He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Gere is a descendant of Mayflower Pilgrims Francis Eaton, John Billington, George Soule, Richard Warren, Degory Priest, William Brewster, and Francis Cooke. Gere is their eldest son and second child.
