Dustin Hoffman: Life's a freak accident

Dustin Hoffman rescued his pet turtles from being blown to smithereens in an explosion.

The 75-year-old actor lived in the Greenwich Village area of New York City in 1970.

Next door to his townhouse at the time, radical revolutionary group the Weather Underground set off a bomb.

Three of five extremists, who were committed to violently overthrowing the US government, were blown apart when the bomb they were preparing suddenly exploded.

The building was reduced to smoldering rubble and Dustin’s abode was a stoop away from being taken out with the blast.

The star is happy that he raced out of his home with his most treasured objects.

“I was able to save that painting and my turtles that I put in my pocket,” Dustin told People magazine.

The Academy Award-winning thespian made it big after his 1967 breakout film The Graduate.

Dustin is amazed by his success.

“I call it a freak accident,” he said.

“[At the time I was cast in The Graduate] I was an unemployed actor at 29 and Anne Bancroft was only six years older. Her husband, Mel Brooks, was very jealous. He would call her and ask, ‘Did he kiss you yet'’ ”