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Gene Hackman and his wife found dead

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in 1993

(Bild: AP)

Gene Hackman (95) and his wife, concert pianist Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in New Mexico on Thursday. The circumstances are unclear. However, the police have ruled out the possibility of foul play. 

The couple's dog was also found dead next to them. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza did not want to give any details on the cause of death for the time being. According to US media reports, he merely confirmed the couple's death. 

Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman and his wife (63) had been married for 34 years and lived a very secluded life, most recently in Hackman's home town of Danville in Illinois.

From his first marriage to Faye Maltese from 1956 to 1986, they had three children, Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean and Leslie Anne.

Pictures from Gene Hackman's career:

Gene Hackman 1972

(Bild: AP)

Gene Hackman in Paris in 1985 during the shooting of "Target"

(Bild: AFP )

Gene Hackman with his Oscar in 1992 for "Merciless"

(Bild: AP)

Gene Hackman with Monica Bellucci 2000 in Cannes

(Bild: AFP)

Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman and Stephen Hopkins (r.) in 2000

(Bild: AFP)

Gene Hackman with his " Cecil B. DeMille" statuette at the Golden Globes in 2003

(Bild: AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

For years, Gene Hackman was one of the leading character actors in Hollywood.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur)

Roles failed to materialize: Retirement from Hollywood
The 95-year-old, two-time Oscar winner and four-time Golden Globe winner had hardly been seen in public since his last film appearance in 2004. Hackman announced his retirement from show business in 2008. He would not be offered any more roles, he said at the time. 

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in 2003

(Bild: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in 1993

(Bild: AP)

Sharing a flat with Hoffman and Duvall
In his early days, Hackman shared a one-bedroom apartment with his former fellow students Dustin Hoffman and Robert Duvall, with whom he later remained friends. He also took part in sports car races in the 90s.

World success only after 40
He only became famous at the age of 41. In 1971, he took on the role of narcotics officer Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in "French Connection - Brennpunkt Brooklyn" and quickly rose to become one of Hollywood's elite.

He appeared in "Merciless" with Clint Eastwood, "The Verdict", "Faster Than Death" and "The Firm", among others. He once turned down a role as Hannibal Lecter in the psychological thriller "The Silence of the Lambs" - the material was too "dark" for him.