Dustin Hoffman

A brilliant character actor who has stayed on top of his craft for more than 40 years, Dustin Hoffman was born Aug. 8, 1937, in Los Angeles. He started his acting career at the Pasadena Playhouse at age 19. Next, he struggled for years for a breakthrough on the New York stage, finally winning a 1966 Obie award for "The Journey of the Fifth Horse."

Director Mike Nichols was so impressed that he cast the unknown Hoffman in his first major film role, as Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate (after Robert Redford turned down the part). The result: overnight stardom and a Best Actor Oscar nomination for Hoffman.

He repeated that honor with a risky, against-type performance in Midnight Cowboy (1969). Kramer vs. Kramer and Rain Man both earned Best Actor Academy Awards for Hoffman, who nabbed additional nominations for Lenny, Tootsie and Wag the Dog.

Filmography