In “Hoosiers,” Gene Hackman, whose death was announced Thursday, created a man with understated strength, a taskmaster with emotional intelligence and a tormented winner.

When I heard that Gene Hackman had died, I thought of the movie “Hoosiers.” I thought of Coach Norman Dale at Hickory High. I thought of so many scenes from the movie when stopping in the “Hoosiers Gym,

Gene Hackman was a veteran actor in his 50s when 'Hoosiers' was released in 1986. Former Hickory Huskers and 'Hoosiers' producer remember Hackman

Hackman's portrayal of coach Dale's transformation — and redemption — throughout "Hoosiers" was the heartbeat of the box-office classic.

There's one reason Hackman's dazzling acting career stands out for sports fans: His unforgettable role as Norman Dale, coach of the feel-good, state champion Hickory Huskers from a tiny Indiana town.

Declared as one of the greatest sports movies in film history, the 1986 flick Hoosiers starred the late Gene Hackman as high school basketball Coach Norman Dale. The famed film follows the story of the Huskers and how they went from small-town Hickory,

Hackman’s fellow actors from the 1986 film remembered him as an actor who offered wise advice but hated rehearsing and multiple takes.

When great actors die, our grief multiplies. It feels like we lost them and every character they blessed with humanity. The emotions are deceiving because their art makes them eternal, but for those

You might think of him first as Lex Luthor or Popeye Doyle or Little Bill Daggett or even as the blind hermit who sets Peter Boyle’s thumb ablaze. But chances are, if you are both a sports fan and a movie buff,