Although Gene Hackman, who died at age 95, was one of Hollywood’s most enduring and recognizable stars, it was nearly impossible to put him in a box. Over a five-decade career, he portrayed cops, villains and men of the cloth, in thrillers, comedies and superhero blockbusters.
His accolades included two Academy Awards and four Golden Globes, including, in 2003, the Cecil B. DeMille Award for outstanding contributions to entertainment.
Here are some of his most notable performances.
‘The French Connection’Hackman’s breakout role was as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, a cop investigating a heroin deal in William Friedkin’s “The French Connection.” Hackman won the best actor Academy Award for this performance, and critics immediately recognized his star quality. Stephen Farber, reviewing the movie for The Times, said that Hackman had brought “a new kind of police hero” to the screen. His character was “brutal,superjili casino racist, foulmouthed, petty, compulsive, lecherous,” Farber wrote, “but even at his most appalling, he is recognizably human.”
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Calls for school crackdowns have mounted with reports of cyberbullying among adolescents and studies indicating that smartphones, which offer round-the-clock distraction and social media access, have hindered academic instruction and the mental health of children.
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