Gene Hackman, wife and dog are found dead at home

[Chuchoter]

Legendary Hollywood star Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have been found dead in their Santa Fe home.
The couple, who had been married since 1991, were found alongside their dog. Local media has reported that no foul play is suspected.
Hackman had just turned 95 in late January. He was known for being a reclusive person, having not starred in a movie since 2004, when he played Monroe 'Eagle' Cole in the political satire Welcome to Mooseport.
Born in California on January 30 1930, the actor had enlisted in the army after lying about his age at 16, serving for four-and-a-half years.
After moving back to California following his military service, he decided to pursue acting after briefly living in New York.
RIP

Superb actor.

Sorry but I think this was their own version of Dignitas.

For someone aged 95 I think that's more credible than something wrong with their heating system. And yes, ok, his wife was younger.

My thoughts say drugs, drink or a combo of several things.

I've never heard of a dog being overcome by CM poisoning.
Dogs have senses far superior to humans.

I loved that film. I really enjoyed every film he was in.

Absolutely agree with this comment. There is definitely going to be a Gene Hackman marathon this weekend kicking off with two of my favourite films of all time, The French Connection and French Connection II.

Now, where is the popcorn?

That’s what I thought. Seems odd that they killed the dog as well though. Also, the fact that she was so much younger than him. Had they both been in their 90s I could understand it.

I hope I have the courage to end things before cancer or Parkinson’s have the chance to slowly torture me. It has always seemed a very sensible thing to do.

@NebulousDogBollocking , that was French Connection II, which followed on from The French Connection. If you get the chance, watch them both in order, wonderfully gritty films about the drug trade out of Marseille and
Gene Hackman is mesmerising in them.

Nor has Marlon Brando; are you also asserting he's irrelevant? Michelangelo hasn't painted since mid 16c, but you know his work, surely?

So maybe read the room and don’t comment before using your brain a bit.

It's odourless. Dogs can't detect it.

at 95 he could have died of natural causes

I agree with this too and if so I am angry that they killed their dog-find it a good home if you're going to do this. You can DECIDE you've had enough, a dog can't.

You don't know that's what happened so calm down with the anger, also you don't know the age or health of the dog. Sad all round no matter what happened.

Oh how sad.

Oh, I assumed it was a pact. Which is the more macabre way to look at things, don't know why I went straight there, carbon monoxide poisoning is much more likely

I find it really odd and disconcertingly "off" when people come on to a thread like this and say things like "never heard of him". So, why comment then? This news is not aimed at you. Do you always comment on news stories about someone or something you know nothing about? If so, that's odd...And from the fact that it is prominent news, you must have gleaned that a lot of people HAD heard of him and would be interested.

I had never heard of Liam Payne before he died, that doesn't mean I needed to express that when the news came out. What would the purpose of that be? In that case perhaps it would be feeling "superior" because I don't consume all aspects of popular culture? And in Gene Hackman's case I think it's about ageism, frankly. Don't people just move on when they see a news headline about something or someone that they have no knowledge of or interest in? Despite all the algorithms etc, the news you see is not (yet) fully personalised to your areas of interest only.

Ah he was truly one of the greats, so versatile. I loved him in The Birdcage, and as a child I watched that scene in Poseidon Adventure with his angry monologue to God which has stayed in my mind for decades.

Also rate The Firm, Runaway Jury (gosh i miss old school John Grishams) and Enemy of the State. DH and I will re-watch Crimson Tide tonight.

What a career!

This is still showing up under the Google search, and has all morning. The Sun isn't always the most reliable news agency, but I doubt they'd make it up entirely. I suspect they know something that isn't being discussed yet.

I just hope that if it was suicide, it was actually suicide. And not murder/suicide. 95 or not it takes very little for a man to hold a gun and take out the "things" he feels belong to him. He wouldn't be the first man who decided if he was going to die his wife wouldn't be allowed to continue living.

My image isn't showing up but it's that the Suns headline on Google is "double suicide".

6 hours ago — Gene Hackman, 95, and wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, found dead after 'double suicide' at home along with pet dog · Published: 8:13, 27 Feb 2025 ...

This is so sad. He was such a wonderful actor.
He will be sorely missed.

i saw that this morning from The sun, but it was in inverted commas

according to news, other animals in the house survived

Saw this and fear that something happened to his wife (heart attack, fall), who was clearly his main carer, and that he and the dog may have died from starvation/neglect being that he was so old and frail.

I suspect it will be an awful tragedy arising from their choosing live very, very private lives, and probably without carers/daily dtaff etc to notice until it was too late.

reports that he had dementia which would be extremely challenging at 95 years of age.

Yes, I did wonder. She may have been his sole carer and if something happened to her he’d have died very quickly, and neglected their dog along the way. I suspect this story will evidence that money isn’t the panacea for all things but that family, connections and a community are more essential when you are a couple managing this time of illness and aging. Whilst I am curious about what might have been the scenario here, I’m irrationally more distressed about the dog!!

Was very sad to hear this earlier today. He was fantastic in Behind Enemy Lines, one of my favourite films.

His wife was called Betsy Arakawa, not Mrs Hackman.