#Fact1When 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.".2Got the role in Crimson Tide after Al Pacino turned it down.3He was initially reluctant to take the role of Lex Luthor in ''Superman: The Movie (1978)'' as he didn't want to shave off a mustache 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.4He appeared in four films with John Ratzenberger: A Bridge Too Far (1977), Superman (1978), Superman II (1980) and Reds (1981).5He was considered for the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) before his A Bridge Too Far (1977) co-star Anthony Hopkins.6He has worked with 10 directors who have won a Best Director Oscar: George Roy Hill, William Friedkin, Francis Ford Coppola, Richard Attenborough, Warren Beatty, Woody Allen, Mike Nichols, Clint Eastwood, Sydney Pollack, and Robert Benton.7Has appeared in six films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The French Connection (1971), The Conversation (1974), Reds (1981), Mississippi Burning (1988) and Unforgiven (1992). The French Connection (1971) and Unforgiven (1992) won in the category and rewarded Hackman for his acting efforts twice.8Release of his book, "Escape From Andersonville: A Novel of the Civil War", by Gene with Daniel Lenihan. [2008]9Announces his retirement from acting at the age of 78. [April 2008]10Release of his book, "Justice For None", by Gene with Daniel Lenihan. [2004]11He 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]12Release of his book, "Wake of the Perdido Star", by Gene with Daniel Lenihan. [1999]13Did not start acting until he was 25.14Is one of only four actors to win two Oscars for films that also won Best Picture (the others being Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, and Dustin Hoffman).15In 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.16Released his novel, a violent Western, "Payback at Morning Peak" in June, 2011.17Distantly related to Jenni Blong.18Both 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).19Turned down the leading role in Sorcerer (1977) that went to Roy Scheider, Hackman's co-star in The French Connection (1971).20Friends with Kris Kristofferson since Cisco Pike (1972).21Turned down the role of Sheriff Teasle in First Blood (1982).22In 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.23Was a Dallas Cowboys fan but now regularly attends Jacksonville Jaguars games as a guest of his friend, head coach Jack Del Rio.24Studied journalism and TV production at the University of Illinois, where he was voted "Least Likely to Succeed.".25Before he decided to become an actor, he worked numerous jobs including announcing at small radio and TV stations.26Appeared 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.27Hackman 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.28His performance as Harry Caul in The Conversation (1974) is ranked #37 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).29Hackman replaced George Segal in the role of Kibby in the notorious flop Lucky Lady (1975). Possibly anticipating that the film would be a turkey, Segal bailed out of the production and Hackman was brought in at the last-minute. The desperate producers paid Hackman - riding high from the huge box office success of The Poseidon Adventure (1972)--a reported $1.2 million for his role, $500,000 more than Segal's going rate. Hackman knew co-star Burt Reynolds from starring in the first episode of Burt's short-lived 1966 TV series Hawk (1966).30Has played three fictional Presidents: he plays President Alan Richmand in Absolute Power (1997). His Superman (1978) character, Lex Luthor, became President of the United States in the year 2000, in the DC Comics. He also played President Monroe "Eagle" Cole in Welcome to Mooseport (2004).31In 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.32Is 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).331990: Underwent successful angioplasty surgery after nearly suffering a severe heart attack.34In Robert Osborne's "Academy Awards 1972 Oscar Annual", Hackman is quoted as saying Errol Flynn was his boyhood idol. Says a poster of Flynn is one of the only movie mementos he has in his otherwise very "civilian" Santa Fe home.35After 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.36While 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.37In 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."38Turned down the lead role of Roy Neary in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) because he was in a troubled marriage and could not spend 16 weeks outside of Los Angeles on location shooting.39Even though he is no longer a cigarette smoker, Hackman played the role of a chain-smoker in Heartbreakers (2001). He was using a special kind of cigarette that only produces heavy smoke without requiring any inhaling. Ironically and tragically, in 1962, Hackman's mother Lydia died of injuries incurred from a fire caused by her own smoking.40As 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.41Lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.42Enjoys painting and writing fiction.43Along 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).44After 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.45Reportedly turned down one of the lead roles in Network (1976).46Reportedly turned down the role of Randall Patrick McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).47Says watching his own films makes him terribly nervous.487/7/04: 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.49Turned down the lead roles in Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).50Was the subject of the song "Gene Hackman" by Hoodoo Gurus.51Was 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 1 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.52Met actor Dustin Hoffman in the first month at Pasadena Playhouse. Had several classes with him.53Runaway Jury (2003) was the first time he and former roommate Dustin Hoffman performed on the screen together.54Dustin 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?".55As 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.56Dustin 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.57Based 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".58Has appeared in three films adapted from novels by John Grisham: The Firm (1993), The Chamber (1996) and Runaway Jury (2003).59Brother of Richard Hackman.60Father of Christopher Hackman. He also has 2 daughters named Leslie Hackman and Elizabeth Hackman.612001: Was involved in a road-rage incident when two young men attacked him for hitting their car in Hollywood.62Revealed 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.63Has stated that his performance in Scarecrow (1973) is his personal favorite.64One 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.65Jailed as a teen (c. 1946) for stealing candy & soda pop from a candy store.66Turned down the part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Pearl Harbor (2001), which went to Jon Voight.67Was also offered the chance to direct The Silence of the Lambs (1991).68Was the first choice to play Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).69While at the Pasadena Playhouse, Hackman and a classmate were voted "Least likely to succeed". The classmate was Dustin Hoffman.70He lied about his age to join the Marines at 16, but left as soon as his initial tour was complete.71He was the sixth choice to play Popeye Doyle in The French Connection (1971).72Was the first choice to play Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch (1969).

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