Dustin Lee Hoffman[According to the State of California (CA Birth Index). At Family Tree Legends. Retrieved 2008-01-23.] (born
August 8,
1937)
is a two-time
Academy Award-, six-time
Golden Globe-, three-time
BAFTA- and
Emmy Award-winning
American actor.
Early life
Hoffman was born in
Los Angeles, California,
the son of Lillian (
née Gold), a
jazz pianist, and Harry Hoffman, who worked as a prop supervisor/set decorator at
Columbia Pictures before becoming a furniture salesman.
[Yahoo movies biography.][Film Reference.com biography.] His brother, Ronald, is a lawyer and economist. Hoffman's family was
Jewish, although he did not have a religious upbringing.
[Hoffman's Jewish return. Ynet.com. 19 November 2006.]He graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1955.
Career
Early career
Hoffman began acting at the
Pasadena Playhouse with fellow actor
Gene Hackman. After two years at the playhouse, Hackman headed for
New York City and Hoffman soon followed. He worked a series of odd jobs, including coat checking at restaurants, working in the typing department of the city
Yellow Pages directory, and stringing Hawaiian
leis, while getting the occasional bit television role. To support himself, he left acting briefly to teach. He worked as a professional fragrance tester for
Maxwell House. He also did the occasional
television commercial. An oft-replayed segment on programs that explore actors' early work is a clip showing Hoffman touting the
Volkswagen Fastback.
