A Friendly Wager with Gene Hackman

Do I have to? [Laughs] It’s too hard.

Let me tell you a story.

This is about Gene—Gene Hackman. We used to play a lot of golf together, just for fun, with a little friendly wagering on the side. It was usually Gene, Tom Allen, myself, and, of course, Gene again—he always made things interesting.

Now, Gene had a bit of a reputation when it came to settling bets. Let’s just say he wasn’t always in a hurry to pay up. One day, after another round of golf, I finally said, “Gene, how about some cash, buddy?” He just gave me that classic Gene Hackman look—half-smile, half-smirk—shook his head, and said nothing.

I figured that was the end of it.

A week later, I was sitting in my office when the hostess walked in and said, “Mr. Hackman is here.”

“Great,” I said, “What table is he at?”

She shook her head. “No, he’s got this big toolbox. It’s on wheels. And he’s coming to your office.”

“What?” I said, confused.

Sure enough, Gene rolls up with this massive, heavy-duty toolbox. He pushes it right into my office, opens the door, and with a completely straight face, says, “Here. Here’s your bet. Enjoy it.”

Then, without another word, he turns around and walks out.

I opened the toolbox, and inside were hundreds—maybe even thousands—of pennies. Stacks and stacks of them. Probably several hundred dollars’ worth.

Tucked inside, there was a document—something he had clearly put some thought into—expressing his “feelings” about having to pay the bet.

And at the bottom? A little note.

We called him “Captain Hollywood” after that. Classic Gene.