Benjamin Franklin Gates born in 1964 is the main character in the 2004 film National Treasure, and the 2007 sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets. He is the son of Patrick Henry Gates and Emily Appleton. Ben is also the paternal grandson of John Adams Gates. He is a treasure hunter, a tradition which has been followed by six generations of his family. Officially, he is a cryptologist. Another obvious tradition in his family is that all the males' first and middle names are taken from historical American figures.