Kit Culkin
Encyclopedia
Christopher Cornelius "Kit" Culkin (born December 6, 1944) is an American
stage actor, most famous for being the father of Macaulay Culkin
, of Home Alone
fame, as well as his productions on Broadway.
, New York
, the son of Marian Ethel (née
Wagner), a writer and editor, and Philip Harley Culkin, a journalist
. He spent his youth in New York City, working on Broadway in theater productions with actors such as Richard Burton
, John Gielgud
, Laurence Olivier
and Anthony Quinn
. He also took class at the School of American Ballet
, like son Macaulay. His brother, Terry, and sisters Bonnie Bedelia
and Candace, also worked in theater and television. Culkin credits his mother, who was their manager, for these early successes.
Culkin is the father of Macaulay
, Kieran, Rory
, Christian, Shane, Quinn Culkin, and Dakota with Patricia Brentrup. Culkin and Brentrup were together for 21 years from 1974–1995, but never married.
Three of his sonsMacaulay, Rory, and Kieranhave taken up acting. Culkin served as their manager from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s. In just a few years, the Culkin family went from modest means to wealth. Macaulay became the first child in Hollywood to receive a million dollar salary for My Girl
(1991). From 1995 to 1997, Kit was part of a child custody
trial.
On December 9, 2008, Kit's daughter Dakota was struck by a vehicle when she stepped off of a curb. She was taken to UCLA Medical Center where she died of her injuries the following day. Culkin also had another daughter, Jennifer Adamson, from a previous relationship who died in 2000 at age 29 from a drug overdose.
Culkin now lives in Oregon
with his long-time friend and partner, Jeanette Krylowski.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stage actor, most famous for being the father of Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Carson Culkin is an American actor. He became widely known for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He is also known for his roles in Richie Rich, Uncle Buck, My Girl, The Pagemaster, and Party Monster...
, of Home Alone
Home Alone
Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy, who is mistakenly left behind when his family flies to Paris for their Christmas vacation...
fame, as well as his productions on Broadway.
Life and career
Culkin was born in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the son of Marian Ethel (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Wagner), a writer and editor, and Philip Harley Culkin, a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He spent his youth in New York City, working on Broadway in theater productions with actors such as Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
, John Gielgud
John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937...
, Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
and Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
. He also took class at the School of American Ballet
School of American Ballet
The School of American Ballet is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the...
, like son Macaulay. His brother, Terry, and sisters Bonnie Bedelia
Bonnie Bedelia
Bonnie Bedelia Culkin is an American actress best known for her supporting roles in the action film Die Hard and the courtroom drama Presumed Innocent...
and Candace, also worked in theater and television. Culkin credits his mother, who was their manager, for these early successes.
Culkin is the father of Macaulay
Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Carson Culkin is an American actor. He became widely known for his portrayal of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. He is also known for his roles in Richie Rich, Uncle Buck, My Girl, The Pagemaster, and Party Monster...
, Kieran, Rory
Rory Culkin
Rory Hugh Culkin is an American actor and is the younger brother of actors Macaulay Culkin and Kieran Culkin.-Personal life:...
, Christian, Shane, Quinn Culkin, and Dakota with Patricia Brentrup. Culkin and Brentrup were together for 21 years from 1974–1995, but never married.
Three of his sonsMacaulay, Rory, and Kieranhave taken up acting. Culkin served as their manager from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s. In just a few years, the Culkin family went from modest means to wealth. Macaulay became the first child in Hollywood to receive a million dollar salary for My Girl
My Girl (film)
My Girl is a 1991 drama film directed by Howard Zieff and written by Laurice Elehwany. The film depicts the coming-of-age of a young girl who faces many different emotional highs and lows and stars Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis in their first film together since 1983's Trading Places. The film...
(1991). From 1995 to 1997, Kit was part of a child custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
trial.
On December 9, 2008, Kit's daughter Dakota was struck by a vehicle when she stepped off of a curb. She was taken to UCLA Medical Center where she died of her injuries the following day. Culkin also had another daughter, Jennifer Adamson, from a previous relationship who died in 2000 at age 29 from a drug overdose.
Culkin now lives in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
with his long-time friend and partner, Jeanette Krylowski.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | West Side Story West Side Story (film) West Side Story is a 1961 musical film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was adapted from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno,... |
Extra | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Hamlet Hamlet The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601... |
Player Queen |