RIP Gene Hackman

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

So, farewell then to a fine detective, a great basketball coach, a submarine commander, rogue film producer…

 

…and, of course, the ruler of Australia and greatest criminal mind of our time.

 

 

 

Not to mention by all accounts a thoroughly nice bloke in person with a phenomenal memory for everyone he'd work with, from crew and craft services up...

...well, unless you hacked him off by not learning your lines. 

 

One person who gave him an awesome writeup was Mel Brooks. Gene was mates with Gene Wilder, found out about Young Frankenstein while they were playing tennis, and asked if there was any way he could sneak in a cameo. With Gene being pretty much the biggest star of the time, there's no way they could pay him more than scale. But he just wanted to do it.

 

And this is the scene Mel gave him, alongside Peter Boyle... though the last line is Gene's ad-lib.

And if it's a slightly abrupt cut to static on the sound, it's because that broke Mel and the rest of the crew.

 

Edited February 27 by ThaOGDreamWeaver

[Techwright]

What a tragic turn of events.  Hackman was one of those I'd have wished to see live beyond 100. 

 

There's two iconic Hackman films I've long been meaning to see:  The French Connection, and Hoosiers.  The latter is ironic as I lived in Indianapolis for 3 years in the 1990s, heard about the film constantly from friends and neighbors, yet to this day, I've never seen it.  I guess I should set up a watching schedule.

 

His wife, Betsy Arakawa passed away as well.  The reports say she was a classical pianist.  I went to YouTube to see if there was anything of her works, but I've yet to find any. 

[PeregrineFalcon]

Gene Hackman, great actor and US Marine (46 - 51).

 

[merrypessimist]

Hell of a loss.  What details I've heard makes the circumstances extremely skeezy.

[Techwright]

23 hours ago, merrypessimist said:

Hell of a loss.  What details I've heard makes the circumstances extremely skeezy.

 

Mom and I both read mystery novels.  Based on what info has been put out so far, I turned to her today and stated that this is the kind of mystery that writers would love to have thought up for their next novel.  Sadly, it is real.

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

On 3/1/2025 at 11:35 PM, Techwright said:

 

Mom and I both read mystery novels.  Based on what info has been put out so far, I turned to her today and stated that this is the kind of mystery that writers would love to have thought up for their next novel.  Sadly, it is real.

I await with mild dread the first podcast series (or several) based on zero evidence and 90% hearsay, in a bitesize 8-minute format with 20 minutes of ads tacked on the end.

[Trike]

The autopsy is in and it’s horrible. 

 

Spoiler

Apparently Hackman’s wife Betsy died from hantavirus, an ebola-type disease that terrifies me, while Gene was bedridden due to advanced Alzheimer’s, so he essentially starved to death on top of dehydration. So did the dog who was found with Betsy. 🥺 The other two dogs who survived were able to get to their water, apparently able to move in and out of the house, which explains why the door was ajar.

 

[houtex]

Spoiler

It's just so bizarre.  I've read up on it and it is just sad.  She apparently died first, then the likely set of events is he and the dog pass a few days later because she couldn't take care of them.  And being private like they were, they didn't have anyone check up on them until... well, here we are.

 

She's almost understandable though.  "It's just a cold/flu, I'll be ok."  I can see that.  But Gene... man.  His condition likely meant when he got out of bed (supposedly he was bedridden mostly due to his condition) he was wandering about confused and alone except for dogs.  He may have even passed by Betsy several times.  Speculation of course, but it would explain him being in the mudroom with a cane...

 

I can't even with that.  It's so sad. 😞  I'm sorry for them and their families.

Moral/lesson/takeaway/?:  Check on your loved ones more than you think you ought.  Might save them.  Hugs to everyone.

 

Edited Friday at 11:01 PM by houtex
Had to hedge, because Reasons(tm), on possible events.

[Voltor]

6 hours ago, Trike said:

The autopsy is in and it’s horrible. 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Apparently Hackman’s wife Betsy died from hantavirus, an ebola-type disease that terrifies me, while Gene was bedridden due to advanced Alzheimer’s, so he essentially starved to death on top of dehydration. So did the dog who was found with Betsy. 🥺 The other two dogs who survived were able to get to their water, apparently able to move in and out of the house, which explains why the door was ajar.

 

 

This is indeed a tragedy.   He should have had a live in caretaker or else been in a nursing home, and if he was bedridden most of the time then likely he should have been in hospice care. 

 

RIP

[BrandX]

21 minutes ago, Voltor said:

 

This is indeed a tragedy.   He should have had a live in caretaker or else been in a nursing home, and if he was bedridden most of the time then likely he should have been in hospice care. 

 

RIP

 

It sounds like the wife was doing just fine with him until she came down with a disease that if caught, is treatable.  She was 65, not exactly an age anymore that people consider infirmed.

 

That said, it's some terrible chain of events.

 

My aunt's mom had a similar case of bad events that caused her mom to not be found for a week as the neighbor who would mutually check up on each other by opening their curtains in the morning became so sick, she was unable to check in on her.

 

I was wondering if something like this happened myself.  I imagined she died first and with GH at the age he was, likely unable to do much and reading he had his issues, he may not have even realized she died. 😞

[Techwright]

6 hours ago, houtex said:

 Moral/lesson/takeaway/?:  Check on your loved ones more than you think you ought.  Might save them.  Hugs to everyone.

 

 

First thing I thought of.  I've read two stories now, one suggesting the family at distance was loving, yet somehow non-communicative for long stretches, another suggesting there were family feuds resulting in a severance.  Even if it were the latter, a lingering question to me is where were the friends to help her with him?  I'm not armchairing this.  I've had to take care of two elderly relatives with some mental conditions over the past 15 years, not as severe, thankfully, but enough where I'm grateful that relatives take turns calling to check up on us practically every day, and friends local are willing to chip in.   

 

 

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

Well, that's a paragraph I didn't wanna read.

 

I've had to take care of Mum a lot, who is 88, now bedridden, profoundly deaf, and intermittently showing signs of dementia: while at other times being sharp enough to still be damn stubborn. She was living at her home with 3 nursing visits a day - which is all she'd accept, and then grudgingly. But she fell out of bed, and forgot she had the panic pendant that summons me. When the next carer showed up, she was near hypothermic.

 

She's now been (semi-forcibly) transferred to a rest home by Social Services, as she refuses to admit she needs 24-hour care now. 

And while half of me feels ridiculously guilty and has to deal with that (and all the deeply unpleasant paperwork that goes with it)...

...the other half is glad it's out of my hands and not my gig any more.

 

Best blessings to all of you heroes and heroines out there who care.

Edited Saturday at 09:25 PM by ThaOGDreamWeaver