Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman, 1989
Born	Dustin Lee Hoffman August 8, 1937 (1937-08-08) (age 70) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active	1967 ─ present
Spouse(s)	Anne Byrne (1969 ─ 1980) Lisa Gottsegen (1980 ─ present)

Dustin Lee Hoffman^[1] (born August 8, 1937)^[1] is a two-time Academy Award-, six-time Golden Globe-, three-time BAFTA- and Emmy Award-winning American actor. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for film television television craft video games and forms of animation The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works

Early life

Hoffman was born in Los Angeles, California,^[1] the son of Lillian (née Gold), a jazz pianist, and Harry Hoffman, who worked as a prop supervisor/set decorator at Columbia Pictures before becoming a furniture salesman. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company ^[2][3] His brother, Ronald, is a lawyer and economist. Hoffman's family was Jewish, although he did not have a religious upbringing. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ ^[4][5]He graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1955.

Career

Early career

Hoffman began acting at the Pasadena Playhouse with fellow actor Gene Hackman. The Pasadena Playhouse is an historic Theatre located in Pasadena California. Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman (born January 30, 1930) is a two-time Academy Award -winning American actor and author After two years at the playhouse, Hackman headed for New York City and Hoffman soon followed. The City of New York He worked a series of odd jobs, including coat checking at restaurants, working in the typing department of the city Yellow Pages directory, and stringing Hawaiian leis, while getting the occasional bit television role. The term Yellow Pages refers to a Telephone directory of Businesses categorized according to the product or service provided To support himself, he left acting briefly to teach. He worked as a professional fragrance tester for Maxwell House. Maxwell House is a brand of Coffee manufactured by a like-named division of Kraft Foods. He also did the occasional television commercial. A television advertisement or television commercial (often just commercial or advert (US or ad (UK is a span of television programming produced An oft-replayed segment on programs that explore actors' early work is a clip showing Hoffman touting the Volkswagen Fastback. The Volkswagen Type 3, properly referred to as the Volkswagen 1500 and later the Volkswagen 1600, was a range of small cars from German manufacturer

In 1960, Hoffman landed a role in an off-Broadway production and followed with a walk-on role in a Broadway production in 1961. Off-Broadway plays or musicals are performed in New York City. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Hoffman then studied at the famed Actors Studio and became a dedicated method actor. The Actors Studio is a membership Organization for Professional Actors theatre directors and Playwrights at 432 West 44th Street in Method acting is an Acting technique in which Actors try to replicate real life emotional conditions under which the character operates in an effort to create a life-like

Through the early and mid-1960s, Hoffman made appearances in television shows and movies, including Naked City, The Defenders and Hallmark Hall of Fame. Naked City is a police drama series which aired from 1958 to 1963 on the ABC television network The Defenders is an American courtroom drama series which ran on CBS from 1961 &ndash 1965. Hallmark Hall of Fame is a long-running irregularly scheduled anthology program on American Television. Hoffman made his theatrical film debut in The Tiger Makes Out in 1967, alongside Eli Wallach. The Tiger Makes Out is a 1967 Comedy film about a kidnapper and his unintended victim starring Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson and directed Eli Herschel Wallach (born December 7, 1915) is an American BAFTA - Tony Award - and Emmy Award -winning and Golden

Between acting jobs, Hoffman also made ends meet by teaching acting at a community college night school, and by directing off-broadway and community theater productions. In 1967, immediately after wrapping up principal filming on The Tiger Makes Out, Hoffman flew from New York City to Fargo, North Dakota, where he directed a production of William Saroyan's "The Time of Your Life" for the Emma Herbst Community Theatre. The Tiger Makes Out is a 1967 Comedy film about a kidnapper and his unintended victim starring Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson and directed The City of New York Fargo is a city in Cass County, North Dakota in the United States. William Saroyan ( August 31, 1908 - May 18 1981) was an Armenian American Author. The Time of Your Life a 1939 five-act play by American Playwright William Saroyan. The $1,000 he received for the eight-week contract was all he had to hold him over until the funds from the movie materialized.

Mainstream roles

In 1966, Mike Nichols began casting The Graduate. Mike Nichols (born November 6 1931) is an American television stage and Film director, writer and producer The Graduate is a American comedy / drama / Romance film directed by Mike Nichols, based on the novel of the same name by Negotiations with Warren Beatty and Robert Redford fell through, and Hoffman auditioned for the role. Warren Beatty (born Henry Warren Beaty; March 30 1937 is an American Academy Award - and Golden Globe -winning Actor, producer Charles Robert Redford Jr (born August 18 1936) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, Actor, Before Hoffman, Charles Grodin had also been in consideration for the role but, according to one anecdote, refused to work for the amount offered. Hoffman had been set to play the role of Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in Mel Brooks' 1968 movie The Producers, but dropped out when he landed the role of Benjamin Braddock, opposite Anne Bancroft. The Producers is a 1968 feature-length Comedy film written and directed by Mel Brooks. Anne Bancroft ( September 17 1931 – June 6 2005) was an American method Actress. The film began production in March 1967. Hoffman received an Academy Award nomination for his performance. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. After the success of this film, another Hoffman film, Madigan's Millions, shot before The Graduate, was released on the tail of the actor's newfound success. Madigan's Millions ( It: Un dollaro per 7 vigliacchi, Sp: El Millón de Madigan,released in the UK It was considered a failure at the box office.

Hoffman's next role was Ratso Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy. Midnight Cowboy is a 1969 Drama film based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. Hoffman received his second Academy Award nomination for Midnight Cowboy, while the film won the Best Picture honor. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. This was followed by his role in Little Big Man, where he played Jack Crabb, who ages from teenager to the age of 121 years in the film. Little Big Man is a 1970 film directed by Arthur Penn and based on the 1964 novel by Thomas Berger. The film was widely praised by critics, but was overlooked for an award except for a supporting nomination for Chief Dan George. Chief Dan George, OC ( July 24, 1899 &ndash September 23, 1981) was a chief of the Tsleil-Waututh, a Salish

Hoffman continued to appear in major films over the next few years. Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?, Straw Dogs, and Papillon were followed by Lenny in 1974, for which Hoffman received third nomination for Best Actor in seven years. Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? is a movie released in 1971 starring Dustin Hoffman. Straw Dogs is a 1971 Film directed by Sam Peckinpah which stars Dustin Hoffman and Susan George. Papillon is a 1973 Film based on the autobiography of Henri Charrière. Lenny is a 1974 film about the life of the comedian Lenny Bruce, starring Dustin Hoffman.

Less than two years after the Watergate scandal, Hoffman and Robert Redford starred as Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, respectively, in All the President's Men. The Watergate scandals were a series of Political scandals during the presidency of Richard Nixon that resulted in the Indictment of several of Nixon's Charles Robert Redford Jr (born August 18 1936) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, Actor, All the President's Men is a 1976 film based on the 1974 non-fiction book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the two journalists investigating Hoffman next starred in Marathon Man, a film based on William Goldman's novel of the same name, opposite Laurence Olivier as a sadistic former Nazi who plans to smuggle diamonds out of America. Marathon Man is a 1976 thriller film based on the novel of the same name by William Goldman. This article is about the screenwriter/novelist For the mathematician see William Goldman (professor. Laurence Kerr Olivier Baron

Hoffman's next roles were not as successful. He opted out of directing Straight Time but starred as a thief. Straight Time is a 1978 film directed by Ulu Grosbard, starring Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Gary Busey, Harry His next film, Michael Apted's Agatha, was opposite Vanessa Redgrave starring as Agatha Christie. Michael David Apted, CMG (born 10 February 1941) is an English director, producer, writer and Actor For other meanings please see Agatha (disambiguation. Agatha ( 1979) is a Drama Film, starring Vanessa Redgrave, CBE (born 30 January, 1937) is an English Academy Award, two-time Cannes Best Actress, Agatha Mary Clarissa Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 &ndash 12 January 1976 commonly known as Agatha Christie, was an English

Hoffman's next starred in Robert Benton's Kramer Vs. Kramer as workaholic Ted Kramer whose wife unexpectedly leaves him and he must raise their son alone. Robert Benton (born September 29, 1932 in Waxahachie Texas) is an American, Academy Award winning Screenwriter and Kramer vs Kramer is a 1979 Drama Film adapted by Robert Benton from the novel by Avery Corman, and directed by Benton Hoffman starred alongside Meryl Streep in the film, which earned Hoffman his first Academy Award. Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an award-winning American Actress who has worked in Theatre, The film also received the Best Picture honor, as well as Supporting Actress (Streep) and Director.

In Tootsie, Hoffman portrays Michael Dorsey, a struggling actor who finds himself dressing up as a woman (Dorothy Michaels) to land a role on a soap opera. His co-star was Jessica Lange. Jessica Phyllis Lange (born April 20 1949) is an American stage and screen actress who among many other accolades has won two Academy Tootsie earned ten Academy Award nominations, including Hoffman's fifth nomination.

Hoffman then turned to television in the role of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, for which he won the 1985 Emmy Award for Outstanding lead actor in a TV movie or miniseries. Death of a Salesman ( German: Tod eines Handlungsreisenden) is a 1985 made for television film directed by Volker Schlöndorff, based He would also go on to win a Golden Globe for the same performance.

Hoffman's largest film failure came in Elaine May's Ishtar, with Warren Beatty. Elaine May (born April 21 1932, Philadelphia) is a two-time Academy Award nominated Director, Screenwriter and Ishtar is a 1987 Comedy film, directed by Elaine May and starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as "Rogers Warren Beatty (born Henry Warren Beaty; March 30 1937 is an American Academy Award - and Golden Globe -winning Actor, producer The film received almost complete negative reviews from critics and was nominated for three Razzie awards. James House, who later became a country music artist, served as Hoffman's vocal coach in the film. James Andrew House (born March 21 1955 in Sacramento California) is an American Country music artist ^[6]

In director Barry Levinson's Rain Man, Hoffman starred as Raymond Babbitt, opposite Tom Cruise. Barry Levinson (born April 6, 1942) is an Academy Award -winning American Screenwriter, Film director, Actor Rain Man is a 1988 dramatic film written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass and directed by Barry Levinson. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 1962 better known by his screen name Tom Cruise, is an American Actor and Film producer Levinson, Hoffman and Cruise worked for two years on the film, His performance garnered Hoffman his second Academy Award. Upon accepting, Hoffman stated softly to his fellow nominees that it was okay if they didn't vote for him because "I didn't vote for you guys either. "

After Rain Man, Hoffman appeared with Sean Connery and Matthew Broderick in Family Business. Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born August 25 1930) is an Academy Award - Golden Globe - and BAFTA Award -winning Scottish Matthew Broderick (born March 21, 1962) is an American award-winning film and stage Actor who is best known for his roles as the title character A family business is a business in which one or more members of one or more families have a significant ownership interest and significant commitments toward the business’ overall well-being The film did relatively poorly with the critics and at the box office. In 1991, Hoffman voiced the character of Mr. Bergstrom in the Simpsons episode Lisa's Substitute, under the pseudonym Sam Etic. " Lisa's Substitute " is the 19th episode of the second season of The Simpsons.

Throughout the 1990s, Hoffman appeared in many large, studio films, such as Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy, Hero and the ill-fated Billy Bathgate. Warren Beatty (born Henry Warren Beaty; March 30 1937 is an American Academy Award - and Golden Globe -winning Actor, producer Dick Tracy is a 1990 action - Adventure film based upon the Dick Tracy Comic strip created by Chester Hero (also known as Accidental Hero) is a Comedy and Drama movie directed by Stephen Frears and starring Hoffman also played the title role of Captain Hook in Steven Spielberg's Hook, earning Hoffman a Golden Globe nomination. "Captain Hook" is also a nickname for former baseball manager Sparky Anderson. Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE (Hon (born December 18 1946 is an American Film director, Screenwriter and producer. See also Hook (video game Hook is a 1991 family Fantasy film directed by Steven Spielberg. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner Hoffman played the lead role in Sam Daniels in Outbreak, alongside Rene Russo, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Donald Sutherland. Outbreak ( 1995) is a Suspense Film starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey Rene Marie Russo (born February 17, 1954) is an American Film Actress and former fashion model Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26 1959 is an American actor and Film director. Morgan Porterfield Freeman Jr (born June 1 1937 is an Academy Award -winning American actor Film director and Narrator. Cuba Gooding Jr ( January 2, 1968) is an Academy Award -winning American actor Donald McNicol Sutherland OC (born July 17, 1935) is a Canadian Actor with a film career spanning over 50 years Following that, he appeared in Sleepers with Brad Pitt and Jason Patric. William Bradley "Brad" Pitt Pitt received a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for his role in the 1995 film Twelve Monkeys Jason Patric (born June 17, 1966) is an American Film, Television and stage Actor, and Jackie Gleason's grandson He starred opposite John Travolta in the Costa Gavras vehicle Mad City. Constantinos Gavras (born February 13, 1933, Loutra Iraias, Greece) better known as (Constantin Costa-Gavras (Κώστας Γαβράς

Hoffman gained his seventh Academy Award nomination for his role in Wag The Dog. Wag the Dog is a 1997 Film starring Robert De Niro, about a Washington spin doctor who distracts the electorate from a He next appeared in Barry Levinson's adaptation of Sphere, opposite Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Coyote, Queen Latifah and Liev Schreiber. Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American Golden Globe - and Emmy -winning Actress, producer, and former Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21 1948 is an American Academy Award -nominated and BAFTA -winning actor Peter Coyote (born October 10, 1941) is an American actor and author and has narrated many documentaries and Audio books. Isaac Liev Schreiber (born October 4, 1967) is an American Tony Award -winning Actor.

Hoffman next appeared in Moonlight Mile, followed by Confidence opposite Edward Burns, Andy Garcia and Rachel Weisz. Moonlight Mile is a 2002 movie written and directed by Brad Silberling. This article is about the actor-director born in 1968 for other people with the same name see Edward Burns (disambiguation. Andy García (born Andrés Arturo García y Menéndez; April 12, 1956) is an Academy Award -nominated American Actor Rachel Hannah Weisz ( "vice" born 7 March, in 1970 or 1971 is an Academy Award -winning English Hoffman would finally have a chance to work with Gene Hackman, in Gary Fleder's Runaway Jury, an adaptation of John Grisham's bestselling novel. Runaway Jury ( 2003) is an American Drama / thriller Film directed by Gary Fleder and starring John

More recently, Hoffman played theatre owner Charles Frohman in the J.M. Barrie biopic Finding Neverland, costarring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. Sir James Matthew Barrie 1st Baronet OM ( 9 May, 1860 &ndash 19 June, 1937) more commonly known as J John Kate Elizabeth Winslet (born 5 October 1975 is a five-time Academy Award -nominated Golden Globe -nominated Emmy Award -nominated In director David O. Russell's I Heart Huckabees, Hoffman played opposite Lily Tomlin as an existential detective team. David Owen Russell (born 20 August 1958) is an American Film director and Screenwriter. I Heart Huckabees, also known as I Love Huckabees, and written as I ♥ Huckabees, is a 2004 Comedy film Mary Jean “Lily” Tomlin (born September 1 1939 is an American Actress, Comedian, Writer and producer who has won several

Hoffman co-starred with Barbra Streisand, Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in 2004's Meet the Fockers, a sequel to Meet the Parents. Barbra Streisand (ˈstraɪsænd "STRY-sand" born April 24 1942 is an American Singer, Film and Theatre Actress Robert Mario De Niro Jr (born August 17 1943 is a two-time Academy Award -winning American Film Actor, director and producer Benjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller (born November 30 1965 is an Emmy Award -winning American Comedian, actor Film producer and director Meet the Fockers ( 2004) is a Comedy film and a Sequel to Meet the Parents starring Robert De Niro, Ben Meet the Parents is a 2000 American Comedy film written by Greg Glienna and directed by Jay Roach of Austin Hoffman won the 2005 MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance. Also, Hoffman recently was featured in cameo roles in Andy Garcia's The Lost City and on the final episode of HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm's fifth season. The Lost City is a 2005 Film directed by Andy García. Plot Fico Fellove ( Andy Garcia) is the owner of El Tropico Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American Sitcom starring Seinfeld writer co-creator and executive producer Larry David as himself and

In 2006, Hoffman appeared in Stranger than Fiction, played the perfumier Giuseppe Baldini in Tom Tykwer's film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, and had a small cameo in the 2006 film, The Holiday. Stranger than Fiction is a 2006 American Dramedy Film. The film is directed by Marc Forster, written by Zach Tom Tykwer (born 23 May 1965 in Wuppertal, Germany) is a German Film director best known internationally for directing Perfume The Story of a Murderer ( German Das Parfüm – Die Geschichte eines Mörders) is a 2006 German film directed by Tom Tykwer The Holiday ( 2006) is a Romantic comedy film distributed by Columbia Pictures in the US and Universal Studios outside the US

In 2007 he was featured in an advertising campaign for Australian telecommunications company Telstra's Next G network. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Telstra or Telstra Corporation (often abbreviated as Telstra Corp) () is an Australian Telecommunications and media company formerly ^[7], appeared in the 50 Cent video "Follow My Lead" as the psychiatrist, and played the title character in the family film Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a 2007 film written and directed by Zach Helm. In 2008, although he was reluctant to perform in an animated film, Hoffman had a prominent role in the acclaimed film, Kung Fu Panda which was praised in part for his excellent comedic chemistry with Jack Black. Kung Fu Panda is an American animated Comedy film released in 2008 Thomas Jack Black Jr (born August 28 1969 is an American Actor, Comedian and Musician.

Personal life

Hoffman, Gottsegen (left), and Jake Hoffman (right), at Joey Tierney at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week-Los Angeles (Photo: Ed Kavishe, Fashion Wire Press)

Hoffman married Anne Byrne in May 1969. ^[8] The couple had two children, Karina and Jenna. They divorced in 1980. ^[8] His second marriage to attorney Lisa Gottsegen in October 1980, produced four more children, Jacob, Maxwell, Rebecca and Alexandra. Jake Hoffman (born on 20 March 1981 in Los Angeles County, California) is an American Actor and the son of Dustin Hoffman also has two grandchildren. In an interview, he said that all of his children have had bar or bat mitzvahs and that he is more observant now than when he was younger, but also lamented that he does not have fluent Hebrew-language skills.

A political liberal, Hoffman has long supported the Democratic Party and Ralph Nader. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Ralph Nader (born February 27 1934 is an American Attorney, Author, Lecturer, political activist, and independent candidate for President ^[9]

Robert Duvall was a roommate of Hoffman's during their struggling actor years in New York City. Robert Selden Duvall (born January 5, 1931) is an American Film Actor and director who has won an Academy Award The City of New York Duvall and Hoffman tease each other on the matter of acting training, as Duvall was trained by Sanford Meisner whereas Hoffman was brought up on Lee Strasberg's method acting. Sanford Meisner (b August 31, 1905, Brooklyn New York – February 2, 1997, Sherman Oaks California was an American Lee Strasberg ( November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an Academy Award -nominated Austro-Hungarian - American Method acting is an Acting technique in which Actors try to replicate real life emotional conditions under which the character operates in an effort to create a life-like Hoffman is good friends with actor Gene Hackman, who was also friends with Duvall during their years as starving actors. Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman (born January 30, 1930) is a two-time Academy Award -winning American actor and author

Hoffman on a talk show once stated that the Oscars were "obscene, dirty and no better than a beauty contest. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. " When presenting an award at the 1974 Oscar ceremonies, Frank Sinatra responded strongly: "And contrary to what Mr. Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Hoffman thinks, it is not an obscene evening. It is not garish and it is not embarrassing". ^[10]

Filmography and awards

References

External links

• Dustin Hoffman at the Internet Movie Database
• Dustin Hoffman at the Internet Broadway Database
• Dustin Hoffman video interview at stv.tv, December 2007