Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman was born January 30, 1930 is a two-time Academy Award-winning American retired actor. He came to fame during the 1970s, after his role in The French Connection, and continued to appear in major roles in Hollywood films. Dustin Hoffman, Robert Duvall and Gene Hackman were all struggling actors and close friends while living in New York City in the 1960s. Hackman won the Best Actor award for his memorable performance as Popeye Doyle in The French Connection. He followed this with leading roles in the disaster film The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation (1974). That same year, Hackman appeared in one of his most famous comedic roles as the Blindman in Young Frankenstein. He later appeared in the star-studded war film A Bridge Too Far (1977), and showed a talent for both comedy and the "slow burn" as Lex Luthor in Superman: The Movie (1978), Superman II (1980), and the less successful Superman IV.

Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor in Superman the Movie Extra Superman fan art Manips by Gus