The movie Gene Hackman refused to be credited in: “Why should he be?”
The late Gene Hackman was a terrific star who truly embodied what it meant to be a Hollywood performer. Both considered and electrifying, his performances were never short of impressive, making him one of the most lauded figures in the industry. His acting career began in the 1960s, with roles alongside the likes of Warren Beatty, Julie Andrews, and Max von Sydow coming early in his career.
The actor earned acclaim when he appeared in 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde as Clyde’s older brother, Buck, earning an Academy Award nomination for his performance. By the time the 1970s rolled around – a decade full of major Hollywood developments – Hackman had become a leading star, with The French Connection winning him an Oscar and establishing him as a key player in the industry. It was one of two Oscar wins for the actor, who went on to win another prize from the Academy over a decade later for his performance in Unforgiven.
A few years later, roles in The Conversation, Young Frankenstein, Night Moves, and Superman followed, with Hackman’s Hollywood dominance continuing fast and strong. The actor was well-respected, with Clint Eastwood, who directed him in Unforgiven, telling Variety, “There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note.”
However, being a star of such a high calibre can come with various requests that, to some, might appear diva-like, but in the world of Hollywood, they’re actually quite commonplace. The issue of billing can cause problems for many, with certain actors being billed higher on a poster than others dispute the size of their role in the film. For Hackman, his inability to have his name above the title of a certain movie he appeared in resulted in him opting out of being credited on the poster altogether. It was The Firm, released in 1993, starring Tom Cruise in the main role as Mitch McDeere, with Hackman playing his mentor, Avery Tolar.
Yet, with Hackman joining production after Cruise was already cast, whose deal stated that his name had to appear at the top of the poster, he made the bold decision to remove his name completely. Was it an act of protest? Or was it just a smart tactic? According to his spokesperson Dick Guttman (via Los Angeles Times), “This is a town of precedents and [Hackman is] so firmly established above the title, why should he be below the title?”
He added, “He came to the project late, after they started filming, and was offered the role after [Paramount] had constructed a marketing plan built around Tom. He had the choice of saying ‘no’ or working out some other billing situation. It was a good decision by him and CAA.”
Hackman’s involvement in the movie might not have been immediately apparent to theatre-goers at the time, but it turned out that the actor had one of the most prominent roles in the movie alongside Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Holly Hunter. The movie earned two Oscar nominations and even spawned a television sequel several decades later, although Hackman did not reprise his role.
