Legendary actor Gene Hackman has died; he was found dead in his New Mexico home along with his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog. I want to take a moment to reflect on Hackman and also his link to United Airlines.
Gene Hackman Commercials For United Airlines – A Walk Down Memory Lane
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hackman narrated a series of commercials for United Airlines, including the first to feature George Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue:
Here are some more:
I love this one, though I’m not sure about the “we’ll take you back” comment in today’s political climate!
I really liked Gene Hackman as an actor. My favorite Gene Hackman movie was The Birdcage, where he played a conservative US Senator who was forced to sneak out of a Miami nightclub in drag…hilarious movie. Nathan Lane is the best…
Don’t watch this if you haven’t seen the movie!
I also loved The Firm, a 1993 mystery thriller with Tom Cruise. Of course he was great in The French Connection, Mississippi Burning, and Enemy of the State…all great films.
He got his start at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, just a short drive from my house, and I loved that he retired at his peak, enjoying his last years in the seclusion of Santa Fe, New Mexico rather than making a fool out of himself by hanging on too long.
The circumstances surrounding his death are odd (my hunch, like his daughter, is still that of carbon monoxide poisoning). But I’m thankful for Hackman today and for the laughs and thrills he brought us through his decades of acting.
Wait…don’t go….I was gonna make espresso!
His absolute best role ever. I didn’t even know it was him for many years.
I was just going to comment on this! I loved the movie, and only discovered today it was an ad- lib line.
Check on your aging relatives, friends and neighbors. It costs nothing but a bit of your time.
I had forgotten how wonderful the United ads with Gene Hackman and “Rhapsody” were. Thanks for showing a few. I always felt a bit guilty loving those ads when as a Lifetime Platinum on American I never flew United. Oh well…
I lived in Santa Fe for 8 years, actually down the hill from Hackman’s place. I never was able to meet Hackman and thank him for giving us Royal Tennenbaum.
I was talking to friends yesterday morning when the news had just broken, before the added details made it seem suspicious rather than the joint suicide with the dog we thought it was. We all agreed it was a real “Santa Fe thing to do”.
What was your impression of his portrayal of Harry Caul in The Conversation?
Haven’t seen it. I will now!
Worst performance by a comedian was Zelinsky shredding himself .
Actually, it was the president and vice president of the United States supporting a former KGB officer who is a dictator over the sitting president of our ally, and then go on to lie about it. It’s not only embarrassing it is shameful.
Almost as shameful as ignorant people like yourself, who seem to relish in their stupidity and inability to understand and process facts.
I agree I must be ignorant , because I have never before heard of a country going to the lender and insulting the lender whilst trying to get more money . He was merely asked to express appreciation with a simple thank you.
So it must be that I am ignorant , because I have never before heard of that .
Such a sign of weakness to insist on being thanked. Like a bad husband, bad father…don’t get me started. I’ll stop here.
@Matthew … JD raised some important points . And if it had been The Apprentice , someone petulant who is a guest might have been “fired” . As it is , it will be smoothed over .
He also did thank them at the beginning. But vance’s script was already written.
Seems that way…seems like this was all pre-medicated. But beyond red meat for the base, I don’t see how this builds bridges and promotes peace.
@Matthew … Such a sign of weakness to avoid thanking people .
I believe to thank everyone with a smile , as often as possible . THAT is what instantly “builds bridges and promotes peace” .
Everyone is in some way helpful to everyone .
Only an artificial peace is built by brown-nosing narcissists.
@Matthew … Thanking with a smile sets a lot of things straight .
Demanding with a frown can cause more difficulties .
That is the simple lesson that Zelensky has never learned .
Trump is an over-inflated ego ; yet is Not a narcissist because he does have empathy with many others , except when they are playing him .
Michael is correct.
But why must an apolitical post on Gene Hackman descend into this..? :/
Thank you.
@Matthew … Well , sometimes stopping a real war , is more important than make-believe hollywood .
Wow Matthew can watch CNN this was all pre meditated. No you don’t disrespect the most powerful person in the world President Trump especially when you’re in the hole $350 billion to the US and EU. Zelenskyy just ruined the lives of Ukrainian people. No more financing. And the democrats can abandon Ukraine Ukraine and play the old record Russia Russia to their children tonight. I’ve never been more proud to be an American and what an eye for talent Trump has to bring in JD Vance.
JD vance is a eunuch. What kind of man begs someone to thank another man. Usha is going to be giving it to him hard with the strap tonight
@D3kingg: I watched the conference. How did Z disrespect Trump/Vance/America by reminding them that Putin signed a ceasire after the Crimea invasion, then ignored it?
@Matthew … Simple . Trump wants immediate cease-fire .
Zelensky want never-ending U.S. support ( i.e., money ) .
@Matthew
Russia invaded Ukraine and the world got behind Ukraine. Great but That was then and this is now. You’re dealing with President Trump and he is offering the olive branch to Zalynskyy and Putin.
Whose ally? Ukraine may have been an ally to the last administration but not to the current one. Ukraine is an ally to money launders, speech controllers, censors, globalists, and the military industrial complex. Ukraine is not an ally to people who support Christianity, free speech, an end to globalism, and peace.
Not our ally. Neither is the rest of Europe anymore. Nope, our allies are now Russia and north Korea. Just look at the latest UN vote
For god sakes man put on suit.
I agree Elon needs to wear a suit in the white house… and no hats!
His wife died first and he had dementia, not knowing what to do until he fell and had a fatal head injury. Unfortunately, he had a hand in killing her and one dog.
That is my theory. We will see. If correct, you saw it first in Matthew’s Live and Let’s Fly.
I guess you didn’t read the part that said neither body showed any trauma. But then again facts don’t matter to people like yourself do they?
Hackman’s commanding style would have made him a terrific airline captain in the movies. Re-create the heated debate with Denzel Washington (Crimson Tide) with Gene as Captain and Denzel as First Officer.
Almost as bad as the way trump has shredded the dignity of this country in just 6 weeks. This country has become a joke to the entire world. All our allies now hate us. His supporters should consider seppuku to restore their dignity
Sorry, that was meant for Alert
The only people upset with this administration are the globalists who relied on U.S. Aid to fund their globalism. Those allies are not allies when they allow million of violent migrants to flood Europe and arrest Europeans for complaining about it.
Thank you for noting this. I love and will miss Mr. Hackman. And as Steve noted “I was just making an Expresso”.
Frau Bloucher approves. : ) Horses stamp and scream
Thanks for the article.
I agree thanks for the article and Alert while I agree with a lot of your politics JD and Trump behaved like schoolyard bullies today. I can’t shame them enough.
F’n assholes. And yes I voted for them.
It’s all going to be okay. We are all going through growing pains. God bless America
Earlier this month a woman living in a van with her four children parked in a Detroit casino parking lot for the night,and found two of her kids had frozen to death,she tried to get shelter,nobody returned her calls,the former mayor of Bend Or.ended up a senior living in a tent in a parking lot,in winter,died at the hospital after getting amputations for frostbite,these stories are endless.We need to spend on our needy here not continually throwing billions at Zelensky.Gene Hackman lived a blessed life,we should all be so lucky.
Better start learning mandarin bud because we are ceding our role as the world leader. China will fill that void
I’m addressing human and governmental aid agencies compassion filling a void in this country bud.Hollywood celebs and mandarin don’t interest me anymore than what side of a border 8000 miles away Anitevka village ends up.
If being a world leader means bankrupting your country to pay for gender studies in Pakistan, having hoards of violent criminals roam the streets, protecting governments in Europe who criminalize speech and Christianity, and funding Israel, they can have it.
Let China fund lgbt in Kenya.
That’s not happening. You are a brainwashed moron
Odd political comments aside. I never liked Birdcage but agree with his role in The Firm. I also liked him in Narrow Margin and many of his roles over the years. Too bad to see him and his wife pass in such an odd way at his age but then again maybe he would have found interest in the drama around it.