Gene Hackman may be a son of California, but he gives off a Midwestern vibe. Perhaps that’s because the Hoosiers (1986) star spent his sophomore year of high school in Iowa before attending the University of Illinois. In between, the brave babe served in the Marine Corps. Once home, Hackman honed his acting craft with roles on stage (A Rainy Day in Newark, Poor Richard) and TV (Route 66, Tallahassee 7000). But the promising performer really hit it big on the big screen. After making his movie debut in Lilith (1964) with Warren Beatty, the two re-teamed for the gangster hit Bonnie and Clyde (1967), which earned Hackman an Oscar nod. It would be the first of five — with two wins: Gene took home the Best Actor gold for playing Popeye Doyle in William Friedkin’s thriller The French Connection (1971), followed by a Best Supporting Actor victory for Clint Eastwood’s Western Unforgiven (1992). Of course, we prefer the PG-13 Western Bite the Bullet (1975) wherein Gene and James Coburn bare their chests while taking side-by-side baths! Through the years, Hackman sizzled in dramas (The Conversation, I Never Sang for My Father, Night Moves, Mississippi Burning, Reds); comedies (Get Shorty, The Royal Tenenbaums, Welcome to Mooseport); and action flicks (Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, No Way Out). He also headed up the classic disaster film The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and appeared in the Superman (1978, 1980, 1987) movies. Even though Gene played Lex Luthor, he’s a super man to his fans!
