Career: After making the decision to get into acting in 1956, Hackman joined the Pasadena Playhouse in California (where incidentally, he struck up a friendship with Dustin Hoffman). After performances in several off-Broadway plays, Hackman's first movie was Lilith alongside Warren Beatty, who then cast him in his breakthrough film, Bonnie and Clyde. Hackman was soon in demand, showcasing his talents in everything from comedy (in Young Frankenstein) to villainy (as Lex Luthor in Superman). He's also won two Oscars - Best Actor for The French Connection, and Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven. He retired from acting in 2004 to concentrate on writing novels.

Career: Following small parts in TV movies, Swayze landed a role in Francis Ford Coppola's drama The Outsiders alongside other then unknowns, including Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon and Emilio Estevez. Its success brought him to the attention of other directors. In 1987 he became an overnight global sensation thanks to Dirty Dancing. Road House, Next of Kin, Ghost and Point Break followed, but by the early 1990s, his career had slowed down. His last films included Donnie Darko, Waking Up in Reno, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, Keeping Mum, and Powder Blue. Swayze was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer in January 2008. A year later, he was hospitalised with pneumonia that was said to be a complication of chemotherapy treatments he had received. He died aged 57 on September 14, 2009.