The legendary actor Gene Hackman, who passed away earlier this year at 95, is being celebrated through an extraordinary auction that reveals his multifaceted life beyond the silver screen. Bonhams is presenting over 400 items from the Hackman estate, offering a rare glimpse into the private world of the two-time Oscar winner.
From Hannibal Lecter to Hollywood Retirement
Among the most captivating revelations is a 33-page draft script for The Silence of the Lambs, revealing that Hackman initially purchased a share of the film rights with ambitions to both direct and star as Hannibal Lecter. According to his agent Robert Bookman, Hackman described Thomas Harris's novel as "one of the most cinematic books I've ever read" before abruptly abandoning the project.
The reason for his withdrawal appears to have been personal. "Gene Hackman's daughter read the book," Bookman recalled. "And she called her father and said, 'Daddy, you're not making this movie.'" The film eventually became a 1991 masterpiece directed by Jonathan Demme starring Anthony Hopkins, sweeping all five major Academy Awards.
The Artist Behind the Actor
Perhaps the auction's most surprising aspect showcases Hackman's significant artistic talent, developed during his retirement from acting in 2004. More than 70 of his original artworks are featured, demonstrating his dedication to painting and sculpture.
Anna Hicks, head of private and iconic collections at Bonhams, notes the revelation has stunned many. "He was quite a private person and it comes as a surprise to a lot of people. The first thing that everyone says is: This whole wall? He did all of this? When did he have the time?"
His artistic portfolio includes seascapes, still lifes, and copies of masterworks by Henri Matisse and Vincent van Gogh. Hackman showed particular aptitude for portraiture, though notably avoiding depictions of his Hollywood colleagues in favour of anonymous subjects.
A Life in Objects and Art Collection
The collection spans his entire career, featuring annotated scripts from classics like Mississippi Burning, Runaway Jury, and Bonnie and Clyde, alongside Golden Globe trophies and his Cecil B DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award with handwritten acceptance speech.
Hackman's personal art collection reveals sophisticated taste, highlighted by Milton Avery's Figure on the Jetty, expected to fetch between $500,000 and $700,000. Other significant works include Richard Diebenkorn's Green, 1986 and an Auguste Rodin bronze sculpture.
Perhaps most poignant is a 14-inch bronze bust of his wife Betsy Arakawa, created by Hackman himself in an artist's studio. The original signed plaster cast accompanies the lot, representing a deeply personal artistic endeavour.
The auction comprises a live sale of 13 premier fine art pieces in New York on 19 November, followed by two online sales with items starting from just $100, making pieces of Hollywood history accessible to collectors of all levels.
