Inside His TRAGIC END

THE TWO-TIME OSCAR WINNER AND HIS WIFE DIED UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES AT THEIR HOME

- GENE HACKMAN

I was scared," recalled co-median Ray Romano of co-starring in Welcome to Mooseport with Gene Hackman. The 2004 comedy was Ray’s first film and would be the veteran actor’s last. “We bonded in a nerd way,” said Ray during a SAG-AFTRA interview, adding that he and Gene liked chatting about TV talent competitions like American Idol together. “He’ll never admit to it, but we did.”

A former Marine turned actor, Gene played plenty of tough guys over this four-decade career — from The French Connection’s Popeye Doyle to Unforgiven’s sadistic sheriff — but after his retirement from acting, he enjoyed a peaceful, art-filled life outside Santa Fe with Betsy Arakawa, a concert pianist and his wife since 1991. “Getting old is like being a car,” joked the actor, who suffered heart trouble, to The Telegraph. “Eventually, the parts start to wear out, and you’re just hoping the engine holds up.”