Gene Hackman is notable. Join:Notables Project Discuss:notables

Biography

Gene Hackman was an American actor. He wasConsidered one of the greatest actors of his generation and a paragon of the New Hollywood movement, Hackman's acting career spanned over four decades. He received several accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards.

Eugene Allen Hackman was born on 30 Jan 1930 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California, USA.^[1] his parents were Anna Lyda Elizabeth (Gray) and Eugene Ezra Hackman.

Before he started his acting career, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) for 4 years after World War II (WWII) ended and was discharged in 1951. He initially was a field radio operator, and later was an announcer for Armed Forces Radio, with deployments to China, Japan, and Hawaii. He achieved the rank of Corporal

Gene Hackman first married in 1956 toFaye Maltese^[2] (1929–2017) with whom he had one son and two daughters. He was often out on location making films while the children were growing up. After three decades of marriage, the couple divorced in 1986.

Gene married secondly in 1991 toBetsy Arakawa and they resided in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.

On 26 February 2025 a wellness check found he and his wife deceased in their home.^[3] Autopsies discovered that they both died of natural causes. His wife was last seen on 11 February 2025 and died first of the relatively rare hantavirus, At 95 years old, Gene had medical problems including heart disease and advanced dementia and thus suffered from the absence of his caretaker. His pacemaker last recorded a heart beat on 17 Feb 2025. It is assumed that their dog also died from a lack of assistance as he was in a closed crate with no food supply.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ California Birth Index 1905-1995 on ancestry.com citing APID#1,5247::1648187; State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics in Sacramento, CA, USA; b: 30 Jan 1930 San Bernardino County, CA
2. ↑New York, New York City Marriage Licenses Index 1950-1995 on FamilySearch.org; m: 1955 for Gene Hackman and Filippa Maltese
3. ↑ Find A Grave:Memorial #280298407 for Eugene "Gene" Allen Hackman; b: 30 Jan 1930; d: 18 Feb 2025
4. ↑Gene Hackman Cause of Death: Actor Died of Heart Disease and Alzheimer's One Week After Wife Succumbed to Hantavirus

• https://marines.togetherweserved.com/usmc/servlet/tws.webapp.webapp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=357785&binder=true

• 1930 USA Census of San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California; on ancestry.com citing APID#1,6224::91919167; FHL#2339924; NARA#T626; roll#189; image#547; ed#97; p5A (nephew)

• 1940/Apr/01 USA Census of Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois; on ancestry.com citing APID#1,2442::142523716; NARA#T627_897; ed#92-22; p1B (son)

• U.S. Public Records Index v2 on ancestry.com citing APID#1,1732::331711952

• Wikidata:Item Q150943,en:Wikipedia for Gene Hackman (American actor)

Is Gene your relative? Please don't go away!

Login to collaborate orcomment,contacta profile manager,orask our community of genealogists a question.