Gene Hackman’s children were not given any mention in his $80 million (£61.16 million) will, it has emerged – and he failed to make plans for what would happen to his vast estate in the event that his wife of 14 years, Betsy Arakawa, died before him. The pair’s bodies were found together in February and it became clear that their deaths had occurred within a week of each other.

Andrew Wilkinson, Head of Inheritance Disputes at Lime Solicitors, explained: “The sad situation surrounding Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s estate serves as a stark reminder that many people assume their spouse or partner will outlive them. However, that is not always the case, which is why it is critical to consider alternate scenarios in estate planning.” He continued: “In this case, Betsy’s will was robust. She left everything to Gene but included a provision that if they died within 90 days of each other, her estate would go into a trust and later be donated to charity.

“Gene’s will, however, contained no such safeguard. He left his estate to his wife without specifying what should happen if she died before him, meaning that his assets would pass under intestacy rules and go to his children, despite not originally laying out any provision for them.”

He had a son, Christopher Allen, and daughters Leslie Anne and Elizabeth Jean, with his former wife Faye Maltese, and they were reportedly provided for via trusts.

However, his will, created in 1995, failed to contain a disaster clause, according to Wilkinson.

He confirmed: “If a disaster or default clause had been included —a provision directing assets to a charity or a secondary beneficiary if both partners die in quick succession — it could have ensured that the couple’s intentions were upheld, preventing any ambiguity or unintended inheritance.

“Estate planning should always include ‘what if’ scenarios to account for the unexpected and ensure that your wishes are fully protected.”

Betsy had sought medical help in the days leading up to her death, making an appointment with a physician for February 12 – but she failed to appear, and died soon afterwards of severe pulmonary disease.

Due to suffering from Alzheimer’s, Gene was believed to have been unable to process her death, and did not report it.

By February 18, he had tragically died too, in the same home where his wife’s body lay, with the cause of death recorded as severe heart disease, with Alzheimer’s and kidney disease confirmed as complications.

Gene had been described as the best American film actor the world had ever seen prior to his death, with his role in Bonnie and Clyde, French Connection II and Superman among his film credits.

He stayed professionally active in later life, narrating documentaries well into his 80s, before dying at the age of 95 at the Santa Fe home he’d shared with Betsy.