Gene Hackman’s unforgettable role in United Airlines’ famous ad

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If you watched the Academy Awards last night, then you would have seen Morgan Freeman’s tribute to Gene Hackman. As seen in the embedded video below, Morgan introduced the Oscars In Memoriam segment with these heartfelt words: “This week, our community lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman. I had the pleasure of working alongside Gene on two films: Unforgiven and Under Suspicion. Like everyone who has ever shared a scene with him, I learned that 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 around 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.”

There’s no denying that Gene Hackman was an incredible actor, but few remember that he also voiced one of the most memorable airline commercials of the 1980s, United Airlines’ first Rhapsody in Blue.

Watching, and more importantly, hearing, this commercial brought back so many fond memories, especially since, in 1987, I was afraid to fly. I was fascinated by movies and commercials that featured air travel. When I eventually overcame my fear of flying internationally, it was on a United Airlines flight to Hong Kong (see photo below). That trip sparked my passion for travel and my obsession with miles and points.

Many will remember Gene Hackman for his Oscar-winning performances and for the many other films he made but I will also remember him for voicing that United Airlines commercial because it made a deep impression on me.

I’ll end this with a couple of famous quotes from Gene Hackman:

“I left home when I was 16 because I was looking for adventure.”
“I was lucky to find a few things that I could do well as an actor and that I could look at and say, ‘Yeah, that’s all right.'”

Rest in peace, Gene. You did good work.

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