Chris Penn
Encyclopedia
Christopher Shannon "Chris" Penn (October 10, 1965 – January 24, 2006) was an American
film
and television
actor
known for his roles in such films as The Wild Life
, Reservoir Dogs
, Footloose, Rush Hour, True Romance
, All the Right Moves
and Pale Rider
.
, California
, the youngest son of Leo Penn
, an actor and director, and Eileen Ryan
(née Annucci), an actress. His paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania
and Russia
, and his mother was a Roman Catholic
of Italian and Irish descent. According to Penn's mother, Leo Penn may have had distant Spanish
ancestry, as the family's surname was originally "Piñón". His brothers are actor Sean Penn
and musician Michael Penn
.
’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; 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 was typically cast as a tough character, featured as a villain or a working-class lug, or in a comic
role. 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.
Penn, who had a black belt in karate
, 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
.
In Robert Altman
's 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 obliged to listen. He also appeared as a fall guy in a criminal conspiracy in Murder by Numbers
alongside Sandra Bullock
.
Penn was meant to appear in American Pie 2
as Steve Stifler's father, but the scenes featuring him were eventually cut as there was not sufficient time to include him in the film's plot. However, they appeared on the deleted scene reel from the movie's DVD.
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 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
("Death Roe
") during the 2004–2005 season
. He was also featured on the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
as the voice of 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
one day after his death.
Penn appears in Jay-Z
's "Can I Get A...
" music video as a bartender
who mixes drinks and dances.
condominium
on January 24, 2006, at the age of 40. Although Penn had used multiple drugs in the past, an autopsy
performed by a Los Angeles County medical examiner
revealed the primary cause of death was "nonspecific cardiomyopathy
" (heart disease), with the prescription drug promethazine
with codeine
and an enlarged heart being possible contributing circumstances. Sean Penn
has said publicly in a TV interview on Larry King Live
that his brother probably died because of his weight.
There is conflicting information about Chris Penn's age at the time of death, with some obituaries giving 1962 as his year of birth. His mother indicated that his date of birth was October 10, 1965, in Richard T. Kelly's book, Sean Penn: His Life and Times (2004).
Penn is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery
in Culver City, California
.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
known for his roles in such films as The Wild Life
The Wild Life (film)
The Wild Life is a 1984 comedy-drama film, written by Cameron Crowe and directed by Art Linson.The movie was an indirect sequel to the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The film is only available on VHS and Laserdisc in pan and scan with stereo analog tracks. No DVD version has been released due...
, Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs is an American crime film marking debut of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. It depicts the events before and after a botched diamond heist, but not the heist itself. Reservoir Dogs stars an ensemble cast: Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and...
, Footloose, Rush Hour, True Romance
True Romance
True Romance is a 1993 American romance crime film written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott. The film stars Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette with an ensemble cast consisting of Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin...
, All the Right Moves
All the Right Moves
All the Right Moves is a 1983 drama film directed by Michael Chapman and starring Tom Cruise, Craig T. Nelson, Lea Thompson, Chris Penn, and Gary Graham...
and Pale Rider
Pale Rider
Pale Rider is a 1985 American western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the lead role. This movie has plot similarities to the classic Western Shane , including in its final scene, as well as previous Eastwood films featuring his Man with No Name character and his 1973...
.
Early life
Penn was born in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the youngest son of Leo Penn
Leo Penn
Leo Z. Penn was an American actor and director, and father of musician Michael Penn and actors Sean Penn and Chris Penn.-Early life:...
, an actor and director, and Eileen Ryan
Eileen Ryan
Eileen Ryan is an American actress who has appeared in a number of movies and TV series. She is the widow of actor and director, Leo Penn, and mother of singer, Michael Penn, and actors, Sean and, Chris Penn, who died in January 2006....
(née Annucci), an actress. His paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and his mother was a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
of Italian and Irish descent. According to Penn's mother, Leo Penn may have had distant Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
ancestry, as the family's surname was originally "Piñón". His brothers are actor Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
and musician Michael Penn
Michael Penn
Michael Penn is an American singer, songwriter and composer. He is the eldest son of actor/director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan, and the brother of actors Sean Penn and the late Chris Penn.-Career:...
.
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 CoppolaFrancis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
’s youth drama Rumble Fish
Rumble Fish
Rumble Fish is a 1983 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the novel Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton, who also co-wrote the screenplay....
and appeared in the high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
drama All the Right Moves
All the Right Moves
All the Right Moves is a 1983 drama film directed by Michael Chapman and starring Tom Cruise, Craig T. Nelson, Lea Thompson, Chris Penn, and Gary Graham...
as the best friend of Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
's character. He also appeared in the hit dance movie Footloose in 1984; played a villain in the Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
Pale Rider
Pale Rider
Pale Rider is a 1985 American western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the lead role. This movie has plot similarities to the classic Western Shane , including in its final scene, as well as previous Eastwood films featuring his Man with No Name character and his 1973...
(1985); and co-starred with his brother Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
and mother Eileen Ryan in At Close Range
At Close Range
At Close Range is a film based on the real life rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. which operated during the 1960s and 1970s. It was released on April 18, 1986, and stars Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Millie Perkins, Candy Clark and...
(1986).
Penn was typically cast as a tough character, featured as a villain or a working-class lug, or in a comic
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
role. Two of his more memorable performances were in Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs is an American crime film marking debut of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. It depicts the events before and after a botched diamond heist, but not the heist itself. Reservoir Dogs stars an ensemble cast: Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and...
as Nice Guy Eddie and True Romance
True Romance
True Romance is a 1993 American romance crime film written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott. The film stars Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette with an ensemble cast consisting of Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin...
as Nicky Dimes (both characters in scripts written by Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
). In 1996 he won the award for Best Supporting Actor at the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
for The Funeral.
Penn, who had a black belt in karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
, appeared in the 1989 motion picture Best of the Best
Best of the Best
Best of the Best is a 1989 martial arts film. The plot revolves around a team of Americans facing a team of Koreans in a taekwondo tournament. Several sub plots pop up in the story - moral conflicts, the power of the human spirit triumphing over adversity are some themes...
as Travis Brickley, a cocky member of the U.S. karate team taking on the team from Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. The film also starred James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is an American actor. He is well-known for his distinctive bass voice and for his portrayal of characters of substance, gravitas and leadership...
, Sally Kirkland
Sally Kirkland
Sally Kirkland is an American film and television actress.-Early life:Kirkland was named after her mother, fashion editor Sally Kirkland, who was a fashion editor at Vogue and LIFE magazines, and was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her father, Frederic McMichael Kirkland, worked in the scrap...
, Eric Roberts
Eric Roberts
Eric Anthony Roberts is an American actor. His career began with King of the Gypsies , earning a Golden Globe nomination for best actor debut. He starred as the protagonist in the 1980 dramatisation of Willa Cather's 1905 short story, Paul's Case...
, Phillip Rhee
Phillip Rhee
Phillip Rhee is a Korean-American actor and director, most famous for his role in the Best of the Best movie series....
and Simon Rhee. Penn reprised his role in 1993’s Best of the Best 2
Best of the Best 2
Best of the Best 2 is a 1993 martial arts film directed by Robert Radler, and starring Eric Roberts and Phillip Rhee. It is the first sequel to the 1989 film Best of the Best. The plot follows three of the characters from the original film, and was released on DVD on February 6, 2007.-Plot:After...
.
In Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
's ensemble film Short Cuts
Short Cuts
Short Cuts is a 1993 American drama film directed by Robert Altman. Filmed from a screenplay by Robert Altman and Frank Barhydt, it is inspired by nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver...
, Penn played a troubled swimming pool cleaner who is disturbed by his wife’s profession (a telephone sex worker
Phone sex
Phone sex is a type of virtual sex that refers to sexually explicit conversation between or other persons via telephone, especially when at least one of the participants masturbates or engages in sexual fantasy...
who takes calls from clients at home) to which Penn’s character is obliged to listen. He also appeared as a fall guy in a criminal conspiracy in Murder by Numbers
Murder by Numbers
Murder by Numbers is a 2002 psychological thriller film produced and directed by Barbet Schroeder. It stars Sandra Bullock, Ben Chaplin, Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt. It is loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb case....
alongside Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
.
Penn was meant to appear in American Pie 2
American Pie 2
American Pie 2 is a 2001 comedy film and sequel to American Pie and is the second film in the American Pie film series. It was written by Adam Herz and David H. Steinberg, and directed by J. B. Rogers. The film picks up the story of the four friends from the first film as they reunite during the...
as Steve Stifler's father, but the scenes featuring him were eventually cut as there was not sufficient time to include him in the film's plot. However, they appeared on the deleted scene reel from the movie's DVD.
In 2003, he appeared on the Will & Grace
Will & Grace
Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
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 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
("Death Roe
Death Roe
"Death Roe" is a fourth season episode of the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Plot summary:In this episode, Detectives Goren and Eames investigate the murder of a female restaurant critic found beaten to death....
") during the 2004–2005 season
2004-05 United States network television schedule
This was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 2004. All times are Eastern and Pacific....
. He was also featured on the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
as the voice of Officer Eddie Pulaski. Penn played himself on a 2005 episode of the HBO series Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
. He appeared in The Darwin Awards
The Darwin Awards (film)
The Darwin Awards is a 2006 American adventure comedy film based on the website of the same name.Written and directed by Finn Taylor, the film premiered January 25, 2006, at the Sundance Film Festival...
, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
one day after his death.
Penn appears in Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
's "Can I Get A...
Can I Get A...
"Can I Get A..." is a 1998 single by rapper Jay-Z that features Amil and Ja Rule. It was released on Def Jam's Rush Hour Soundtrack in promotion of the film Rush Hour, but also appears on Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. The song is produced by Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob...
" music video as a bartender
Bartender
A bartender is a person who serves beverages behind a counter in a bar, pub, tavern, or similar establishment. A bartender, in short, "tends the bar". The term barkeeper may carry a connotation of being the bar's owner...
who mixes drinks and dances.
Death
Penn was found dead in his Santa MonicaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
on January 24, 2006, at the age of 40. Although Penn had used multiple drugs in the past, an autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
performed by a Los Angeles County medical examiner
Los Angeles County Coroner
The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner was created in its present form in Boyle Heights on December 7, 1990 by an ordinance approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, though it has existed in some form since the late 19th century....
revealed the primary cause of death was "nonspecific cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy, which literally means "heart muscle disease," is the deterioration of the function of the myocardium for any reason. People with cardiomyopathy are often at risk of arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death or both. Cardiomyopathy can often go undetected, making it especially dangerous to...
" (heart disease), with the prescription drug promethazine
Promethazine
Promethazine is a first-generation antihistamine of the phenothiazine family. The drug has anti-motion sickness, antiemetic, and anticholinergic effects, as well as a strong sedative effect and in some countries is prescribed for insomnia when benzodiazepines are contraindicated...
with codeine
Codeine
Codeine or 3-methylmorphine is an opiate used for its analgesic, antitussive, and antidiarrheal properties...
and an enlarged heart being possible contributing circumstances. Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
has said publicly in a TV interview on Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
that his brother probably died because of his weight.
There is conflicting information about Chris Penn's age at the time of death, with some obituaries giving 1962 as his year of birth. His mother indicated that his date of birth was October 10, 1965, in Richard T. Kelly's book, Sean Penn: His Life and Times (2004).
Penn is interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City
Holy Cross Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery at 5835 West Slauson Avenue in Culver City, California, operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles....
in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
.
Filmography
- Charlie and the Talking Buzzard (1979)
- All The Right MovesAll the Right MovesAll the Right Moves is a 1983 drama film directed by Michael Chapman and starring Tom Cruise, Craig T. Nelson, Lea Thompson, Chris Penn, and Gary Graham...
(1983) - Rumble FishRumble FishRumble Fish is a 1983 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the novel Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton, who also co-wrote the screenplay....
(1983) - The Wild LifeThe Wild Life (film)The Wild Life is a 1984 comedy-drama film, written by Cameron Crowe and directed by Art Linson.The movie was an indirect sequel to the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The film is only available on VHS and Laserdisc in pan and scan with stereo analog tracks. No DVD version has been released due...
(1984) - Footloose (1984)
- Pale RiderPale RiderPale Rider is a 1985 American western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the lead role. This movie has plot similarities to the classic Western Shane , including in its final scene, as well as previous Eastwood films featuring his Man with No Name character and his 1973...
(1985) - At Close RangeAt Close RangeAt Close Range is a film based on the real life rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. which operated during the 1960s and 1970s. It was released on April 18, 1986, and stars Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Millie Perkins, Candy Clark and...
(1986) - Made in USA (1987)
- Return from the River KwaiReturn from the River KwaiReturn from the River Kwai is a 1989 film directed by Andrew McLaglen. It stars Timothy Bottoms and Nick Tate.. It is loosely based on events concerning the Burma-Thailand Death Railway and subsequent that inspired the earlier film Bridge on the River Kwai, although both films use separate...
(1989) - Best of the BestBest of the BestBest of the Best is a 1989 martial arts film. The plot revolves around a team of Americans facing a team of Koreans in a taekwondo tournament. Several sub plots pop up in the story - moral conflicts, the power of the human spirit triumphing over adversity are some themes...
(1989) - MobstersMobstersMobsters is a 1991 crime-drama film detailing the creation of the The Commission. Set in New York City, taking place from 1917 to 1931, it is a semi-fictitious account of the rise of Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.-Plot:This highly dramatized...
(1991) - Future Kick (1991)
- Reservoir DogsReservoir DogsReservoir Dogs is an American crime film marking debut of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. It depicts the events before and after a botched diamond heist, but not the heist itself. Reservoir Dogs stars an ensemble cast: Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and...
(1992) - Leather JacketsLeather Jackets (film)Leather Jackets is a 1992 film directed and written by Lee Drysdale. The movie was shot on Highland Park, Los Angeles, California in 1990. Filming took place in 1990. However it was not released until 1992.-Cast:*D. B. Sweeney as Mickey...
(1992) - Best of the Best 2Best of the Best 2Best of the Best 2 is a 1993 martial arts film directed by Robert Radler, and starring Eric Roberts and Phillip Rhee. It is the first sequel to the 1989 film Best of the Best. The plot follows three of the characters from the original film, and was released on DVD on February 6, 2007.-Plot:After...
(1993) - The PickleThe PickleThe Pickle is a 1993 film produced, written, and directed by Paul Mazursky, telling the story of a formerly powerful film director whose recent string of flops has forced him to make a commercial piece that is artistically uninspired...
(1993) - Beethoven’s 2ndBeethoven's 2ndBeethoven's 2nd is a 1993 American family film directed by Rod Daniel, and the first sequel to the 1992 film, Beethoven. It starred Charles Grodin and Bonnie Hunt, and Beethoven's four puppies, Chubby, Dolly, Tchaikovsky, and Moe. This is the second of six installments in the Beethoven film series...
(1993) - Josh and S.A.M.Josh and S.A.M.Josh and S.A.M. is a 1993 American drama-comedy film revolving around two brothers who hate each other and how they react to their parents' divorce. It stars Noah Fleiss, Jacob Tierney, Martha Plimpton, and a young Jake Gyllenhaal...
(1993) - The Music of ChanceThe Music of Chance (film)The Music of Chance is a 1993 American drama film directed by Philip Haas. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival...
(1993) - True RomanceTrue RomanceTrue Romance is a 1993 American romance crime film written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott. The film stars Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette with an ensemble cast consisting of Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin...
(1993) - Short CutsShort CutsShort Cuts is a 1993 American drama film directed by Robert Altman. Filmed from a screenplay by Robert Altman and Frank Barhydt, it is inspired by nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver...
(1993) - Imaginary CrimesImaginary CrimesImaginary Crimes is a 1994 film starring Harvey Keitel and Fairuza Balk, telling the story of Ray Weiler , a widowed hustler trying to raise two daughters in 1962 Portland, Oregon....
(1994) - Fist of the North StarFist of the North Star (1995 film)Fist of the North Star is a 1995 American straight-to-video live-action film based on the eponymous manga by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. The film was directed by Tony Randel, who also co-wrote the script with Peter Akins, and stars Gary Daniels, Costas Mandylor, Chris Penn, Isako Washio, and Malcom...
(1995) - Sacred Cargo (1995)
- To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie NewmarTo Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie NewmarTo Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar is a 1995 American comedy film, starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo as three New York drag queens who embark on a road trip...
(1995) - Under the Hula Moon (1995)
- Dead Mans Walk (1996
- Mulholland FallsMulholland FallsMulholland Falls is a 1996 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Lee Tamahori and written by Pete Dexter. The drama features Andrew McCarthy, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Connelly, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Melanie Griffith, Treat Williams, and John Malkovich.Nolte plays the...
(1996) - The FuneralThe Funeral (1996 film)The Funeral is a 1996 American crime-drama film directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Annabella Sciorra, Isabella Rossellini, Vincent Gallo, Benicio del Toro and Gretchen Mol....
(1996) - The Boys ClubThe Boys ClubThe Boys Club is a 1997 crime thriller film directed by John Fawcett, written by Doug Smith and Peter Wellington , and starring Devon Sawa, Chris Penn, Dominic Zamprogna, and Stuart Stone.-Plot:...
(1997) - Papertrail (1997) (a.k.a. Trail of a Serial Killer)
- DeceiverDeceiver (film)Deceiver, also known as Liar, or Reisser, or even BSer , is a 1997 murder mystery film. It won Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay at the 1997 Stockholm Film Festival, and the Special Jury Prize at the 1998 Cognac Police Film Festival.-Plot:Textile company heir James Wayland is accused of...
(1997) - One Tough CopOne Tough CopOne Tough Cop is a 1998 crime film written by Jeremy Iacone and directed by Bruno Barreto. The movie stars Stephen Baldwin as the protagonist and first-person narrator Bo Dietl, a New York City detective who wrote the book that the film is based on. Chris Penn costars as Dietl's partner...
(1998) - Rush Hour (1998)
- Family Attraction (1998)
- CementCement (film)Cement is a 2000 crime drama-thriller film directed by Adrian Pasdar and written by Justin Monjo. The film, which is a contemporary re-telling of Othello, was shot in Los Angeles, California, USA, and was Pasdar's first film as director.-Plot:...
(1999) - The FlorentineThe FlorentineThe Florentine is a 1999 film directed Nick Stagliano and produced by Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope. It stars Jeremy Davies, Virginia Madsen, Luke Perry, Mary Stuart Masterson, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Hal Holbrook, Tom Sizemore, Maeve Quinlan, James Belushi, and Burt Young...
(1999) - Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)Kiss Kiss is a 2000 English comedy film written and directed by Stewart Sugg. It features Stellan Skarsgård, Chris Penn, and Paul Bettany.- Plot :Felix is a hit-man who wants out of the business...
(2000) - American Pie 2American Pie 2American Pie 2 is a 2001 comedy film and sequel to American Pie and is the second film in the American Pie film series. It was written by Adam Herz and David H. Steinberg, and directed by J. B. Rogers. The film picks up the story of the four friends from the first film as they reunite during the...
(2001) {as Stifler's Dad in a deleted storyline} - Corky RomanoCorky RomanoCorky Romano is a 2001 film starring former Saturday Night Live cast member Chris Kattan. Also starring are Fred Ward, Vinessa Shaw, Roger Fan, and Dave Sheridan. The movie was directed by Rob Pritts and was written by David Garrett and Jason Ward. It was filmed at Touchstone Pictures studios...
(2001) - Murder by NumbersMurder by NumbersMurder by Numbers is a 2002 psychological thriller film produced and directed by Barbet Schroeder. It stars Sandra Bullock, Ben Chaplin, Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt. It is loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb case....
(2002) - Redemption (2002)
- Stealing HarvardStealing HarvardStealing Harvard is a 2002 crime comedy film directed by Bruce McCulloch, about a man who resorts to crime to pay for his niece's Harvard tuition....
(2002) - Masked and AnonymousMasked and AnonymousMasked and Anonymous is a 2003 comedy-drama film directed by Larry Charles, who is better known for his writing on successful TV sitcoms, Seinfeld and Mad About You and for executive producing episodes of The Tick and Dilbert. The film was written by Larry Charles and Bob Dylan, the latter under...
(2003) - Shelter Island (2003)
- Will & GraceWill & GraceWill & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
, Season 3, in episode 10 Fanilow (2003) - Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
(voice of Eddie Pulaski) (2004) - Starsky & HutchStarsky & Hutch (film)Starsky & Hutch is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips. The film stars Ben Stiller as David Starsky and Owen Wilson as Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson and is a film adaptation of the original television series of the same name from the 1970s....
(2004) - After the SunsetAfter the SunsetAfter the Sunset is a 2004 action comedy film starring Pierce Brosnan as Max Burdett, a master thief caught in a cat-and-mouse game with FBI agent Stan Lloyd played by Woody Harrelson...
(2004) - Pauly Shore is DeadPauly Shore Is Dead-Additional notes:The film did see a release to theaters in Sacramento, California, and has found/developed a following on DVD.Music from the band Staind's album "Break the Cycle" is used in the movie. Aaron Lewis, vocalist of Staind, also has an appearance in the DVD. Eminem and now deceased...
(2004) - EverwoodEverwoodEverwood is an American drama television series that initially aired in the United States on The WB. The series is set in the fictional small town of Everwood, Colorado, and was filmed in Ogden, South Salt Lake, and Draper, Utah, except the series pilot which was filmed in Canmore, Alberta,...
(2005) - The Darwin AwardsThe Darwin Awards (film)The Darwin Awards is a 2006 American adventure comedy film based on the website of the same name.Written and directed by Finn Taylor, the film premiered January 25, 2006, at the Sundance Film Festival...
(2006) - King of SorrowKing of Sorrow (film)King of Sorrow is a 2006 Canadian film starring Kim Coates and Lara Daans. It is written, produced and directed by Damian Lee.-Plot:Redemption and damnation share a bed of hope in a love story between a suicidal psychiatrist and a drug addicted homicidal cop...
(2006) - HollyHolly (film)Holly is a 2007 drama film about an American stolen artifacts dealer in Cambodia who tries to save a young girl from child traffickers. The film was directed by Guy Moshe, and stars Ron Livingston, Chris Penn, and Thuy Nguyen....
(2006)
External links
- “The price of fame: The final reel of Chris Penn”, Biographical article from The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
- “Let us praise Chris Penn—in all his guises,” from SFGate.com