Eddie Egan

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Eddie Egan (January 3, 1930 – November 4, 1995) was a New York City Police Department detective whose exploits were the subject of a book and movie, both entitled The French Connection.

Egan, his partner Sonny Grosso, and other New York City Police Department detectives broke up an organized crime ring in 1961 and seized 112 pounds of heroin, a record amount at the time. The investigation was the subject of a book by Robin Moore and the subsequent motion picture.

The movie was highly fictionalized, and the character based on him was played by Gene Hackman, who won an Academy Award for his performance. The character was called Jimmy "Popeye Doyle", because "Popeye" was his nickname in real life. Egan played a small role in the movie as Hackman's supervisor, Simonson. Egan and Grosso were technical advisors to the movie.

A television series, Popeye Doyle, was subsequently produced about his fictionalized character in the movie. In 1973, another film was released detailing Egan's career, this called Badge 373, with Robert Duvall playing the role of Egan.

Before joining the NYPD, Egan played professional baseball with the New York Yankees AAA farm team. When he quit to join the United States Marine Corps, a young player named Mickey Mantle took his spot in center field. Egan joined the police after leaving the Marines.^[1]

After retiring from the police, Egan became an actor, portraying small roles in 22 movies and television series.^[2] He retired and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1984.^[1]