6 Things you never knew about Gene Hackman

Gene HackmanBorn on January 30, 1930, is one of the Hollywood legends that seems greater than life. And although he retired from performing in 2004, Hackman has stayed busy as a writer and written several books. In a rare interview from 2009, he revealed that a stress test was the decisive factor in his retirement when doctors warned him that his heart was not in the form of form needed to deal with the pressure of a film career.

Despite briefly considering returning to shopping in 2011, he has remained fully retired and lent only his voice to a few documentaries. Now 95, Hackman is reportedly in good health and enjoys a quiet life in New Mexico. While most people know him for his iconic roles in The French connection and UnableHere are six things that you may not have known about the legendary Gene Hackman, including his humble beginning.

1 He flunked out of acting school

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While attending Pasadena Playhouse, he and his classmate were Dustin Hoffman were actually voted “least likely to succeed.” After flank out of the program, Hackman moved to New York City to pursue his dream. He worked odd jobs, including a stint like a doorman at Howard Johnsons at Times Square. One day, an actor teacher from Pasadena Playhouse passed by, recognized him and told him himself he had been right … Hackman would never make up anything. A little knew the teacher Hackman was proving to him very, very wrong.

2 He was friends with Dick van Dyke in high school

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You may not be thinking of Danville, Illinois, as the birthplace of some of the most famous stars in Hollywood, but Danville High School was home to stars like Hackman and Dick Van Dyke. Van Dyk’s core group of friends were Bob Walker, Jerry C. Wright, Harold Brown and Bob Hackman. Occasionally, the group Bob’s little cousin Gene was related to those, who of course turned out to be the talented Gene Hackman.

3 He and Dustin Hoffman were roommates

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Before they became household names, Hackman and Hoffman were only two fought actors trying to do so in New York. Both were dropped out of Pasadena Playhouse and needed to land roles while working on the side to pay rent. Hackman worked like a soda, a furniture wall and even spent nights polishing leather furniture in Chrysler Building, a job he later called the worst he has ever had. Despite their deep history it was not until the 2003s Runaway jury That the former roommates finally shared the screen for the first time.

4 A movie changed his life

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As many actors in his generation, Hackman was deeply influenced by Marlon Brando. As a young man he participated in a screening of A street car named Desire (1951) and was completely captivated by Brando’s performance. What hit Hackman the most was what Real Brando looked like. Hackman left the theater that day and told his father he would be an actor. That moment put him on a path that would eventually lead to a decades long career in Hollywood.

5 He has a favorite performance … and that’s not what you would expect

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Over the years, Hackman has played some really unforgettable characters, and his performances have earned him two Academy Awards and widespread recognition. But if you ask Hackman what role meant the most to him, he will tell you it was in Scarecrow (1973), a movie in which he starred with Al Pacino. The movie was not a ticket office, but Hackman has said it is his personal favorite performance.

6 He smoked on screen after ending real life

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Hackman was once a smoker but he gave up the habit long before taking on the role of a chain-smoking con-artist in Heartbreakers (2001). When he no longer smoked in real life, the production team provided him with special cigarettes that produced heavy smoke without demanding him to breathe. Smoking also had a tragic connection to Hackman’s past when his mother, Lydia, died in 1962 of injuries caused by a fire that started because of her own smoking. Although he could no longer tolerate real cigarettes, Hackman’s obligation to authenticity in his roles remained strong.