Legendary actor Gene Hackman retired from acting several decades ago, but the mark he left on the world of entertainment — written across a slew of mega-popular releases — continue to make a fan of any Hackman viewer.
Ahead of his retirement, Hackman’s career stretched more than six decades, from his very first uncredited appearance in 1961’s Mad Dog Coll to his final appearance in, technically, 2017. The 94-year-old Lex Luthor actor provided voice work for several television documentaries in the years after his retirement, but he actually put acting the rear-view mirror all the way back in 2004.
What was Gene Hackman’s last film performance?
Gene Hackman appeared in more than 80 releases over the course of his career, many of which earned the actor high accolades. He won numerous awards over the years for his contributions to cinema, including two Academy Awards — for his roles in  The French Connection and Unforgiven — four Golden Globes, two BAFTA awards, a single Screen Actors Guild award, and the Berlin International Film Festival’s Silver Bear for Best Actor. That’s just the tip of the iceberg; he’s also won numerous National Board of Review awards and Film critic awards, on top of his treasured position among Hollywood’s best. Its been awhile since he was around, but even younger viewers are familiar with his name.
Your favorite Gene Hackman role all depends on what style of film you prefer, given the actor’s diverse talent. He’s been in every genre of film imaginable, from gritty war epics and gripping dramas to absurdist comedies and romantic escapades.
The last of these was 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport, a political satire he starred in alongside Ray Romano. The film debuted to generally unfavorable reviews, many of which chastised the film for utterly wasting its talented cast. Its a shame, considering it served as Hackman’s final role, but it in no way serves as a reflection of his career.
Welcome to Mooseport wasn’t Hackman’s final release, but it was his final film. Following its relatively unpopular run, the actor returned to star in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, which served as his first television appearance in a whopping 40 years. He also lent his voice to two Marine Corps-related documentaries, The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima, which came out in 2016, and We, the Marines, which released in 2017. He’s been absent from the screen since, but considering how much wonderful content he contributed over his career on screen, we’re left with plenty of ways to enjoy Hackman’s talent.
