Words cannot express the monumental loss of Gene Hackman, arguably the finest actor of any Hollywood generation. As investigators sift through the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Hackman, his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs, pointing fans toward one of Hackman’s final TV appearances may help ease the pain.
In 2008, well into retirement, Hackman briefly appeared on The Food Network’s culinary road show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Humble, humorous, down-to-earth, and as natural in front of non-famous locals as he was in front of a movie camera, Hackman’s delightful cameo sheds insight into his small-town New Mexico life post-Hollywood.
Gene Hackman Was a One-of-a-Kind Performer
For younger crowds who may be unaware of Gene Hackman’s unparalleled acting greatness, the two-time Oscar winner amassed 101 credits from 1961 to 2004. After breaking out in Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, Hackman showcased tremendous range and natural onscreen charisma across all genres. Regardless of whether he was playing the lead in a drama or a supporting player in a comedy, Hackman never indicated that he was performing and always delivered commanding and convincing performances each time out. No one was more believable.
To understand what great acting looks like, cinephiles must study Hackman’s seminal versatility in Downhill Racer, I Never Sang For My Father, The French Connection (his first Oscar win), Scarecrow, The Conversation, Night Moves, Superman, Hoosiers, Mississippi Burning, Unforgiven (his second Oscar win), Crimson Tide, Get Shorty, The Birdcage, Enemy of the State, The Royal Tenenbaums, and several others. Hackman retired from acting in 2004, leaving Hollywood to live a quiet life in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Four years after he retired, Food Network host Guy Fieri randomly encountered Hackman sitting at the counter, and the exchange couldn’t be more enchanting.
Harry’s Roadhouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico
In the fifth season premiere of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, host Guy Fieri welcomed viewers to Harry’s Roadhouse diner in Santa Fe. At 1:16 into the segment, the great Gene Hackman graces Guy’s company with a warm smile and an unassuming manner that underscores his everyman humility and down-home living.
While his dialogue is interrupted by the editing, Hackman conveys that the diner is a local staple he enjoys frequenting because…” nobody pays attention, you know, it’s great.” When Guy jokes, “Until we come dragging our cameras across your table,” Hackman disarms the host with a big friendly smile and laughs, “Right.” Never put off or intruded upon, Hackman is gracious, inviting, and warmly hospitable.
With responsive candor on par with his big-screen performances, Hackman behaves in real life how he acts in film, authentically. Guy later asks Hackman if he’s ever eaten scrapple at Harry’s Roadhouse, to which he responds, “No” with deadpan comedic timing. “Do you know what scrapple is?” Guy wonders. Hackman diplomatically looks away and laughs, “Yeah, I do,” as if he never wants to hear the word scrapple in his life again.
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In Hackman’s third and final segment, Guy asks, “What makes Harry’s Roadhouse one of your go-to spots?” Hackman states, “You know, I can come here anyway I want to,” pointing to his casual attire and underscoring his low-key humility. Guy jokes about his own ridiculous outfit, with Hackman getting the last laugh. “Well, you look pretty good. Except your hair. I don’t know…what happened to your hair?” 17 years later, Guy still sports the flaming hairdo.
Gene Hackman’s delightful Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives appearance is a reminder of what an accessible, engaging, kindhearted, and funny person he was on and off the screen. The natural comfort and charisma exhibited in the show, as himself, without any Hollywood pretense of publicity, is a reminder that, whether playing a character or not, Gene Hackman never pretended when he was onscreen. He existed. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is available to stream on Max and Hulu.
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