Gene Hackman, the Academy Award-winning actor, known for his roles in The French Connection, The Conversation, and The Royal Tenenbaums, among many other Hollywood classics, has passed away at the age of 95.
Hackman, along with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog, was found dead in their New Mexico home on Wednesday afternoon. Denise Avila, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer, confirmed the news to ABC News on Thursday morning. The couple was discovered during a welfare check after a neighbor expressed concern for their well-being. Authorities have stated that there was no immediate evidence of foul play in their deaths.
A Look Back at Hackman’s Life
Born on January 30, 1930, in San Bernardino, California, Gene Hackman was the son of Anna Lyda Elizabeth (née Gray) and Eugene Ezra Hackman. He spent part of his early years in Storm Lake, Iowa, where he attended Storm Lake High School for his sophomore year.
At 16, Hackman left home, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps underage, and served for four and a half years as a field-radio operator. After his military service, he studied journalism and television production at the University of Illinois under the G.I. Bill. However, he left before graduating and eventually returned to California to pursue his career in acting.
In 1991, Hackman married classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, born in 1959. The couple resided in a home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which was featured in Architectural Digest in 1990. Hackman, who had a passion for architecture and design, created ten homes, two of which were also showcased in Architectural Digest.
2/6/1987 Photo Op. With Gene Hackman in oval office
