Fans of the late actor Gene Hackman have memorialized him at one of his go-to restaurants in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Hackman died in February at the age of 95, along with his wife Betsy Arakawa, who was 65.
In the wake of his death, the Hollywood icon’s admirers have taken to Jinja Bar & Bistro to pay their respects, leaving notes and flowers.
Owner Doug Lanham, who was a dear friend of Hackman’s and former business partner, told TMZ the Superman star would sometimes drop in for a bite or to pay patrons’ tabs.
He co-owned the eatery with Lanham before selling his stake several years.
Fans of the late actor Gene Hackman have memorialized him at one of his go-to restaurants in Santa Fe, New Mexico; pictured in 2005
In the wake of his death, the Hollywood icon’s admirers have taken to Jinja Bar & Bistro to pay their respects, leaving notes and flowers
Lanham also shared that Hackman’s talents extended beyond the silver screen; he was also a prolific painter whose works line the walls of Jinja.
Another one of the star’s frequented restaurants was Harry’s Roadhouse, where one of his visit’s was featured on the Food Network.
‘I’ve known Gene and his wife for over 30 years. He was a beloved, beloved regular of ours,’ owner Kathleen O’Brien, 61, told DailyMail.com.
O’Brien said the Oscar winner was ‘never presumptuous’ was ‘always kind and very generous, always quick to smile and make a wry joke.’
She added, ‘We were always giving them the space to be very private people.’
O’Brien recalled the 2008 moment when Hackman visited the restaurant as celebrity chef Guy Fieri was filming a segment for Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
‘That was crazy. They were taping and Gene happened to be coming into the restaurant for a business meeting for a book he was writing,’ she said.
‘One of Guy’s assistants came running into the kitchen as they were shooting, and said, “Guy, Gene Hackman is here!”
‘Guy Fieri ran right out of the kitchen and grabbed Gene and they sat down at the counter and had a conversation for 45 minutes,’ she remembered.
Another one of the star’s frequented restaurants was Harry’s Roadhouse, where one of his visits was featured on the Food Network
Hackman happened to visit the roadhouse restaurant in 2008 while celebrity chef Guy Fieri was filming a segment for Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
Investigators are pictured at Gene and Betsy’s $3.3 million Santa Fe mansion on Thursday morning
Gene and Betsy were found dead in separate rooms of their $3.3 million Santa Fe mansion on Wednesday, February 26.
Based on his pacemaker, which was last active on February 17, investigators believe Hackman had likely been dead for nine days prior to the discovery of his body.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters: ‘I think that is a very good assumption that that was his last day of life.’
Arakawa was found dead in a bathroom, next to a space heater and an open bottle of pills including thyroid medication, Tylenol, and blood pressure medication.
Daniel Lenihan, a friend of the couple, told People this week that prior to their deaths Betsy had been ‘trying to keep [Gene] as active and engaged and as healthy as possible,’ adding that Hackman did puzzles and yoga via Zoom every daily.
