and moved to New York to continue being a stage actor. Received one of the lowest grades the school had ever given (1.3 out of 10). He headed to New York with the intention of proving them wrong.

He was the sixth choice to play Popeye Doyle in The French Connection (1971).

Turned down the lead roles in Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

As a child, he had to spend much time looking after his grandmother, while his parents were at work.

Hackman has said that the failure of Scarecrow (1973) turned him off of art films due to the disappointment of working hard on a film that was critically acclaimed, but that tanked at the box office and failed to garner any awards. After this flop, Hackman mainly concentrated on acting for money, turning down such films as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and Network (1976) for roles in films like March or Die (1977) and Lucky Lady (1975) that offered him fatter paychecks.

Has stated that his performance in Scarecrow (1973) is his personal favorite.

Is regarded by Kevin Costner as the best actor Costner has worked with.

Developed a bit of a reputation for being a "no-nonsense" person on a film set, particularly with directors.

1990: Underwent successful angioplasty surgery after nearly suffering a severe heart attack.

In the Superman movies, he didn't like the idea of going bald for his role as Lex Luthor. He was allowed to wear wigs instead, and was convinced to wear a bald cap in only a few scenes.

Dustin Hoffman came to New York after finishing his training at the Pasadena Playhouse. The two of them roomed together in New York at Hackman's one-bedroom apartment on 2nd Ave. & 26th St. Hoffman slept on the kitchen floor. Originally, Hackman had offered to let him stay a few nights, but Hoffman would not leave. Hackman had to take him out to look for his own apartment.

2001: Was involved in a road-rage incident when two young men attacked him for hitting their car in Hollywood.

Along with Margot Kidder, Hackman was appalled at the way Alexander Salkind and Ilya Salkind, the producers of the first three Superman films and 1984's Supergirl (1984) film, had treated director Richard Donner, who had directed the first Superman (1978) and most of the second Superman film back-to-back before he was fired by the Salkinds over creative differences. Hackman, who said he only did the first two movies because of Donner's persuasion, was so angry with the Salkinds that he vehemently refused to reprise the role of Lex Luthor in Superman III (1983), while Margot Kidder, who played Lois Lane, only appeared in a cameo role. Hackman was later persuaded to reprise the Luthor role in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).

He lied about his age to join the Marines at 16, but left as soon as his initial tour was complete.

The actor rarely mentioned anything about his personal life whilst being interviewed.

7/7/04: Appeared on Larry King Live (1985). Larry King was surprised to find out that Hackman had no movies lined up, and Hackman replied by saying that he thinks it is the end of his career.

As a young man, Hackman attended a showing of the movie A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and was impressed by the performance of Marlon Brando due to his naturalism and the fact that he didn't look like what a movie star typically looked like in the 1950s. After exiting the theater, he told his father that he wanted to be an actor.

Has never forgotten the day when his father walked out on the family. Hackman was about 14 years old at the time.

One of four multiple acting Oscar winners whose wins are all in Best Picture Oscar winners (the others being Marlon Brando, Dustin Hoffman and Mahershala Ali). Two of Jack Nicholson's three acting Oscars are in Best Picture winners.

Dislikes anything regarding stardom.

As roommates, Dustin Hoffman and Hackman would often go to the apartment rooftop and play the drums. Hoffman played the bongo drums while Hackman played the conga drums. They did it out of their love for Marlon Brando, who, they had heard, played music in clubs. They wanted to be like Brando and were big fans of his.

Appeared on Richard Nixon's infamous "List of Enemies" during the 1972 presidential election, the only time Hackman was publicly involved in politics. During an interview on Larry King Live (1985) in July 2004, Hackman stated that although he is a Democrat, he liked President Ronald Reagan, who had died the previous month.

After he played Little Bill in Unforgiven (1992), Hackman vowed not to appear in any more violent films. After he had been in violent films dating back to Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The French Connection (1971) (in a role refused by Peter Boyle for the same reasons), he said he was fed up with them.

Revealed on Inside the Actors Studio (1994) that two of the most important factors in deciding on which films he will work on are the script and the money.

Is one of only a few actors to win an Oscar for a supporting role after winning an Oscar for a leading role. (Others to do so are Jack Nicholson, Maggie Smith and Helen Hayes).

Jailed as a teen (c. 1946) for stealing candy and soda pop from a candy store.

In the late 1970s, he competed in Sports Car Club of America races driving open-wheeled Formula Ford. In 1983, he drove in a 24-hour Daytona endurance race. He has also won the Long Beach Grand Prix Celebrity Race.

Was greatly respected by Richard Harris, who described Gene Hackman as "a truly dangerous and intimidating actor.".

In contrast with his on-screen image of tough guy and reactionary, in real life Hackman is said to be an extremely gentle, shy person who holds very progressive political views.

Released his novel, a violent Western, "Payback at Morning Peak" in June, 2011.

Did not start acting until he was 25.

Was the first choice to play Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch (1969).

Says watching his own films makes him terribly nervous.

In a 2004 Vanity Fair story on him, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert Duvall, Hackman said one of the worst memories of being a struggling actor, was working as a doorman in New York City. He recalled having seen former Marine officers pass him by when opening the door for them, of which one had said "Hackman, you're a sorry son of a bitch.".

Based his role, in The Conversation (1974), on one of his uncles and a fellow Marine he had known well. He characterized the Marine as someone "who probably became a serial killer".

Met actor Dustin Hoffman in the first month at Pasadena Playhouse. Had several classes with him.

While a struggling actor in New York City, he worked as a soda jerk in a pharmacy and as a furniture mover. But told Time Magazine in 2011 that "worst job I ever had" was working nights at the legendary Chrysler Building--as part of a crew that polished the leather furniture.

He is the voice on the commercials for the Lowe's home center store chain, and has been for the past couple of years. (June 2007)

Admitted that as a boy, he was influenced by the acting of James Cagney.

Around the time of turning down the role of Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs," Gene Hackman decided to focus on movies that weren't so graphic in terms of violence.