Latest news with #Gene
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gene Hackman had 'huge fight with drivers who recognised and harrassed him'
In the months following Gene Hackman's tragic death at age 95, a previously unknown altercation from his later years has come to light from a former pal Months after Gene Hackman 's tragic death at 95, a wild story from his final years has come to light involving a minor car crash, a roadside brawl, and a surreal moment of self-awareness. Doug Lanham, a close friend who met Hackman in 2004 at his Santa Fe restaurant, revealed the incident in a new interview. He recalled: 'There was a time Gene was coming down where he was living [in LA]. These guys recognised him, and they started harassing him a little bit.' According to Lanham, after being rear-ended at a light, Hackman refused to back down: 'Gene being Gene, puts it in drive, goes forward, puts it in reverse and then whacks them.' Things escalated at the next light. 'Two of them get out of the car and Gene gets out of the car, and they go for it.' When Lanham later asked how he fared, Hackman gave a typically dry, cinematic reply: 'Well I was on my back and I kinda looked up over my head and there's a bus stop with a poster and there I was on the poster! And I was like, 'Hackman what the hell are you doing?'" he told the Daily Mai l. Hackman, best known for The French Connection and Unforgiven, retreated from public life after retiring in 2004. He and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home earlier this year. Autopsy results painted a picture of a man in declining health: Hackman had long battled congestive heart failure, had a bi-ventricular pacemaker since 2019, and suffered from advanced-stage Alzheimer's. He also had 'severe atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease,' with multiple heart surgeries and damage from earlier heart attacks. Tragically, Arakawa passed first, likely around February 12, due to complications from Hantavirus - a rare illness linked to rodent droppings. A report confirmed she had been researching flu-like symptoms in the days before her death. Hackman, who tested negative for the virus, died days later, on February 18, likely unaware his wife had already gone. A heartbreaking scene awaited police: their dog guarding Betsy's body, notes exchanged between the couple scattered through their home, and photographs of their beloved German Shepherds throughout the house. A subsequent health inspection found rodent infestations across eight outbuildings on their property, including sheds, garages, and even vehicles. Inspectors also discovered traps throughout, indicating the couple had been struggling with the issue for some time. Authorities later confirmed the property posed a hantavirus risk to first responders who entered it.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘He was a part of our lives:' Loved ones memorialized in granite at KC's WWI Museum
An engraved heart helped Martha Burt spot the newly installed brick honoring her late husband, Gene, out of the almost 10,000 memorial blocks at the National World War I Museum and Memorial. Martha's three adult daughters surprised her with the brick to honor their dad, a longtime museum volunteer. The group braved a persistent drizzle to attend the Memorial Day dedication for new engraved granite blocks on the museum's Walk of Honor. The family remembered Gene Burt putting on his blue volunteer shirt and stopping for QuikTrip donuts on his way to the museum every week. A history lover, Gene had volunteered more than 2,000 hours before he died of cancer last spring. Some of Gene's fellow 'Thursday group' volunteers attended his funeral. Martha teared up sharing her memories of her husband telling visitors about the poppies in the museum lobby. 'He loved the people coming in and saying something to them to help their stay, and help them enjoy it,' she said. The Walk of Honor dedication allowed the Burt family to remember their father and husband. 'He was a part of our lives. The biggest part,' Martha said. Civilians, like Gene Burt, and veterans alike are honored on the Liberty Memorial's Walk of Honor. Approximately 300 people attended the dedication ceremony, which took place in the auditorium and spilled out into a full overflow room. The ceremony included speeches and a slideshow of each person honored on the 97 granite bricks, which start at $300. People come to the Liberty Memorial solely to see their loved ones on the bricks, said Karis Erwin, vice president of marketing and guest service for the museum. She spoke of a family member attending Monday's event, which helped bring a ceremonial end to his time serving in the Vietnam War. 'For him to have an opportunity to honor that commitment that he made so many decades ago, and to have a room full of people celebrating that, I think is really great closure for him,' Erwin said. Memorial Day marks the beginning of the busy months for the National World War I Museum and Memorial. During the summer, the museum sees many out of town visitors, after three seasons of mostly school groups and local visitors. This year local visitors will get a summer deal. From June 1 through Sept. 1, Kansas City area residents can purchase discounted $10 tickets that grant access to the main museum, special exhibits and the Liberty Memorial observation deck.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA legend Gene Kranz returns to mission control
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Gene Kranz, who served in Apollo mission control as "White Flight," was at the head of the room when Apollo 11 landed on the moon and Apollo 13 "had a problem." He may have never said "Failure is not an option," but his record of success has earned him a prestigious award. On May 15, 2025, Kranz received the 2024 American Astronautical Society (AAS) Lifetime Achievement Award for his "exemplary leadership and a 'must-never-fail' style that ensured historic mission successes, empowered human space exploration, saved lives and inspired individuals around the world." Prior to a public celebration at Space Center Houston, Kranz revisited his former workplace — the now history Apollo mission control room at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In this photo, he poses with his award at the restored console where once led flights to the moon. "Gene didn't just help put humans on the moon, he helped build the mindset that made missions possible. Forging ahead into the Artemis generation, we still see the lasting impact of Gene's leadership today," said Steve Koerner, acting director of the Johnson Space AAS lifetime achievement award is only presented once every ten years. Previous honorees have been Werner von Braun (1964), William Pickering (1974), George Low (1984), Norm Augustine (1994), Pete Aldrige (2004) and Ed Stone (2014). You can read about the role of NASA flight directors and another way that veterans of Houston mission control have been honored.
Kyodo News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Kyodo News
Analysis of "GQuuuuuuX" Ep. 2 "White Gundam"
By Koji Uchida, KYODO NEWS - 9 minutes ago - 18:34 | All The TV anime "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" (hereafter referred to as GQuuuuuuX) has been streaming on Prime Video since Tuesday, April 8, 2025. In its second episode, "White Gundam," we finally got to see part of the One Year War segment that was previewed in the theatrical release "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-" back in January. For those familiar with the original "Mobile Suit Gundam" series (hereafter referred to as First Gundam), the series of unexpected events must have been quite shocking. The "-Beginning-" movie featured scenes not present in the TV series. If you haven't seen it in theaters yet and became interested after watching episode 2, I highly recommend checking it out while it's still showing. In episode 2 of GQuuuuuuX, "White Gundam" Char Aznable, the rival character as famous as Amuro Ray, managed to capture the Federation's white mobile suit, the Gundam. This act of seizing an enemy's weapon or equipment during battle is known as "capture" in military terms. In this article, we'll explore five elements that contributed to this surprising turn of events. Please note that this is purely speculative analysis and has no connection to the official GQuuuuuuX settings or storyline. 1. Gene: The First Divergent Point Both the first episode of "First Gundam" titled "Gundam Rises on Earth!!" and the second episode of "GQuuuuuuX" follow the same basic premise: Char's unit investigates Side 7 after detecting the Earth Federation Forces' mobile suit development plan, Operation V. However, in "GQuuuuuuX" Char personally infiltrates Side 7 from the outset due to an unexpected malfunction of a certain pilot's Zaku. Fans familiar with "First Gundam" might have found it thrilling to see one of the three infiltrating Zakus colored red, despite the scene's composition being nearly identical to the original. This excitement persists even though Char's character has been depicted attempting infiltrations in his conspicuous attire and mobile suit on multiple occasions. As a result, it doesn't feel particularly out of place for a unit commander to personally conduct reconnaissance or infiltration missions. In "First Gundam" the initial infiltration of Side 7 was carried out by Denim, Slender, and a character named Gene, who also accompanies Char in "GQuuuuuuX". Interestingly, it's Gene's Zaku that malfunctions in "GQuuuuuuX". Gene, a rookie soldier eager for promotion, ignores his superior Denim's orders and launches an attack in his pursuit of military achievements. In "GQuuuuuuX" Char also initiates an attack at this point. While Gene is often considered the "scapegoat" for providing Amuro the opportunity to board the Gundam, his actions are nearly identical to Char's. This raises an intriguing question: Why didn't Gene's actions in the original series lead to the same outcome as in "GQuuuuuuX" given that their actions were essentially the same? We'll explore this point in the next section. 2. Whether Gene had Earned Denim's Trust As mentioned earlier, Gene was a new recruit who, in his eagerness to prove himself, disregarded orders from his superior officer, Denim. Such behavior is typically unacceptable in the military, making it questionable whether he had earned the trust of his colleagues. However, in "GQuuuuuuX" Char also took immediate action upon discovery. This difference can be attributed to the contrasting roles of Char and Gene. If the decision had come from a unit commander, Denim, who is loyal to orders, would have likely complied immediately. In "GQuuuuuuX" there's even a line where Denim praises Char's decision, saying, "As expected of the Red Comet... always so adaptable". This indicates that Char had already earned the trust of his subordinates. The crucial difference seems to lie in this level of trust. As a result, in the original "First Gundam" by the time Gene and Denim make their discovery, Amuro has already boarded the Gundam, leading to the first-ever Mobile Suit battle in history. However, in "GQuuuuuuX" Char and Denim's swift action leads to the successful capture of the Gundam, the destruction of the Guncannon, and even the seizure of the Pegasus (White Base). If Gene had earned the trust of Denim and his fellow unit members in their daily interactions, the outcome might have been different, even if not as dramatic as Char's success. While Gene undoubtedly became a turning point, it's fascinating to see how drastically the subsequent events could change if just one factor had been different. Interestingly, the theme song "Plazma" by Kenshi Yonezu also touches on the concept of "what if" with lyrics like "Moshimo ano kaisatsu no mae de / If only at that ticket gate..." This might suggest that "GQuuuuuuX" places significant importance on these "what if" scenarios. Perhaps "GQuuuuuuX" is exploring the theme of how small changes can lead to vastly different outcomes. Who knows? This could be a key element of the series!
Buzz Feed
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Gene Hackman Hated Making The Royal Tenenbaums
Earlier this year, legendary actor Gene Hackman passed away alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa in the couple's Santa Fe home. Gene was a larger-than-life talent, so it's not surprising that we're still hearing new stories from those who worked with him. The latest comes from director Wes Anderson, whose new film The Phoenician Scheme just premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. As you probably know, Gene was effectively the lead in Wes' 2001 classic The Royal Tenenbaums, playing Royal Tenenbaum. His performance was critically acclaimed, garnering a Golden Globe win for his efforts. Gene, who was fairly private as a celebrity and effectively retired from acting in 2004, also didn't show up to collect the award itself — and according to a new Sunday Times interview with Wes, he very much wasn't a fan of making the film either. 'Gene was very annoyed about the money,' Wes said in the interview, gesturing towards the flat pay rate that The Royal Tenenbaums' cast received across the board. 'He was furious. Also, he didn't want to do the film anyway." Wes went on to claim that he had to basically convince Gene to be in the film — and that he "wouldn't go away" until the storied actor said yes. "And everybody else said yes to the salary, so Gene just went with it — and that just became our way," he explained. Wes also said that Gene said "not a word" to him when they were finished filming. 'In fact he left without saying goodbye," he claimed. "He was grumpy — we had friction. He didn't enjoy it. I was probably too young and it was annoying to him.' In fact, the last conversation the two had — according to Wes, at least — was when The Royal Tenenbaums opened in theaters. "He liked it,' Wes recalled. 'But he told me he didn't understand it when we were shooting. I wish I'd shown him 10 minutes, early on. Then, maybe, he would have said, 'OK, I get it.'' The more you know about the movies you love! You can read the entire interview with Wes right here.
