Two classic movies starring the late Gene Hackman are on TV tonight
Tributes have been pouring in to the acting legend in the wake of his tragic passing
Two classic movies starring the late Gene Hackman are airing on TV tonight (Sunday, March 16) across the UK for free.
Authorities revealed last week that Hackman, 95, passed away from heart disease complicated by Alzheimer's disease, possibly a week after his 65-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a rare rodent-borne illness, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Data from Hackman's pacemaker suggested an irregular heartbeat on February 18, likely the day of his death.
However, the couple's bodies were not found until February 26, when maintenance and security staff visited their Santa Fe home, leaving law enforcement and medical investigators with a mystery to solve.
Tributes have been pouring in to Hackman in recent weeks, with his Unforgiven co-star Morgan Freeman taking to the stage to honour his friend at the 97th Academy Awards.
"I had the pleasure of working with Gene on two films, Unforgiven and Under Suspicion, and like everyone who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work.
“He received two Oscars, but more importantly, he won the hearts of film lovers all over the world. Gene always said, ‘I don’t think about legacy. I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work’.
“So I think I speak for us all when I say, Gene, you’ll be remembered for that and for so much more. Rest in peace, my friend," he said earlier in the month.
In honour of Hackman, the BBC are airing The French Connection and The Conversation back-to-back tonight as a tribute to the screen icon.
Released in 1971 and directed by The Exorcist's William Friedkin, The French Connection tells the story of the New York Police Department's mission to stop a wealthy French heroin smuggler.
Featuring Jaws' Roy Scheider and Spanish actor Fernado Rey, the film saw Hackman win Best Actor at the 44th Academy Awards, as well as winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Two years after The French Connection, Hackman appeared in legendary director Francis Ford Coppola's follow-up to The Godfather; The Conversation.
Joined by John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Cindy Williams, Frederic Forrest, Harrison Ford, Teri Garr and Robert Duvall, Hackman stars as a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential murder.
Winning the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival, The Conversation is now considered by film buffs as Coppola's finest piece of cinema.
There's no better way to remember a film star than to watch their work, with Hackman there's very few films that wouldn't do his immense talent justice.
The French Connection airs at 10pm and The Conversation airs at 11.40pm on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer on Sunday, March 16