DUSTIN HOFFMAN BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Dustin Hoffman was born on august 8th, 1937 in Los Angeles, California and after graduating from Los Angeles High School he attended Santa Monica City College for only one year before dropping out due to his grades not being up to par.  He then took some training at the Conservatory of Music and then decided to get involved in acting training at the Pasadena Playhouse for two years.
 
He then chose to relocate to work and in the beginning he had a difficult time finding acting work so to support himself he took on a number of odd jobs.  Dustin did get cast in a number of commercials while living in New York.  In the early 60's, Hoffman was cast in an Off-Broadway production and soon was cast in his first Broadway play.  He then decided if he was going to pursue a career as an actor he needed to study acting some more.  He attended the Actors Studio and became a dedicated method actor.
 
His first decent film role was given to him by 3D movie pioneer, Sidney Pink who spotted Hoffman in a Broadway production and offered him a role in the film, "Madigan's Millions" (1968).  His career was now finally beginning to take shape.  He made a number of additional television appearances as well on such series as, "Naked City", "The Defenders", "Hallmark of Fame", "The Doctors and Nurses" and "ABC Stage 67".
 
He is also remembered for some of his other early career film roles such as in, "The Graduate" (1966) for which he earned an Academy Award nomination and his fan base continued to increase dramatically. 
 
His next good film role was in, "The Tiger Makes Out" (1967) and then he was given an opportunity to direct his first play in North Dakota called, "The Time of Your Life".  He loved the theater and returned to Broadway in a production of, "Jimmy Shine" for which he was again honored with winning a Drama Desk Award.  
 
His career never slowed down and he proceeded to gain more fans every time he hit the big screen.  Some of his major film roles were in, "Little Big Man" (1970), "Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?" (1971), "Straw Dogs" (1971), "Papillon" (1973) with Steve McQueen, "Lenny" (1974), "All The President's Men" (1976) with Robert Redford, "Marathon Man" (1976)
 
In 1979, he earned his first Academy Award for his role in the film, "Kramer vs. Kramer" portraying the character, Ted Kramer a workaholic who's wife abandons him to raise his son alone.  He earned his fifth Academy Award nomination for his role in the film, "Tootsie" and  then in 1985 he won an Emmy Award for his television role in, "Death of a Salesman". 
 
One of his other very famous films was in, "Rainman" (1988) alongside actor, Tom Cruise and again, for his role in this film, he earned his second Academy Award.  He then earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Captain Hook in, "Hook" (1991), directed by Steven Spielberg.
 
Nothing could slow Hoffman down.  In 1997 alongside actor, John Travolta he starred in the film, "Wag the Dog" and earned his seventh Academy Award nomination.  Hoffman continued to appear in more successful films and work with a number of highly and well known talented actor and actresses in the industry such as, Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Samuel L. Jackson, Andy Garcia, Gene Hackman and alongside Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet in, "Finding Neverland" (2004). 
 
Many remember his comedic role in "Meet The Fockers" (2004) co starring Ben Stiller.  He continued showing his comedic side in the animated film, "King Fu Panda" (2008) as the voice of Shifu.  He was reluctant at first to do this type of film,  but later was rewarded with an Annie Award for voice acting in an Animated Film.  
 
Some of his current upcoming work will be reprising the role of Shifu in, "Kung Fu Panda 2" (2011) and he also appeared in 2010 in, "Meet the Fockers" sequel, "Little Fockers".  Also in 2012, he is in pre production for the film, "Very Good Girls".   
 
Although Hoffman is a very talented and well known actor, he has a reputation in Hollywood for being slightly difficult to work with.  He also chooses to challenge himself with roles he will take in films such as when he portrayed a crippled street hustler in the film, "Midnight Cowboy" (1969) and when he pretended to be a woman in the movie comedy, "Tootsie" (1982). 
 
Hoffman has been married twice, he first married Anne Byrne Hoffman in 1969 and they had two children together before divorcing in 1980.  He then married Lisa Gottsegen in 1980 and they had four children together and remain married today.
 
He has been honored for his acting in a number of ways besides his numerous Academy Award nominations and wins.  He was voted the 28th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly and his performance from the film, "Tootsie" was ranked #33 on Premiere Magazines 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. 
 
Dustin Hoffman continues to work in the industry today and lives with his wife in California.  He continues to take on challenging roles and maintain a huge fan base that continues to grow every time he makes an appearance on the big screen.

Filmography

2012 Very Good Girls
2011 The Song of Names
2011-2012 Luck
2011 Luck Episode #1.6
2011 Kung Fu Panda 2 
2010 Little Fockers
2010 Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special
2010 Barney's Version
2008 The Tale of Despereaux 
2008 Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five
2008 Last Chance Harvey
2008 Belonging
2008 Kung Fu Panda
2007 Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
2006 Stranger Than Fiction 
2006 Perfume: The Story of a Murderer 
2005 Curb Your Enthusiasm 
2005 The Lost City
2005 Racing Stripes
2004 Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
2004 Meet the Fockers
2004 I Heart Huckabees
2004 Finding Neverland
2003 Runaway Jury
2003 Confidence
2003 Liberty's Kids: Est. 1776 
2002 Moonlight Mile
2001 Tuesday 
1999 The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc 
1998 Sphere
1997 Wag the Dog 
1997 Mad City 
1996 Sleepers 
1996 American Buffalo 
1995 Outbreak 
1992 Hero 
1991 A Wish for Wings That Work
1991 Hook
1991 Billy Bathgate 
1991 The Simpsons
1990 Dick Tracy 
1989 Family Business
1988 Rain Man 
1987 Ishtar 
1985 Death of a Salesman 
1982 Tootsie
1979 Kramer vs. Kramer 
1979 Agatha 
1978 Straight Time 
1976 Marathon Man 
1976 All the President's Men 
1974 Lenny
1973 Papillon 
1972 Alfredo, Alfredo 
1971 Straw Dogs 
1971 Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? 
1971 The Point 
1970 Little Big Man
1969 John and Mary
1969 Midnight Cowboy
1969 Sunday Father
1968 Premiere
1968 Madigan's Millions
1967 The Graduate
1967 The Tiger Makes Out
1967 ABC Stage 67
1966 Hallmark Hall of Fame 
1966 The Star Wagon 
1966 The Journey of the Fifth Horse 
1965 The Doctors and the Nurses 
1962-1965 The Defenders 
1961-1963 Naked City