Gene Hackman ‘abandoned’ in heartbreaking family confession before tragic death

A heartbreaking clip of describing the moment his father walked out on his family as a teenager has resurfaced after the winner’s death aged 95.

Hackman appeared on Inside the Actors Studio, a TV programme in which leading thespians were interviewed by late American writer and actor James Lipton, in 2001.

In it, the French Connection star was asked by Lipton when his father Eugene left, and became visibly emotional as he said “about 13, I guess”, admitting it was “tough”.

Lipton said he read that his father had given him a “sort of casual wave goodbye”, and Hackman described the moment, saying, “I was down the street, playing with some guys. And he drove by and kind of waved…”

Hackman wells up at the memory. Lipton then says, “that was it”, which Hackman acknowledges.

Lipton adds, “but you saw him occasionally”, to which Hackman nods again silently, stifling tears.

Asked if he was close to his mother, Hackman smiles and is caught by his emotions once more, before quipping “it’s only been 65 years or so!”, prompting sympathetic applause from the audience.

He then suggested with a wintry smile that that kind of early experience probably makes you a “better actor”, explaining that it makes you “get in touch with your feelings and, you know, that’s what we’re here for”.

“I think the more that you can draw on that kind of thing… get something out of it,” he added.

Elsewhere, Hackman characterised his father, a newspaper printer, as a being violently disciplinarian and his mother, whom he adored, as an alcoholic.

She tragically died in a house fire in 1962, after reportedly falling asleep with a lit cigarette in her hand.

The rare moment of tenderness from the actor, who was famous for his tough guy roles, was shared on social media after news that he as well as his wife of more than thirty years Betsy Arakawa and one of their dogs had been found dead on Wednesday.

The

One of their three beloved German Shepherd dogs was also found dead in a closet adjoining the bathroom – with the closet only 10 to 15 feet away from Betsy, police said, as per . The grim discovery was made by a shocked maintenance worker who alerted police.

The cause of their deaths remains unknown, though an . Police have deemed the circumstances “suspicious enough to require a thorough search and investigation.”

According to a warrant, Mr Hackman was found fully clothed on the floor of his wet room, with his cane resting beside him.

Ms Arakawa was also discovered on the bathroom floor, next to a knocked-over bottle of prescription pills and a nearby space heater, according to police.

The couple’s two other dogs were found alive at their Sante Fe mansion, with one next to Ms Arakawa’s body in the bathroom, with another reportedly running loose on the grounds.