By William Coffman, Opinion and Editorials

95-year-old American actor Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog were found dead in their New Mexico home last Thursday. 

The recipient of two Academy Awards and four Golden Globes, Hackman truly was one of Hollywood’s finest. His filmography and the list of actors he worked with and inspired is long and impressive. Whether it was Lex Luthor in “Superman” or an FBI agent investigating the KKK in “Mississippi Burning” or a reverend on a sinking ship in “The Poseidon Adventure” or a high school basketball coach in “Hoosiers” Gene Hackman did it all.

Hackman was born in San Bernardino, California in 1930. Hackman’s parents divorced when he was young, and at age 16, lying about his age, Hackman joined the United States Marine Corps and served from 1946 to 1951. After attending the University of Illinois, Hackman moved back to California, and began what would become one of Hollywood’s most outstanding careers.

Hackman won both the Academy Award for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, the former for his role of Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in “The French Connection” and the latter for playing Sheriff “Little” Bill Daggett in “Unforgiven.” Hackman earned three more Oscar nominations, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille award from the Golden Globes, an honorary award from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association that honors those who have made “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.”

Hackman’s career is legendary, not just because of his roles, but also because of the movies he made with younger actors who have become some of Hollywood’s biggest modern-day icons. In “The Firm” Hackman co-starred with Tom Cruise. In “Crimson Tide” he shared the screen with Denzel Washington. Hackman was no stranger to co-starring with fellow legends of Hollywood, such as the time he co-starred alongside Michael Caine, Anthony Hopkins and Sean Connery in “A Bridge Too Far.”

The world of Hollywood was quick to react to the news. “Godfather” director Francis Ford Coppola praised Hackman while mourning his passing. “The loss of a great artist is always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman, a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution,” said Ford.

EGOT winning actress Viola Davis paid tribute to the roles that defined Hackman “Loved you in everything! ‘The Conversation,’ ‘The French Connection,’ ‘The Poseidon Adventure,’ ‘Unforgiven’ — tough yet vulnerable. You were one of the greats. God bless those who loved you. Rest well, sir,” Dan said.

“So sad to hear the news of the death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy. Hackman was a true genius of film who brought each and every character to life with power, authenticity and star quality,” The United Kingdom’s Prince William, who is president of British Academy of Film and Televison Arts, said on X.

Hackman made a name for himself off the screen, too. He was a member of Nixon’s Enemies List, raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona and built homes. 

“I never had the aspirations to be a star. I wanted to be an actor. A movie actor, a theater actor, that’s all I ever wanted to do.” Hackman said in a conversation with Larry King in 2004. That is all he set out to do, and he did it very, very well. He leaves a great hole in the world of cinema.