The Least Likely to Succeed

The Least Likely to Succeed

From Charlotte's Web Thoughts by Charlotte Clymer

February 27, 2025 · 5 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the recent deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, highlighting their lives and careers.

Yesterday afternoon, the bodies of Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The County Sheriff’s Office did not have reason to suspect foul play this early in the investigation, and there’s no official confirmation on the cause of their deaths. Many have suggested it may have been carbon monoxide poisoning. The couple had been married since 1991. Betsy Arakawa, 63, was a retired classical pianist and co-owned Pandora’s Box, a home furnishings store in Santa Fe which she launched with her friend Barbara Lenihan. She resolutely avoided the spotlight and cherished her privacy, never giving public interviews and preferring to live a quiet life with her husband. Gene Hackman, 95, was a Marine Corps veteran who had wanted to act since he was ten years old and pursued that dream several years after he left the service. At the Pasadena Playhouse, Mr. Hackman and his friend Dustin Hoffman were voted “The Least Likely to Succeed” and shortly thereafter moved to NYC to prove the doubters wrong and make their way into the industry. They befriended Robert Duvall, and the three struggling actors shared apartments for much of the ‘60s. All…

People in this episode

Host: Charlotte Clymer

Topics covered

  • celebrity deaths
  • film history
  • personal stories
  • marriage
  • acting careers

Keywords

  • Gene Hackman
  • Betsy Arakawa
  • carbon monoxide poisoning
  • acting
  • Oscars

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Santa Fe, New Mexico

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