Remembering 2025’s Losses: Gene Hackman

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Wow, what a terrible night! Thank God, I’m feeling much better today. I continue on with looking at the losses in the “celebrity” world. You may dispute that term with a couple of these, but that’s okay. No argument with today’s salute: one of the greatest actors of our generation. Gene Hackman Where are you going! I was gonna make espresso! That brilliantly funny line at the end of Gene Hackman’s hermit character’s encounter with the monster in Young Frankenstein was improvised! And, unlike Val Kilmer, I CAN name you a lot of Gene Hackman movies! He was Clyde Barrow’s brother Buck in Bonnie and Clyde. He was the fiery, unorthodox minister in The Poseidon Adventure. He played Superman’s nemesis Lex Luthor in Superman. He was the coach of the high school basketball team in Hoosiers. And who can forget his Oscar-winning role as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in The French Connection. I’m sort of surprised that Hackman was only nominated for five Oscars, two lead actor (the other being for Mississippi Burning) and three supporting actor (Bonnie and Clyde, I Never Sang for My Father, and his other Oscar-winning performance, Unforgiven). In addition to all of that, Gene Hackman served in the Marine Corps. He was a radio field operator who was, at one point, stationed not too far from where I was in Hawaii (only he was there before I was even born ). Hackman’s body was discovered, along with that of his wife and one of the family dogs, in their home in New Mexico on February 26. Although very sad, it thankfully was from “natural causes” instead of foul play. He was a true giant of acting, and he’ll be sorely missed. Gene Hackman Born Eugene Allen Hackman, January 30, 1930, San Bernardino, California Died February 18, 2025 (approximately), Santa Fe, New Mexico (Alzheimer’s disease) (age 95) Hackman being quite emotional during his acceptance speech for his Oscar for The French Connection: