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For more information on Dustin Hoffman, visit Britannica.com.
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Dustin Hoffman
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:
Dustin Hoffman |
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Dustin Hoffman |
Oxford Companion to American Theatre:
Dustin Hoffman |
Hoffman, Dustin (b. 1937), actor. A native of Los Angeles, he studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse and with Lee Strasberg, among others, before winning fine notices Off‐Broadway in the mid‐1960s and on Broadway in Jimmy Shine (1968), then engaging in a long, highly successful film career. But Hoffman returned to Broadway with an original interpretation of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman (1984) and as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (1989), which he had originally played in London.
Columbia Encyclopedia:
Dustin Hoffman |
Hoffman, Dustin (hŏf'mən, hôf'-), 1937-, American actor, b. Los Angeles. Not glamorous in the manner of earlier stars, Hoffman began on Broadway, but gained widespread popularity with his first major film, The Graduate (1967). Subsequently, he accepted a series of unusual tragic and comic character roles in such films as Midnight Cowboy (1969), Little Big Man (1976), Papillon (1973), Lenny (1974), Tootsie (1982), and Wag the Dog (1997). He won Academy Awards for his performances in Kramer vs. Kramer (1980) and Rain Man (1989). He returned to Broadway in Death of a Salesman (1984) and appeared on the London stage as Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (1989).
Quotes By:
Dustin Hoffman |
Quotes:
"In my room as a kid... I'd play a fighter and get knocked to the floor and come back to win."
"I envy people who can just look at a sunset. I wonder how you can shoot it. There is nothing more grotesque to me than a vacation."
"One thing about being successful is that I stopped being afraid of dying. Once you're a star you're dead already. You're embalmed."
"If you have this enormous talent, it's got you by the balls, it's a demon. You can't be a family man and a husband and a caring person and be that animal. Dickens wasn't that nice a guy."
"A good review from the critics is just another stay of execution."
AMG AllMovie Guide:
Dustin Hoffman |
Biography
The emergence of Dustin Hoffman in 1967 heralded the arrival of a new era of Hollywood stardom. Diminutive, wiry and unassuming, he was anything but the usual matinee idol, yet he quickly distinguished himself among the most popular and celebrated screen performers of his generation. A notoriously difficult talent famous for his battles with directors as well as his total immersion in his performances, Hoffman further battled against stereotypes by accepting roles which cast him firmly as an antihero, often portraying troubled, even tragic figures rarely destined for a happy ending. By extension, he broke new ground for all actors -- not only were stars no longer limited to heroic, larger-than-life characterizations, but in his wake virtually anyone, regardless of their seeming physical limitations, could attain success on the big screen. Born August 8, 1937 in Los Angeles, Hoffman originally studied to become a doctor, but later focused his attentions on acting, performing regularly at the Pasadena Playhouse alongside fellow aspirant Gene Hackman. Upon relocating to New York City, he worked a series of odd jobs, landing the occasional small television role and later touring in summer stock. Frustrated by his lack of greater success, Hoffman once even left acting to teach, but in 1960 he won a role in the off-Broadway production Yes Is for a Very Young Man. After 1961's A Cook for Mr. General, however, he continued to struggle, and did not reappear onstage for several years, in the meantime studying with Lee Strasberg at the Actors' Studio and becoming a dedicated Method actor. Finally, in 1964 Hoffman appeared in a string of theatrical projects including productions of Waiting for Godot and The Dumbwaiter. Two years later he won a Best Actor Obie for his work in The Journey of the Fifth Horse. In 1967 Hoffman made his film debut with a tiny role in the feature The Tiger Makes Out, a similarly brief appearance in Un Dollaro per Sette Vigliachi followed later that same year, as did a highly-acclaimed turn in the theatrical farce Eh? It was here that he was first spotted by director Mike Nichols, who cast him in the lead role in his 1967 black comedy The Graduate. Though 30 at the time of filming, Hoffman was perfectly cast as an alienated college student, and his work won him not only an Oscar nomination but also made him a hugely popular performer with the youth market. His status as a burgeoning counterculture hero was solidified thanks to his work in John Schlesinger's 1969 Academy Award winner Midnight Cowboy, which earned Hoffman a second Oscar bid. While the follow-up, the romance John and Mary, was a disappointment, in 1970 he starred in Arthur Penn's Little Big Man, delivering a superb portrayal of an Indian fighter -- a role which required him to age 100 years. Directed by his longtime friend Ulu Grosbard, 1971's Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? was Hoffman's first outright failure. He next starred in Sam Peckinpah's harrowing Straw Dogs, a film which earned harsh criticism during its original release but which, like much of Peckinpah's work, was later the subject of much favorable reassessment. In 1973 Hoffman co-starred with Steve McQueen in the prison drama Papillon, which returned him to the ranks of box-office success before he starred as the legendary stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce in Bob Fosse's 1974 biography Lenny, a stunning portrayal which earned him a third Academy Award nomination. Another real-life figure followed as Hoffman portrayed Carl Bernstein opposite Robert Redford's Bob Woodward in All the President's Men, Alan J. Pakula's riveting docudrama on the Watergate break-in. Next, Hoffman reteamed with director Schlesinger for 1976's Marathon Man, which cast him alongside Laurence Olivier and scored another major hit. The1978 Straight Time, a pet project helmed by Grosbard, was critically acclaimed but a financial disappointment, and 1979's Agatha pleased neither audiences nor the media. The 1979 domestic drama Kramer vs. Kramer, on the other hand, was a major success with both camps, and Hoffman's portrayal of a divorced father finally earned him an Academy Award on his fourth attempt at the prize. He also won a Golden Globe, as well as honors from the New York and Los Angeles critics. Hoffman's next film, the Sydney Pollack-helmed 1982 comedy Tootsie, was even more successful at the box office. Starring as an out-of-work actor who dresses in drag to win a role on a soap opera, he earned yet another Oscar nomination as the film grossed nearly $100 million during its theatrical release. After a long absence, Hoffman returned to the stage in 1984 to portray Willy Loman in a Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman. A year later, he reprised the performance for a CBS television special, earning an Emmy and another Golden Globe. He did not return to films until 1987, when he shared top billing with Warren Beatty in Elaine May's disastrous comedy Ishtar. In the wake of the big-budget project's chilly audience reception, any number of films were discussed as a follow-up, but after much debate Hoffman finally agreed to co-star with Tom Cruise in Barry Levinson's 1988's Rain Man. His performance as a middle-aged autistic won a second "Best Actor" Oscar, and helped spur the picture to become a major financial as well as critical success. The following year Hoffman again turned to Broadway to star as Shylock in a presentation of The Merchant of Venice, followed by the motion picture Family Business, in which he starred with Sean Connery and Matthew Broderick. After making an unbilled and virtually unrecognizable cameo appearance in Beatty's 1990 comic strip adaptation Dick Tracy, Hoffman starred in the 1991 crime drama Billy Bathgate, the first in a string of films which saw his drawing power gradually diminishing throughout the decade. That same year he starred as Captain Hook opposite Robin Williams' portrayal of an adult Peter Pan in the Steven Spielberg fantasy Hook; after 1992's Hero proved similarly lackluster, Hoffman disappeared from the screen for three years. His comeback film, the adventure tale Outbreak, performed moderately well at the box office, but the follow-up, Michael Corrente's oft-delayed adaptation of the David Mamet drama American Buffalo, saw only limited release. Hoffman next joined an ensemble cast also including Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt in Levinson's 1996 drama Sleepers, trailed a year later by Costa-Gavras' Mad City, Sphere and Wag the Dog followed, the latter of which netted Hoffman another Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of Stanley Motss, a neurotic producer reportedly based on Robert Evans. In 2002, Hoffman appeared in the poignant, psychological drama Moonlight Mile. He continued to take selective but memorable supporting roles throughout the new millennium, playing roles like a dedicated lawyer in Runaway Jury and theatrical producer Charles Frohman in Finding Neverland. In 2004, he provided audiences with laughter in the quirky existential comedy I Heart Huckabees, and in 2005 he played Ben Stiller's eccentric father in the Meet the Parents sequel Meet the Fockers, returning to the part in 2010's Little Fokkers. In 2006, the veteran actor grabbed two more opportunities to play up his trademark brand of quirkiness in the Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson comedy Stranger Than Fiction and played a 243 year old owner or a strangely enchanted toy store in Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Hoffman also voiced the wise master of Kung Fu Panda in a pair of animated films. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Filmography:
Dustin Hoffman |
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AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:
Dustin Hoffman |
- Genres: Soundtrack
Biography
The emergence of Dustin Hoffman in 1967 heralded the arrival of a new era of Hollywood stardom; diminutive, wiry, and unassuming, he was anything but the usual matinee idol, yet he quickly distinguished himself among the most popular and celebrated screen performers of his generation. A notoriously difficult talent famous for his battles with directors as well as his total immersion in his performances, Hoffman further battled against stereotypes by accepting roles which cast him firmly as an antihero, often portraying troubled, even tragic figures rarely destined for a happy ending. By extension, he broke new ground for all actors -- not only were stars no longer limited to heroic, larger-than-life characterizations, but in his wake, virtually anyone, regardless of their seeming physical limitations, could attain success on the big screen.Born August 8, 1937 in Los Angeles, Hoffman originally studied to become a doctor, but later focused his attentions on acting, performing regularly at the Pasadena Playhouse alongside fellow aspirant Gene Hackman. Upon relocating to New York City, he worked a series of odd jobs, landing the occasional small television role and later touring in summer stock; frustrated by his lack of greater success, Hoffman once even left acting to teach, but in 1960 he won a role in the off-Broadway production Yes Is for a Very Young Man. After 1961's A Cook for Mr. General, however, he continued to struggle, and did not reappear on-stage for several years, in the meantime studying with Lee Strasberg at the Actors' Studio and becoming a dedicated Method actor. Finally, in 1964 Hoffman appeared in a string of theatrical projects including productions of Waiting for Godot and The Dumbwaiter; two years later he won a Best Actor Obie for his work in The Journey of the Fifth Horse.
In 1967, Hoffman made his film debut with a tiny role in the feature The Tiger Makes Out; a similarly brief appearance in Un Dollaro per Sette Vigliachi followed later that same year, as did a highly acclaimed turn in the theatrical farce Eh? It was here that he was first spotted by director Mike Nichols, who cast him in the lead role in his 1967 black comedy The Graduate. Though 30 at the time of filming, Hoffman was perfectly cast an alienated college student, and his work won him not only an Oscar nomination, but also made him a hugely popular performer with the youth market. His status as a burgeoning counterculture hero was solidified thanks to his work in John Schlesinger's 1969 Academy Award-winner Midnight Cowboy, which earned Hoffman a second Oscar bid; while the follow-up, the romance John and Mary, was a disappointment, in 1970 he starred in Arthur Penn's Little Big Man, delivering a superb portrayal of an Indian fighter -- a role which required him to age 100 years.
Directed by his longtime friend Ulu Grosbard, 1971's Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? was Hoffman's first outright failure; he next starred in Sam Peckinpah's harrowing Straw Dogs, a film which earned harsh criticism during its original release but which, like much of Peckinpah's work, was later the subject of much favorable reassessment. In 1973, Hoffman co-starred with Steve McQueen in the prison drama Papillon, which returned him to the ranks of box office success before he starred as the legendary standup comedian Lenny Bruce in Bob Fosse's 1974 biography Lenny, a stunning portrayal which earned him a third Academy Award nomination. Another real-life figure followed as Hoffman portrayed Carl Bernstein opposite Robert Redford's Bob Woodward in All the President's Men, Alan J. Pakula's riveting docudrama on the Watergate break-in.
Next, Hoffman reteamed with director Schelsinger for 1976's Marathon Man, which cast him alongside Laurence Olivier and scored another major hit; 1978's Straight Time, a pet project helmed by Grosbard, was critically acclaimed but a financial disappointment, and 1979's Agatha pleased neither audiences nor the media. 1979's domestic drama Kramer vs. Kramer, on the other hand, was a major success with both camps, and Hoffman's portrayal of a divorced father finally earned him an Academy Award on his fourth attempt at the prize. He also won a Golden Globe, as well as honors from the New York and Los Angeles critics. Hoffman's next film, the Sydney Pollack-helmed 1982 comedy Tootsie, was even more successful at the box office; starring as an out-of-work actor who dresses in drag to win a role on a soap opera, he earned yet another Oscar nomination as the film grossed nearly $100 million during its theatrical release.
After a long absence, Hoffman returned to the stage in 1984 to portray Willy Loman in a Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman; a year later, he reprised the performance for a CBS television special, earning an Emmy and another Golden Globe. He did not return to films until 1987, when he shared top billing with Warren Beatty in Elaine May's disastrous comedy Ishtar; in the wake of the big-budget project's chilly audience reception, any number of films were discussed as a follow-up, but after much debate, Hoffman finally agreed to co-star with Tom Cruise in Barry Levinson's 1988's Rain Man. His performance as a middle-aged autistic won a second Best Actor Oscar, and helped spur the picture to become a major financial as well as critical success; the following year Hoffman again turned to Broadway to star as Shylock in a presentation of The Merchant of Venice, followed by the motion picture Family Business, in which he starred with Sean Connery and Matthew Broderick.
After making an unbilled and virtually unrecognizable cameo appearance in Beatty's 1990 comic strip adaptation Dick Tracy, Hoffman starred in the 1991 crime drama Billy Bathgate, the first in a string of films which saw his drawing power gradually diminishing throughout the decade. That same year, he starred as Captain Hook opposite Robin Williams' portrayal of an adult Peter Pan in the Steven Spielberg fantasy Hook, a major disappointment for all involved; after 1992's Hero proved similarly lackluster, Hoffman disappeared from the screen for three years. His comeback film, the adventure tale Outbreak, performed moderately well at the box office, but the follow-up, Michael Corrente's oft-delayed adaptation of the David Mamet drama American Buffalo, saw only limited release. Hoffman next joined an ensemble cast also including Robert DeNiro and Brad Pitt in Levinson's 1996 drama Sleepers, trailed a year later by Costa-Gavras' Mad City. Sphere and Wag the Dog followed. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Dustin Hoffman |
| Dustin Hoffman | |
|---|---|
 Hoffman at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival |
|
| Born | Dustin Lee Hoffman August 8, 1937 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Sam Etic |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1960–present |
| Spouse | Anne Byrne (1969–80) Lisa Gottsegen (1980–present) |
| Children | 6 |
Dustin Lee Hoffman[1] (born August 8, 1937)[1] is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters.[2]
He first drew critical praise for the play Eh?, for which he won a Theatre World Award and a Drama Desk Award. This was soon followed by his breakthrough movie role as the good-looking but troubled Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate (1967). Since then Hoffman's career has largely been focused on cinema, with only sporadic returns to television and the stage. Some of his most notable films are Papillon, Marathon Man, Midnight Cowboy, Little Big Man, Lenny, All the President's Men, Kramer vs. Kramer, Tootsie, Rain Man, Wag the Dog, and Meet the Fockers.
Hoffman has won two Academy Awards (for his performances in Kramer vs. Kramer and Rain Man), five Golden Globes, four BAFTAs, three Drama Desk Awards, a Genie Award, and an Emmy Award. Dustin Hoffman received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1999.
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Contents
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Early life
Hoffman was born in Los Angeles,[1] the second son of Lillian (née Gold) and Harry Hoffman. His father worked as a prop supervisor/set decorator at Columbia Pictures before becoming a furniture salesman.[3][4] Hoffman was named after stage and silent screen actor Dustin Farnum. His older brother, Ronald, is a lawyer and economist. Hoffman is from an Ashkenazi Jewish family of immigrants from Ukraine[5] and Romania.[6][7] His upbringing was not religious or observant.[8][9] He graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1955 and enrolled at Santa Monica College with the intention of studying medicine, leaving after a year to join the Pasadena Playhouse.[10]
Career
Early work
Hoffman began his acting career at the Pasadena Playhouse, alongside future Academy Award-winner Gene Hackman.[11] After two years there, Hackman headed for New York City, with Hoffman soon following. Having considerable difficulty getting roles, he took a series of odd jobs, including working as a restaurant coat checker, working in the typing department of the city Yellow Pages directory, and stringing Hawaiian leis.[citation needed] During this time period he got an occasional bit television role, but left acting briefly to teach in order to support himself. Hoffman also occasionally performed television commercials; an oft-replayed segment on programs that explore actors' early work is a clip showing Hoffman touting the Volkswagen Fastback.
In 1960, Hoffman was cast in a role in an Off-Broadway production and followed with a walk-on role in a Broadway production in 1961. Hoffman then studied at the famed Actors Studio and became a dedicated method actor. Sidney W. Pink, a producer and 3D-movie pioneer, discovered him in one of his Off-Broadway roles and cast him in Madigan's Millions. His first critical success was in Eh? by Henry Livings, which had its US premiere off-Broadway at the Circle in the Square Downtown on October 16, 1966.
Through the early and mid-1960s, Hoffman made appearances in television shows and movies, including Naked City, The Defenders and Hallmark Hall of Fame. Hoffman made his theatrical film debut in The Tiger Makes Out in 1967, alongside Eli Wallach.
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 $1,000 he received for the eight-week contract was all he had to hold him over until the funds from the movie materialized.
Major roles
In 1966, Mike Nichols cast Hoffman in The Graduate, which prevented him from appearing in the acclaimed Mel Brooks film, The Producers, as Franz Liebkind. The film began production in March 1967. Hoffman received an Academy Award nomination for his performance and became a major star. 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. It was considered a failure at the box office.
In December 1968, Hoffman returned to Broadway to appear in the title role of Murray Schisgal and John Sebastian's musical Jimmy Shine. For his performance in the production Hoffman won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance. Just a few weeks after leaving the production, Hoffman's next major film Midnight Cowboy premiered in theatres across the United States on May 25, 1969. For his role as Ratso Rizzo in the film, Hoffman received his second Oscar nomination and the film won the Best Picture honor. This was followed by his role in Little Big Man (1970) where Jack Crabb, his character, ages from teenager to a 121-year-old man. The film was widely praised by critics, but was overlooked for an award except for a supporting nomination for Chief Dan George.
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? (1971), Straw Dogs (also 1971), and Papillon (1973) were followed by Lenny (1974), for which Hoffman received his third nomination for Best Actor in seven years.
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 (1976). Hoffman next starred in Marathon Man (also 1976), a film based on William Goldman's novel of the same name, opposite Roy Scheider. Hoffman's next roles were less successful. He opted out of directing Straight Time (1978) but starred as a thief. His next film, Michael Apted's Agatha, was with Vanessa Redgrave as Agatha Christie.
Hoffman next starred in Robert Benton's Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) as workaholic Ted Kramer whose wife (Meryl Streep) unexpectedly leaves him; he raises their son alone. Hoffman gained his first Academy Award, and the film also received the Best Picture honor, plus the awards for Best Supporting Actress (Streep) and Director.
In Tootsie (1982), Hoffman portrays Michael Dorsey, a struggling actor who finds himself dressing up as a woman to land a role on a soap opera. His co-star was Jessica Lange. Tootsie earned ten Academy Award nominations, including Hoffman's fifth nomination.
In 1984, Hoffman starred as Willy Loman in the Broadway revival of the 1949 Arthur Miller play, Death of a Salesman, [12] a role he reprised in a tv movie of the same name, for which he won the 1985 Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries. He also went on to win a Golden Globe for the same performance.
Hoffman's largest film failure was Elaine May's Ishtar, with Warren Beatty. The film faced severe production problems, received almost completely negative reviews from critics and was nominated for three Razzie awards. However, Hoffman and Beatty liked the film's final cut and tried to defend it.[13][14] Hoffmann and Beatty were unaffected by the flop, and Ishtar became a cult film. James House, who later became a country music artist, served as Hoffman's vocal coach in the film.[15]
In director Barry Levinson's Rain Man (1988), Hoffman starred as an autistic savant, opposite Tom Cruise. Levinson, Hoffman and Cruise worked for two years on the film, and his performance gained 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."[16] After Rain Man, Hoffman appeared with Sean Connery and Matthew Broderick in Family Business. The film did relatively poorly with the critics and at the box office. In 1991, Hoffman voiced substitute teacher Mr. Bergstrom in The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Substitute", under the pseudonym Sam Etic. As a reference to this episode, during the episode featuring the Itchy & Scratchy movie, Lisa claims that Dustin Hoffman had a cameo in that movie but didn't use his real name.
Throughout the 1990s, Hoffman appeared in many large, studio films, such as Dick Tracy (1990) (where his Ishtar co-star Beatty plays the titular character), Hero (1992) and Billy Bathgate (1991) co-starring with Nicole Kidman who was nominated for a Golden Globe). Hoffman also played the title role of Captain Hook in Steven Spielberg's Hook (also 1991), earning a Golden Globe nomination; in this movie, Hoffman's costume was so heavy that he had to wear an air-conditioned suit under it. Hoffman played the lead role in Outbreak (1995), alongside Rene Russo, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Donald Sutherland. Following that, he appeared in the 1996 revenge-drama/legal-thriller Sleepers (1996) with Brad Pitt, Jason Patric, and Kevin Bacon.
In the mid-1990s, Hoffman starred in—and was deeply involved in the production of—David Mamet's American Buffalo (also 1996), one of the very few "pure art projects"[citation needed] he is known for, and an early effort of film editor Kate Sanford. In 1997, Hoffman starred opposite John Travolta in the Costa Gavras film Mad City and gained his seventh Academy Award nomination for his performance in Wag The Dog, in a role that allowed Hoffman the chance to work with both Robert De Niro and Denis Leary. He next appeared in Barry Levinson's adaptation of Sphere (1998), opposite Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Coyote, Queen Latifah and Liev Schreiber. Hoffman next appeared in Moonlight Mile (2002), followed by Confidence (2003) opposite Edward Burns, Andy García and Rachel Weisz. Hoffman finally had a chance to work with Gene Hackman, in Gary Fleder's Runaway Jury (also 2003), an adaptation of John Grisham's bestselling novel.
Hoffman played theater owner Charles Frohman in the J. M. Barrie historical fantasia Finding Neverland (2004), costarring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. In director David O. Russell's I Heart Huckabees (also 2004), Hoffman appeared opposite Lily Tomlin as an existential detective team.
Seven years after his nomination for Wag the Dog, Hoffman got a second opportunity to perform again with Robert De Niro, co-starring with Barbra Streisand and Ben Stiller in the 2004 comedy Meet the Fockers, a sequel to Meet the Parents (2000). Hoffman won the 2005 MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance. In 2005, he voiced a horse in Racing Stripes, and appeared in cameo roles in Andy García's The Lost City and on the final episode of HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm's fifth season. Hoffman appeared in Stranger than Fiction (2006), played the perfumer Giuseppe Baldini in Tom Tykwer's film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (also 2006) and had a cameo in the same year's The Holiday.
In 2007, he was featured in an advertising campaign for Australian telecommunications company Telstra's Next G network,[17] appeared in the 50 Cent video "Follow My Lead" as a psychiatrist, and played the title character in the family film Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. In 2008, although he was reluctant to perform in an animated film, Hoffman had a prominent role as Shifu in the acclaimed film Kung Fu Panda, which was praised in part for his comedic chemistry with Jack Black and his character's poignantly complex relationship with the story's villain. He later won the Annie Award for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for Kung Fu Panda and has continued into the role in the franchise's subsequent filmed productions outside of the franchise's television series. He next voiced Roscuro in The Tale of Despereaux and played the title character in Last Chance Harvey.
He appeared in Little Fockers, the critically panned yet hugely commercially successful, 2010 sequel to Meet the Fockers.[18] In 2011, Hoffman reprised his role as Shifu in the commercially and critically successful animated film Kung Fu Panda 2.
Hoffman starred in the HBO horse-racing drama Luck, as a man involved in activities such as bookmaking and casino operations. Luck was cancelled in March of 2012 after three horses died on set.[19] He will also direct Quartet, a BBC Films comedy starring Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay.[20]
Personal life
Hoffman married Anne Byrne in May 1969.[21] The couple had two children, Karina (b. 1966) and Jenna (born October 15, 1970). Hoffman adopted Karina (Byrne's child from a previous marriage.) The couple divorced in 1980. He married attorney Lisa Hoffman (née Gottsegen) in October 1980; they have four children – Jacob Edward (born March 20, 1981), Rebecca Lillian (b. March 17, 1983), Maxwell Geoffrey (born August 30, 1984), and Alexandra Lydia (born October 27, 1987). Hoffman also has two grandchildren. In an interview, he said that all of his children from his second marriage had bar or bat mitzvahs and that he is a more observant Jew now than when he was younger; he also lamented that he is not fluent in Hebrew.[22] In 1970, Hoffman and Byrne were living in Greenwich Village in a building next door to the townhouse destroyed by members of the Weathermen when they detonated a bomb in the building's basement, killing three people. In the 2002 documentary The Weather Underground, Hoffman can be seen standing in the street during the aftermath of the explosion.[23]
A political liberal, Hoffman has long supported the Democratic Party and Ralph Nader.[24] In 1997, he was one of a number of Hollywood stars and executives to sign an open letter to then-German Chancellor Helmut Kohl protesting the treatment of Scientologists in Germany, which was published as a newspaper advertisement in the International Herald Tribune.[25]
There were many rumors and discussions in July 2010 about Hoffman canceling his appearance at the Jerusalem Film Festival as a reaction to the Gaza flotilla raid. However, his representatives told The New York Times there was “no truth” to this report.[26]
In 2009, he received the freedom of the Italian city Ascoli Piceno for being there during 1972 to shoot the movie Alfredo, Alfredo by Pietro Germi, where he played the role of Alfredo Sbisà.
He is testimonial on 2011 for Regione Marche in Italy, but he was really criticized also for a bad interpretation of Giacomo Leopardi's poetry "Infinito". [27]
Filmography and awards
References
- ^ a b c According to the State of California (CA Birth Index). At Family Tree Legends. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
- ^ "Dennis Hoffman Biography". Biography.com. http://www.biography.com/articles/Dustin-Hoffman-9341124. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
- ^ "Yahoo movies biography". Movies.yahoo.com. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800014129/bio. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Film Reference.com biography". Filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/82/Dustin-Hoffman.html. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Jack Palance rejects russian award (Ukrainian)". BBC Ukraine. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ukrainian/entertainment/story/2004/06/040611_palance_racz_hollywood.shtml. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
- ^ "Dustin Hoffman: Finally, I can say I'm Jewish". The Jewish Chronicle by Abigail Pogrebin. http://www.thejc.com/arts/arts-interviews/dustin-hoffman-finally-i-can-say-im-jewish. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
- ^ Abigail Pogrebin (October 2005). Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish. Broadway Books. ISBN 0-7679-1612-3.
- ^ Bernard, Sarah (November 18, 2007). "The Tortoise and the Whoopee Cushion". New York Magazine. http://nymag.com/guides/holidays/gifts/2007/40990/. Retrieved November 22, 2007.
- ^ Hoffman's Jewish return. Ynet.com. November 19, 2006.
- ^ "The Moonchild and the Fifth Beatle". Time Magazine. February 7, 1969. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838938,00.html. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
- ^ "The 50-Year Hoffman-Hackman History". The New York Times. October 12, 2003. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/12/movies/film-the-50-year-hoffman-hackman-history.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
- ^ Rich, Frank, "Hoffman: Death of Salesman," New York Times, March 30, 1984, retrieved February 21, 2012]
- ^ "A Conversation with Dustin Hoffman". NPR. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1546217. Retrieved February 10, 2007.
- ^ "Warren Pieces". Entertainment Weekly. December 20, 1991. http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,316589_7. Retrieved February 10, 2007.
- ^ "James House Biography". Oldies.Com. March 21, 1955. http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/James-House.html. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ "Dustin Hoffman winning an Oscar for "Rain Man". http://www.youtube.com/user/oscars?blend=1&ob=4&rclk=cti#p/u/16/ErqHXzhSuv4. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Matt. "Rap for Telstra over ad promise", Sydney Morning Herald, August 27, 2007.
- ^ O'Neal, Sean. "Dustin Hoffman hears the cry of the multitudes, realizes there is no Little Fockers without him". The A.V. Club. http://www.avclub.com/articles/dustin-hoffman-hears-the-cry-of-the-multitudes-rea,44528/?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=feeds&utm_source=avclub_rss_daily. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ^ "Casting Call". TV Guide. March 15–21, 2010.
- ^ "Hoffman to take director's chair for British comedy". BBC News. May 18, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10121046.stm. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
- ^ Dustin Hoffman at Tribute.ca. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
- ^ "Hoffman's Jewish return". Ynetnews. November 19, 2006. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3329905,00.html. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
- ^ Paglia, Camille (November 12, 2008). "Obama surfs through". Salon. http://www.salon.com/opinion/paglia/2008/11/12/palin/index1.html. "..the 2002 documentary "The Weather Underground"... the news footage of the Greenwich Village townhouse destroyed in 1970 by bomb-making gone wrong in the basement still has enormous impact. Standing in the chaotic street, actor Dustin Hoffman, who lived next door, seems like Everyman at the apocalypse."
- ^ "Dustin Hoffman's Federal Campaign Contribution Report". Newsmeat. http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Dustin_Hoffman.php. Retrieved January 23, 2008.
- ^ Bonfante, Jordan; van Voorst, Bruce (February 10, 1997. "Does Germany Have Something Against These Guys?", TIME
- ^ Itzkoff, Dave (July 12, 2010). "Dustin Hoffman Question at Jerusalem Film Fest". nytimes. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/movies/12arts-DUSTINHOFFMA_BRF.html. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
- ^ http://www.corriere.it/cronache/09_dicembre_30/muschella-dustin-marche_e9836774-f536-11de-8621-00144f02aabe.shtml
External links
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- Dustin Hoffman at the Internet Movie Database
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- Dustin Hoffman at the Internet Broadway Database
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- Dustin Hoffman video interview at stv.tv, December 2007
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Mentioned in
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