Gene Hackman | Born: 1930

Academy Award-winning Gene Hackman served with the United States Marines before he studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse Theatre. Later on, he starred in his breakout film in Bonnie and Clyde. Hackman virtually played every role imaginable to a great degree, from a super cop and politician to a military leader and criminal mastermind. Some of his prominent performances were in The French Connection and Superman, as well as the films’ sequels.

In the early 1990s, Hackman worked with fellow iconic actor Clint Eastwood in the film Unforgiven, for which he earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Taking on the role of a morally questionable character, he also starred with Tom Cruise in the film The Firm, where he played the latter’s mentor. Outside acting, Hackman pursued a modest career as a novelist and co-wrote four books with Daniel Lenihan.