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Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is a two-time Academy Award-winning, BAFTA-winning, and five-time Golden Globe-winning American actor, known for his diverse acting range and frequent portrayals of offbeat, eccentric characters. His rivalry with fellow Oscar winner Al Pacino is well documented.

He’s 70!

Hoffman was born in Los Angeles, California to Lillian Gold, a jazz pianist, and Harry Hoffman, who worked as a prop supervisor/set decorator at Columbia Pictures before becoming a furniture salesman. His brother, Ronald, is a lawyer and economist. Hoffman’s family was Jewish, although he did not have a religious upbringing.

Hoffman performed at the Pasadena Playhouse for two years with fellow actor Gene Hackman, who were both voted notoriously by their class as “Least Likely To Succeed”, as both actors didn’t fit in with the traditional norms of the blonde, surf tanned performers in demand at the time. Determined to prove his classmates wrong, Hackman headed for New York City and told Hoffman to call him if he were to come to New York City. Hoffman took Hackman up on his offer and soon after followed his friend to New York, where he worked a series of odd jobs, such as coat checking at restaurants, working in the typing department of the city Yellow Pages directory, or stringing Hawaiian leis, while getting the occasional bit television role. To support himself, he left acting briefly to teach. He also worked as a professional fragrance tester for Maxwell House. Dustin used to quip that if this acting thing didn’t work out his proboscis-obnoxious would always find enough food for the table. In 1960, Hoffman landed a role in an off-Broadway production and followed with a walk-on role in a Broadway production in 1961.

He also did the occasional television commercial. An oft-replayed segment on programs that explore actors’ early work is a clip showing a young Hoffman touting the Volkswagen Fastback.

Hoffman then studied at the famed Actors Studio and became a dedicated method actor.

Priceless!!

Personal Life:

Hoffman has two children (Karina and Jenna) with his first wife Anne Byrne (married May 1969; divorced in 1980), and four more (Jacob, Maxwell, Rebecca and Alexandra) with wife Lisa Gottsegen, who is an attorney (married since October 1980). Hoffman also has two grandchildren.

A political liberal, Hoffman has long supported the Democratic Party, as well as Ralph Nader.

He is unrelated to fellow Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Robert Duvall was a roommate of Hoffman during their struggling actor years in New York City. 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. Hoffman is good friends with actor Gene Hackman, who was also friends with Duvall during their years as starving actors. Hackman shared an apartment with Hoffman for a time.

Hoffman on a talk show once stated that the Oscars were “obscene, dirty and no better than a beauty contest”. When presenting an award at the 1974 Oscar ceremonies, Frank Sinatra responded strongly: “Contrary to what Mr. Hoffman thinks, it is not an obscene evening. It is not garish and it is not embarrassing”.

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