Gene Hackman

Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa in 1990, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Eugene Allen Hackman

Date of Birth: January 30, 1930

Place of Birth: San Bernardino, California, United States

Date of Death: c. February 18, 2025

Place of Death: Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, small amounts of German and Scottish, distant Dutch

Gene Hackman was an American actor and writer. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The French Connection (1971), and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven (1992). His roles also included the films Hawaii (1966), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The Split (1968), Marooned, I Never Sang for My Father, Cisco Pike, The Poseidon Adventure, Scarecrow (1973), The Conversation, Young Frankenstein, Bite the Bullet, French Connection II, Night Moves (1975), Lucky Lady, A Bridge Too Far, March or Die, Superman (1978), and its sequels, Superman II and Superman IV: Quest For Peace; All Night Long, Reds, Eureka, Under Fire (1983), Uncommon Valor, Misunderstood (1984), Twice in a Lifetime, Target (1985), Power (1986), Hoosiers, No Way Out, Another Woman, Bat*21, Full Moon in Blue Water, Mississippi Burning, The Package (1989), Postcards from the Edge, Narrow Margin (1990), Class Action, The Firm, Geronimo: An American Legend, Wyatt Earp (1994), The Quick and the Dead, Crimson Tide, Get Shorty, The Birdcage, Extreme Measures, The Chamber (1996), Absolute Power, Twilight (1998), Antz, Enemy of the State, Under Suspicion (2000), The Replacements, The Mexican, Heartbreakers, Heist, Behind Enemy Lines (2001), The Royal Tenenbaums, Runaway Jury, and Welcome to Mooseport.

Gene was the son of Lyda/Lydia Elizabeth (Gray), an actress, painter, and pianist, and Eugene Ezra Hackman, who operated the printing press for the Commercial-News newspaper. His father was American and his mother was Canadian, born in Lambton County, Ontario. His paternal great-grandfather was from a Pennsylvania Dutch (German) background. Much of the rest of his ancestry was English, with some Scottish, and distant Dutch.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, for four and a half years. Gene was married to classical pianist and businessperson Betsy Arakawa, until her death; Betsy was of Japanese descent. He had three children with his former wife Faye Maltese.

Gene’s paternal grandfather was William Henry Hackman (the son of Ezra T. Hackman and Amelia Ann Childs). William was born in Rossville, Vermilion County, Illinois. Ezra was born in Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the son of Jacob Hackman and Anna, and had German ancestry. Amelia was born in Kentucky, the daughter of James Mitchell Childs, whose maternal grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War; and of Arena/Arrena/Irene Huff.

Gene’s paternal grandmother was Julia Ann Morrison (the daughter of Alexander S. “Alex”/Aleck Morrison and Cynthia/Cyntha/Cintha Ann Mackey). Julia was born in Arkansas. Alexander was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, the son of David Morrison and Eliza Allen. Cynthia was born in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, the daughter of Julia.

Gene’s maternal grandfather was Joseph William Gray (the son of Joseph Bellairs/Bellars Gray and Ellen/Helen Penrose Harding). Gene’s grandfather Joseph was born in London, Ontario, Canada. Gene’s great-grandfather Joseph was English, born in Peterborough, Northamptonshire. Ellen’s parents were William Bentinck Harding and Hannah Nicholls/Nichol/Nichols, who were English.

Gene’s maternal grandmother was named Beatrice Anna Powell (the daughter of John Powell and Beatrice H./Hannah). Gene’s grandmother Beatrice was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Sources: Genealogies of Gene Hackman – http://familypedia.wikia.com
http://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com

Gene’s father on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Gene’s paternal grandmother, Julia Ann Morrison, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Gene’s paternal great-grandmother, Cynthia/Cyntha/Cintha Ann Mackey, on the 1850 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Gene’s paternal great-grandmother, Cynthia/Cyntha/Cintha Ann (Mackey) Morrison – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Gene’s maternal grandparents, Joseph William Gray and Beatrice Anna Powell – https://familysearch.org