Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle

Detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle is a fictional character portrayed by actor Gene Hackman in the films The French Connection (1971) and its sequel, French Connection II (1975), and by Ed O'Neill in the 1986 television film Popeye Doyle. Hackman won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in The French Connection. The character is based on a real-life New York City police detective, Eddie Egan, who also appeared in the film as Walt Simonson, Popeye's supervisor. Popeye, as played by Hackman in The French Connection, is ranked number 44 as a hero on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains list.

The French Connection

In the 1971 movie The French Connection, Popeye is a rough police detective who routinely breaks the rules in an effort to catch criminals, in this case a group of French drug smugglers. On an individual basis, Popeye has many negative qualities, e.g., he is an overzealous, bigoted and womanizing alcoholic who is often disrespectful to his superiors. Nevertheless, he is a dedicated officer leading the New York Police Department's narcotics squad in drug arrests and is willing to do whatever it takes to lock up known drug dealers, even if it involves civilians. Near the end of the movie, Popeye accidentally kills Bill Mulderig (Bill Hickman), a federal agent with whom he previously had an argument. Undeterred with his death, Popeye continues in pursuit of his foe. This shows Popeye's absolute obsession in his mission.

Popeye Doyle (film)

Popeye Doyle is an American 1986 television film starring Ed O'Neill.

It was based on the character actor Gene Hackman won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in film The French Connection. The character is based on a real-life New York City police detective, Eddie Egan, who also appeared in The French Connection as Walt Simonson, Popeye's supervisor.

Plot

New York police Detective Popeye Doyle investigates case of a murdered model, which leads him on the trail of a gang of terrorists and a drug cartel of international smugglers.

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