Chris Penn Explained

Chris Penn
Birth Name:Christopher Shannon Penn
Birth Date:10 October 1965
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Death Place:Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Restingplace:Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:1976–2006
Father:Leo Penn
Mother:Eileen Ryan

Christopher Shannon Penn (October 10, 1965 – January 24, 2006) was an American actor. He was the brother of actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn. Noted as a skilled character actor, he was typically cast as a tough character, featured as a villain or a working-class thug, or in a comic role and had roles in such films as To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, The Wild Life, Reservoir Dogs, The Funeral, Footloose, Rush Hour, Corky Romano, True Romance, Beethoven's 2nd, Short Cuts, The Boys Club, All the Right Moves, At Close Range, Pale Rider, and Starsky & Hutch. During his career Penn had won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance in The Funeral. He also provided the voice of corrupt cop Edward "Eddie" Pulaski in the video game .

Penn was found dead in his apartment on January 24, 2006, at the age of 40. An autopsy revealed the primary cause for his death was "nonspecific cardiomyopathy" (heart disease).[1] [2]

Early life

Penn was born in Los Angeles, California, to Leo Penn, an actor and director, and Eileen Ryan (née Annucci), an actress. His paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and Russia,[3] and his mother was a Catholic of Italian and Irish descent.[4] His older brothers are actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn.

Career

Penn started acting at the age of 12 at the Loft Studio and made his film debut in 1979's Charlie and the Talking Buzzard, starring Christopher Hanks. In 1983, he was featured in Francis Ford Coppola's youth drama Rumble Fish and appeared in the high school football drama All the Right Moves as the best friend of Tom Cruise's character. He also appeared in the hit dance movie Footloose in 1984 as the best friend of Kevin Bacon's character; played a villain in the Clint Eastwood western Pale Rider (1985); and co-starred with his brother Sean Penn and mother Eileen Ryan in At Close Range (1986).

Penn, who had a black belt in karate,[5] appeared in the 1989 motion picture Best of the Best as Travis Brickley, a cocky member of the U.S. Karate team taking on the team from Korea. The film also starred James Earl Jones, Sally Kirkland, Eric Roberts, Phillip Rhee, and Simon Rhee. Penn reprised his role in 1993's Best of the Best 2.

1990s

Two of his more memorable performances were in Reservoir Dogs as Nice Guy Eddie and True Romance as Nicky Dimes (both characters in scripts written by Quentin Tarantino). In 1996 he won the award for Best Supporting Actor at the Venice Film Festival for The Funeral.

In 1990, Penn was cast in a season one episode of The Young Riders. He appeared as a villain and was killed by Josh Brolin's character James Butler "Jimmy" Hickok. In Robert Altman's 1993 ensemble film Short Cuts, Penn played a troubled swimming pool cleaner who is disturbed by his wife's profession (a telephone sex worker who takes calls from clients at home) to which Penn's character is sometimes obliged to listen. This leads to very disturbing consequences. In 1995, he played a confused highway patrolman searching for a car with three drag queens (played by Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo) in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.

Penn appeared in Jay-Z's 1998 music video "Can I Get A..." as a bartender who mixes drinks and dances. He also played the character Clive Cod in the 1998 film Rush Hour.

2000s

In 2001, Penn was meant to appear in American Pie 2 as Steve Stifler's father, but his scenes were eventually cut as there was insufficient time to include him in the film's plot. However, they appeared on the deleted scene reel on the DVD release.[6] Penn then went on to co-star opposite Peter Berg as the mafia brothers of Corky in Corky Romano. He also appeared as a fall guy in a criminal conspiracy in Murder by Numbers, alongside Sandra Bullock.

In 2003, he appeared on the Will & Grace episode "Fanilow", as Barry Manilow's tour director and a character who is interested romantically in Will. Penn was featured in an episode of the television crime drama ("Death Roe") during the 2004–2005 season. He was also featured on the 2004 video game as the voice of crooked officer Eddie Pulaski. Penn played himself on a 2005 episode of the HBO series Entourage. He appeared in The Darwin Awards, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival the day after his death.

Death

Penn was found dead in his Santa Monica apartment on January 24, 2006, at the age of 40.[7] An autopsy and subsequent toxicology report performed by a Los Angeles County medical examiner revealed the primary cause of death was heart disease. The report also noted that the prescription drug promethazine with codeine and an enlarged heart were possible contributing factors to his death.[8] The toxicology report revealed that Valium, morphine, marijuana and an elevated level of codeine were found in his bloodstream.[9] Penn gained considerable weight throughout the 1990s. Sean Penn said in an interview on Larry King Live that his brother probably died because of his weight.[10]

Penn's grave is located at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.[11]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979Charlie and the Talking BuzzardPeteCredited as Christopher Penn (debut role)
1983All the Right MovesBrianCredited as Christopher Penn
Rumble FishB.J. JacksonCredited as Christopher Penn
Nobody's HeroesN/ADirector/Producer/Writer
1984FootlooseWillardCredited as Christopher Penn
The Wild LifeTom DrakeCredited as Christopher Penn
1985Pale RiderJosh LaHoodCredited as Christopher Penn
1986At Close RangeTommyCredited as Christopher Penn
1987Made in U.S.A.TuckCredited as Christopher Penn
1989Return from the River KwaiLieutenant CrawfordCredited as Christopher Penn
Best of the BestTravis BrickleyCredited as Christopher Penn
1991MobstersTommy ReinaCredited as Christopher Penn
Leather JacketsSteve 'Big Steve'Credited as Christopher Penn
Future Kick'Bang'
1992Reservoir DogsEddie 'Nice Guy Eddie' Cabot
1993Best of the Best IITravis BrickleyCredited as Christopher Penn
The Music of ChanceFloyd
The PickleGregory Stone
Short CutsJerry Kaiser
True RomanceDetective Nicky Dimes
Josh and S.A.M.Derek Baxter
Beethoven's 2ndFloyd
1994Imaginary CrimesJarvis
1995Fist of the North Star'Jackal'
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie NewmarSheriff Dollard
Under the Hula Moon'Turk' Dickson
Sacred CargoVince Kanevsky
1996Mulholland FallsDetective Arthur Relyea
The Funeral'Chez'Nominated – Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead
The Boys ClubLuke
1997DeceiverDetective Philip Braxton
1998PapertrailFBI Agent Jason Enola
One Tough CopDuke Finnerly
Rush HourClive
Family AttractionFatherShort film
1999The FlorentineBobby
2000CementBill Holt
2001Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)Bubba
Corky RomanoPeter Romano
2002Murder by NumbersRay
RedemptionTony LeggioDirect-to-video
Stealing HarvardDavid Loach
2003American Pie: Beneath the Crust Vol. 2Stiffler's DadDeleted scenes
Masked and AnonymousCrew Guy #2
Shelter IslandSheriff DeLuca
2004Starsky & HutchOfficer Manetti
After the SunsetRowdy Fan
2006The Darwin AwardsTomPosthumous release
Juarez: Stages of FearUnknown RoleDirect-to-video; also executive producer
HollyFreddiePosthumous release
2007King of SorrowDetective EnolaPosthumous release
2013AftermathTony BrickerFilmed in 2005; posthumous release (final film role)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982Magnum, P.I.Wounded Soldier in VietnamEpisode: "Heal Thyself"; credited as Christopher Penn
1985North Beach and RawhideDan DonnellyTV movie
1987Faerie Tale TheatreWill TussennbrookEpisode: "Rip Van Winkle"; credited as Christopher Penn
1990The Young RidersBradEpisode: "Matched Pair"
1995Chicago HopeKevin FitzpatrickEpisode: "Life Support"
1996Dead Man's Walk'Goodnight'MiniseriesEpisode: "#1.2"
2002NarratorVoice role
2003Pete WiltonEpisode: "Grave Young Men"
The Brotherhood of Poland, New HampshireWaylon ShawSeries regular (6 episodes)
Will & GraceRudyEpisode: "Fanilow"
2005Tommy OneratoEpisode: "Death Roe"
EverwoodFrank SullivanEpisode: "Fate Accomplis"
EntourageChris Penn (Himself)Episode: "An Offer Refused"

Music videos

YearTitleRoleArtist
1991"Date Rape"PerpetratorSublime
1995"Somebody's Crying"BeachgoerChris Isaak
1998"Can I Get A..."BartenderJay-Z feat. Ja Rule & Amil

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Officer Eddie PulaskiVoice role
2021Officer Eddie PulaskiArchival recordings; remaster of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas only

Notes and References

  1. News: The price of fame: The final reel of Chris Penn . https://web.archive.org/web/20060203094602/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article341030.ece . February 3, 2006 . . London . 26 January 2006 . 31 August 2018.
  2. News: Let us praise Chris Penn—in all his guises . . Peter . Hartlaub . 31 January 2006 . 31 August 2018.
  3. News: Jews Flop in Big Oscar Award Wins . . March 5, 2004 . August 31, 2018 . Tom . Tugend . https://web.archive.org/web/20050428083553/http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=11929 . 28 April 2005 . live .
  4. Book: Kelly, Richard T. . Sean Penn: His Life and Times . . 2004 . . 9–10 . 978-1841956237 .
  5. Web site: 2015-01-25. Chris Penn. July 16, 2020. Martial Arts & Action Entertainment. en-US.
  6. Web site: American Pie 2 (2001). IMDb. 2020-07-16.
  7. News: Actor Chris Penn Found Dead in his Santa Monica Home . January 25, 2006 . August 31, 2018 . Surf Santa Monica.
  8. Web site: September 7, 2012. 10 Fallen Stars and Their Toxicology Reports. July 16, 2020. HowStuffWorks. en.
  9. News: Drugs in Chris Penn's System: Toxicologist . December 16, 2020 . Stephen M. . Siverman . February 23, 2006 . People . EN.
  10. Sean Penn: Chris's Weight Killed Him . . Stephen M. . Silverman . September 14, 2006 . August 31, 2018.
  11. Web site: Photographer disrupts Chris Penn funeral . . Culver City, California . February 5, 2006 . August 31, 2018.