| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
Hoffman was born in Los Angeles, California and graduated from Los Angeles High School where he was voted "least likely to succeed." His first ambition was to be a concert pianist and he attended the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. Then, with an interest in medicine, he attended Santa Monica City College for a year before dropping out due to poor grades. In an effort to bolster his grades during that year, he took an acting class because he was told "nobody flunks acting." He performed at the Pasadena Playhouse for two years with fellow actor Gene Hackman. The two were also roommates for a while.
Hoffman relocated to New York City where he worked a series of odd jobs including an occasional small television role. To support himself, he left acting briefly to teach. 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 dropped out of acting again, studied with Lee Strasberg and became a dedicated method actor. Hoffman made his film debut in The Tiger Makes Out ( 1967).
He came to prominence with The Graduate ( 1967), playing a disaffected college graduate, though he was nearly thirty. Hoffman received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in The Graduate. He also received an Oscar nomination for his work in Midnight Cowboy ( 1969For other uses, see Number 1969. For the movie, see 1969 (movie). Events January January 1 Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchases the largest selling British Sunday newspaper The News Of The World January 5 The Derry Riots leave over 100 people i).
Hoffman has a reputation within the film business as a perfectionist, at times causing him difficulty with directors and at other times earning him Academy Awards, in films such as Kramer vs. KramerKramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 film which tells the story of a divorce and its impact on everyone involved, including the couple's young son. In the film, a man's wife leaves "to find herself"; the man adjusts to living alone and caring for his son; and then ( 1979Events January-February January 1 Sino-American relations: United States and the People's Republic of China establish diplomatic relations January 4 State of Ohio agrees to pay $675,000 to families of dead and injured in Kent State University shootings.) and Rain ManRain Man is a 1988 film which tells the story of a selfish yuppie who discovers that his father has left all of his estate to the autistic brother he never knew he had. It stars Tom Cruise as the yuppie Charlie, Dustin Hoffman as his brother Raymond, and ( 19881988 is a leap year starting on Friday (click on link for calendar). Events January January 2 Georgia celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 9 Connecticut celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 26 Australia celebrates its bicentennial day.).
Hoffman returned to the Broadway in 1983Events January January 1 Beat Raaflaub became Basel Boys Choir's new conductor January 1 the ARPANET officially changes to use the Internet Protocol, creating the Internet. January 1 compulsory wearing of seat belts becomes law in the UK. January 2 The mu, in the role of Willy Loman in Death of a SalesmanDeath of a Salesman is a play by Arthur Miller. Plot Synopsis The play centers on Willy Loman, an aging salesman who is beginning to lose his grip on reality. Willy places great emphasis on his native charm and ability to make friends; once he was known a. Hoffman has his own production company, Punch Productions, which has produced several of the films in which he starred such as Tootsie ( 1982), Hero ( 1992), and Wag the Dog ( 1997).
Hoffman has two children (Karin and Jenna) with his first wife Anne Byrne (married May 1969; divorced in 1980), and four others (Jacob, Max, Rebecca and Alexandra) with wife Lisa Gottsegen (married October 1980).