James Cagney: the actor who inspired Gene Hackman’s entire career
The pivotal influence.
James Cagney
Gene Hackman names the biggest regret of his career: “That era was already gone”
“I didn’t have the looks for that kind of leading man part.”
“An incredible talent”: Robert Redford names his favourite actors of all time
No room for Paul Newman.
The actor Gene Hackman called “totally different from anyone I’d ever seen in my life”
The inspiration behind a legend.
Gene Hackman once named the actors he admired the most: “I felt I could do that”
He might have done better.
The actor Orson Welles called “the greatest actor who ever appeared in front of a camera”
“Acted at the top of his bent and never hammed for one moment.”
An icon’s hero: The actor Clint Eastwood said “movies were invented for”
A career he was enthralled by from the start.
“The most difficult son of a bitch I’ve ever known”: James Cagney once named the best actor of all time
The mutual respect was there.