Gene Hackman's Business Partner Shares Hilarious Penny Bet Story Amid Tragic Mystery

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO – Gene Hackman’s longtime business partner, Doug Lanham, finds himself grappling with the legendary actor’s untimely and mysterious death. But even amidst the sadness, Lanham recalls one particularly hilarious memory of Hackman: the time the Oscar winner paid off a golf bet with a toolbox stuffed with pennies. Yes, pennies.

Authorities are still investigating the deaths of Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, whose bodies were discovered in their secluded home after several days. No cause of death has yet been determined, although initial reports suggest no external trauma. Lanham, reflecting on the couple, described them as “very, very private until you got to know them.”

In an interview, Lanham shared a vivid story that captures Hackman’s cheeky spirit. After repeatedly dodging payment for a friendly golf wager, Hackman made a dramatic entrance at Lanham’s office with a giant toolbox on wheels. Inside? Around $700 in pennies, accompanied by a note detailing Hackman’s feelings about settling the bet. “We called him Captain Hollywood after that,” Lanham chuckled.

Lanham also reminisced about his first meeting with Hackman and Arakawa at a restaurant where a shared love for food sparked their partnership. “Betsy was an incredible chef,” he said, recalling how the couple showed up the next day with a cooler full of food that Betsy cooked for everyone. Their shared culinary passion eventually led to a restaurant co-ownership.

Meanwhile, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has launched a criminal investigation into the couple’s deaths. Detectives deemed the circumstances suspicious, with one of their dogs also found deceased. Authorities confirmed that Hackman’s pacemaker last recorded activity on February 17, suggesting he may have died nine days before his body was discovered. Toxicology and autopsy results are still pending.

Lanham described the news as “unnerving” and expressed hope for answers. He also shared how Hackman’s artistic side lives on through a mural the actor painted, which now hangs in their restaurant. Hackman, ever modest, avoided looking at the completed piece despite widespread admiration for it.

The restaurant’s executive chef, Fernando Flores, also commented on Hackman’s character, describing him as a “really nice person” who refrained from flaunting his fame. Hackman’s humility and humor clearly left lasting impressions on those who knew him well.

As Hollywood mourns the loss of the two-time Oscar-winning actor, fond memories like Lanham’s penny prank offer a glimpse into the lighter side of a man whose legacy extends far beyond the silver screen.