We all just learned about the passing of Gene Hackman. The actor was found dead today. He was 95. The guy was an absolute legend. Now, there is some mystery about the cause of death with Mr. Hackman. His wife and his dog were also reported dead at the home, yet police say foul play isn’t suspected. We’ll just leave that at that. Carbon Monoxide poisoning? Who knows? We’ll find out later. But I have to be honest, that’s kind of cool. To go out with a bit of mystery. Just enough of a “what happened there?” to make something ‘ordinary’ just a bit more interesting. And not to be terribly crass or insensitive, but isn’t that what Gene Hackman always did? Isn’t that why he’s such an acting legend?

Gene Hackman elevated the ordinary. That was his gift. His trade. His talent. He could play the everyman and make him the most interesting person in the room. That is talent that is incredibly hard to come by. And yes, it’s a craft as well. Gene Hackman was that rare combination of talent and the smarts to know, to never stop doing the work. Don’t talk about it. Don’t opine about it. Just do it and wonderful things will happen.

That talent and that determination made him amazing at every role he played. Basketball coaches, cops, flipping over the top super villains, right back to everyman next door neighbors. He was the gold standard for American Cinema and hard-working actors the world over. He will be missed. Let’s not leave without some highlights though. That would be a crime.

This clip from Superman is almost a crime. It leaves out the punch to the scene. Valerie Pirine looks to Lex and says “But Lex, my parents live in Hackensack…” She waits for his response. Hackman take the perfect pause… looks at his watch to check the time… then looks back to her and shakes his head, no. As if to say, not anymore, they don’t. It is perfection.