Gene Hackman is still not taking new roles

[johnny]

I find it sad that such a great actor as Gene Hackman has decided to hang it up as an actor. He's 80 now and I can understand it but it just makes me sad.

"I haven't held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I'm not going to act any longer. I've been told not to say that over the last few years, in case some real wonderful part comes up, but I really don't want to do it any longer ... I miss the actual acting part of it, as it's what I did for almost fifty years, and I really loved that. But the business for me is very stressful. The compromises that you have to make in films are just part of the beast, and it had gotten to a point where I just didn't feel like I wanted to do it anymore."

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/01/14/o...e-picture.html

[Vtwin]

There was a time when Gene was in every movie i saw i think, He will be missed though, didn't realize he was that old.

[Buttercup]

Makes me sad too. This article is a year and a half old, and I missed it. I was hoping Clint Eastwood could get him out of retirement for one more role, like he did with "Unforgiven". I would hate to see "Welcome to Mooseport" as his last role. Though I chuckled a little in that film, he deserves a better swan song. Now a days, we have so few great actors to look forward too. But I can totally understand him wanting to stay retired. If he's happy, then more power to him. He's 81 now, enjoy the time you have while you can.

[majcm]

Yes he is one of my favorite actors...always believable in his role whether the film is good or not. I had a crush on him when I was about 12 when he was in the Poseidon Adventure, lol. Didn't realize he was that old now either.

Happy retirement, Gene. Thanks for all the entertainment over the years!

[Klopek]

We'd be lost without you!

[gemini33]

Gene Hackman is one of my mom's favorite actors, so naturally I grew up watching him. The Poseidan Adventure, Mississippi Burning, Hoosiers are some of my favorite movies. Loved him in the movie Heartbreakers. He was what made the movie worth watching. I knew he was getting up there in age. It'll be a sad, sad day when I hear of his passing.

[jeca]

I love him. I'll miss seeing him in movies, but I guess at 80, it's natural to want to retire. I wish him the best.

[johnny]

I like this story from IMDB about Gene Hackman and his days struggling in NY and sharing an apartment with Dustin Hoffman:

"I came to New York when I was 25, and I worked at Howard Johnson's in Times Square, where I did the door in this completely silly uniform. Before that, I had been a student at the Pasadena Playhouse, where I had been awarded the least-likely-to-succeed prize, along with my pal Dustin Hoffman, which was a big reason we set off for New York together. Out of nowhere, this teacher I totally despised at the Pasadena Playhouse suddenly walked by HoJo's and came right up into my face and shouted, "See, Hackman, I told you that you would never amount to anything!" I felt one inch tall."

[majcm]

I like this story from IMDB about Gene Hackman and his days struggling in NY and sharing an apartment with Dustin Hoffman:

"I came to New York when I was 25, and I worked at Howard Johnson's in Times Square, where I did the door in this completely silly uniform. Before that, I had been a student at the Pasadena Playhouse, where I had been awarded the least-likely-to-succeed prize, along with my pal Dustin Hoffman, which was a big reason we set off for New York together. Out of nowhere, this teacher I totally despised at the Pasadena Playhouse suddenly walked by HoJo's and came right up into my face and shouted, "See, Hackman, I told you that you would never amount to anything!" I felt one inch tall."

Well I guess Gene showed him/her!! He was very funny in Bonnie & Clyde too. Apart from his great dramatic acting in that movie.

[Nessa]

My Mr. loves his novels! He says they're very good.

[Nicki]

Always have loved him. What a great Actor! We don't get many of them. Another one I miss is Dabney Coleman. Where did he go??

[crazedfemale]

My brother actually met him last year in New Mexico near Santa Fe. He was dining with his wife and my brother noticed he went to the bathroom, and like any death hag's brother, he went to the restroom at the same time. My brother acted like he didn't though and waited until they were at the sink to say hello. Hackman wasn't mad, but you could tell that he'd rather not be bothered in the loo. My brother said you're my sister's favorite actor. He said to my brother, thank you and walked off.

[Jerseysucks]

I quickly glanced at his profile in IMDB.com (International Movie Data Base) and from his film History I'm surprised he's not being bombarded with letters from that famous OCD detective Adrian Monk, he has 99 movies to his credit. That's going to drive OCD people bananas.

[darlingmissmarple]

I have always loved Gene Hackman. He has been one of the greatest actors ever to
grace film. I will miss him on the screen. Why is there no one to take the place of the truly great actors? There is no one that can take his place. I hope he has a great retirement. I thank him for the wonderful characters he brought to like. My DVD collection has most of his films.

[SquirrelNutZipper]

Yes he is one of my favorite actors...always believable in his role whether the film is good or not. I had a crush on him when I was about 12 when he was in the Poseidon Adventure, lol. Didn't realize he was that old now either.

Happy retirement, Gene. Thanks for all the entertainment over the years!

Thank you majcm - I too had the biggest crush on Gene. I even had an 8X10 picture of him on my dresser! I always kid mr. snz that if Gene ever comes calling our marriage license is null and void.

It's hard to believe that he's 80...maybe that's why mr. snz never seemed fazed when I told him about the marriage license.

[Jason]

good for him, if I want to see him... I'll watch one of his movies.

[MagnusDippytack]

Its hard for me to wrap my head around the fact Gene Hackman is 80. I can understand wanting to act until you die, but if i was 80 I would want to take it easy. When you're 80 you have five years left at best.

I remember Walter Matthau was dying of cancer and he did his last film role bedridden. I think he went right to the funeral home when shooting wrapped.

[FannyB1923]

Gene's got a new book out "Payback At Morning Peak" from Pocket Books. I read a favorable review, describing it as reminiscent of Louis L'Amour- not a bad thing at all!

[John Trim]

Popeye Doyle in the French Connection has to be my favorite Gene Hackman role.

"Do you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?"

[Buttercup]

Popeye Doyle in the French Connection has to be my favorite Gene Hackman role.

"Do you pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?"

ITA. Hackman's acting was flawless as Popeye. I read somewhere that Eddie Egan (the real Popeye) would actually say stuff like this to get the suspects to talk. I think Hackman hung around Egan for a while to see how he worked.

[John Trim]

ITA. Hackman's acting was flawless as Popeye. I read somewhere that Eddie Egan (the real Popeye) would actually say stuff like this to get the suspects to talk. I think Hackman hung around Egan for a while to see how he worked.

Eddie Egan, himself, played Hackman's supervisor in the movie.I believe Sonny Grasso, Egan's real partner had a small cameo in the movie too.

[lobosco107]

Here is more on Gene Hackman today:

http://greatentertainersarchives.blo...e-hackman.html

[johnny]

Eddie Egan, himself, played Hackman's supervisor in the movie.I believe Sonny Grasso, Egan's real partner had a small cameo in the movie too.

damn, he was good in that movie. i like this quote from his imdb bio on playing 'popeye' circa 1986...

'People in the street still call me Popeye, and The French Connection (1971) was 15 years ago. I wish I could have a new hit and another nickname.'

[Flowergrrl]

I had no idea he was in his eighties, hard to believe... Damn good actor.

[atomicbettie]

According to TMZ he is in emergency surgery after being struck by a car.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/13/gene-h...d-car-florida/

[Giada]

Sad to read ...

Power to a guy or gal who is 81 and still bicycling.

[SquirrelNutZipper]

Not good news at all.

[radiojane]

JESUS!

That sucks, but hopefully he pulls through

Can you imagine being the person that offed Gene Hackman in a car??

[SquirrelNutZipper]

Just read on CBS news that he was released from the hospital with "bumps and bruises".

Now I'm smiling.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_16...id-to-be-fine/

[Bidmor]

One of the few great actors extant...Unforgiven...Enemy Of The State...Class Action...The Firm...The Conversation...and of course as Popeye Doyle and Buck Barrow. Hackman even made Lex Luthor entertaining.

[atomicbettie]

Oh good, glad he's alright. Now it just sounds like someone bumped him. The first one made him sound on his deathbed.

[Klopek]

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/ge...icle-1.1005921

Poor Gene almost got his wings.

[Buttercup]

I always read that Gene is a tough old bird and pretty active. Glad he's doing ok!

[RaRaRamona]

Holy cow! He's a tough ol brute.

[Desert Ghost]

I'm glad he is going to be okay. The person who hit him is lucky that they don't have to go through the rest of their life being known as the person who killed Gene Hackman.

[johnny]

JESUS!

That sucks, but hopefully he pulls through

Can you imagine being the person that offed Gene Hackman in a car??

the only way you would survive that stigma is if you had had to swerve to miss a woman walking a babystroller...

[Buttercup]

the only way you would survive that stigma is if you had had to swerve to miss a woman walking a babystroller...

LMAO!!!!

[RaRaRamona]

the only way you would survive that stigma is if you had had to swerve to miss a woman walking a babystroller...

Kudos

[SquirrelNutZipper]

the only way you would survive that stigma is if you had had to swerve to miss a woman walking a babystroller...

who used to be a nun....

[johnny]

who used to be a nun....

and on a 'Walk for the Cure' fundraiser...

[Buttercup]

and on a 'Walk for the Cure' fundraiser...

while doing CPR on an elderly person...

[John Trim]

while doing CPR on an elderly person...

that had been hit by Gene Hackman on his bicycle.

[Buttercup]

that had been hit by Gene Hackman on his bicycle.

[johnny]

that had been hit by Gene Hackman on his bicycle.

LMAO. I love the Karma.

John Trim is the man!!!

[Bidmor]

that had been hit by Gene Hackman on his bicycle.

...who was trying to run over a squirrel

[johnny]

Looks like Gene is 'active' at age 82. A man calls his wife Betty a bad name, Gene steps in and defends her honor. (can you tell that Gene was a Marine)

http://www.pinnaclepromotions.com/la...FYl7Qgod4jwA6Q

[johnny]

here is an interesting Vanity Fair article that ties dustin hoffman, gene hackman, and robert duvall together as friends/actors since the mid 1950's.

"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."

http://jamescliftonhuffman.com/beforetheywerekings.cfm

[pwem]

Well he has had a lot more opportunity than women do in Hollywood.

[TheWrath of MadelineKahn]

I think things went to hell artistically after he had a cameo in "The Mexican" starring Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt.

He went on the make "Heartbreakers" where he had to sit through Sigourney Weaver singing "Back to the USSR" in a bad Russian accent.

Then he wound up in movies with Ray Romano, John Cusack, and two with Owen Wilson.

Let the poor old guy stay retired before he winds up in an Adam Sandler movie.

[johnny]

i thought his film roles in Unforgiven and Absolute Power were pretty darn good. And Get Shorty was spot on.
But like any prolific actor you gotta watch out or before you know it ya got Adam Sandler as a costar...