Chris Penn

Biography

Chris Penn was an American actor who began acting at 12 at the Loft Studio before appearing in Charlie and the Talking Buzzard (1979). Born in Los Angeles, he was often cast as a tough character, a villain, a working-class thug, or in comic roles. He appeared in Rumble Fish (1983), All the Right Moves (1983), Footloose (1984), Pale Rider (1985), and At Close Range (1986). His memorable performances included Nice Guy Eddie in Reservoir Dogs (1992), Nicky Dimes in True Romance (1993), and roles in Short Cuts (1993) and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995). The Funeral (1996) brought him the Volpi Cup for Best Supporting Actor at the Venice Film Festival and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Male Lead. Later films included Rush Hour (1998), Corky Romano (2001), and Starsky & Hutch (2004). He also voiced corrupt cop Eddie Pulaski in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).

40years old at death

Born October 10, 1965Los Angeles
Died January 24, 2006Santa Monica
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Also credited as Christopher Shannon Penn and Christopher Penn

Movie Career

Films: 32
Career span: 23 years1983 to 2006

Genres

Drama53%, 17 films
Crime47%, 15 films
Comedy38%, 12 films
Action22%, 7 films
Romance16%, 5 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

First role
Penn began acting at age 12 at the Loft Studio, and his first film role came in Charlie and the Talking Buzzard in 1979.
Beyond film
Penn was featured on the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, where he provided the voice of the crooked officer Eddie Pulaski.
Beyond film
Penn had a role in Jay-Z's 1998 music video for "Can I Get A...", playing a bartender who both dances and mixes drinks.

Chris Penn movies on Netflix

The Darwin Awards2006IMDb rating 5.9as Tom
After the Sunset2004IMDb rating 6.3as Rowdy Fan
Starsky & Hutch2004IMDb rating 6.1as Manetti
Masked and Anonymous2003IMDb rating 5.3as Crew Guy #2
Murder by Numbers2002IMDb rating 6.2as Ray Feathers
Stealing Harvard2002IMDb rating 5.2as David Loach
Corky Romano2001IMDb rating 4.8as Peter Romano
Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)2001IMDb rating 6.2as Bubba
One Tough Cop1998IMDb rating 5.2as Duke Finnerly
Rush Hour1998IMDb rating 7.1as Clive
Deceiver1997IMDb rating 6.4as Det. Phillip Braxton
Mulholland Falls1996IMDb rating 6.3as Arthur Relyea
Sacred Cargo1996IMDb rating 4.0as Vince Kanevsky
The Funeral1996IMDb rating 6.6as Chez Tempio
Fist of the North Star1995IMDb rating 3.9as Jackal
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995IMDb rating 6.9as Sheriff Dollard
Imaginary Crimes1994IMDb rating 6.4as Jarvis
Beethoven's 2nd1993IMDb rating 5.0as Floyd
Best of the Best 21993IMDb rating 5.6as Travis Brickley
Short Cuts1993IMDb rating 7.6as Jerry Kaiser
The Music of Chance1993IMDb rating 7.0as Floyd
The Pickle1993IMDb rating 4.4as Gregory Stone
True Romance1993IMDb rating 7.9as Nicky Dimes
Reservoir Dogs1992IMDb rating 8.2as Nice Guy Eddie Cabot
Future Kick1991IMDb rating 4.2as Bang
Mobsters1991IMDb rating 5.9as Tommy Reina
Best of the Best1989IMDb rating 6.4as Travis Brickley
At Close Range1986IMDb rating 6.9as Tommy
Pale Rider1985IMDb rating 7.3as Josh LaHood
Footloose1984IMDb rating 6.6as Willard
All the Right Moves1983IMDb rating 6.0as Brian
Rumble Fish1983IMDb rating 7.1as B.J. Jackson

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Reservoir Dogs1992 Crime, Thrilleras Nice Guy Eddie Cabot
IMDb rating 8.21.2M votes
Rush Hour1998 Action, Comedy, Crimeas Clive
IMDb rating 7.1335K votes
Footloose1984as Willard
IMDb rating 6.6103K votes
Pale Rider1985as Josh LaHood
IMDb rating 7.372K votes
Murder by Numbers2002as Ray Feathers
IMDb rating 6.268K votes
Starsky & Hutch2004as Manetti
IMDb rating 6.1163K votes
At Close Range1986as Tommy
IMDb rating 6.921K votes
The Funeral1996as Chez Tempio
IMDb rating 6.610K votes

Most often with

Brett Ratner directed two of these films, Robert Radler two. Five actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Christopher Walken

Christian Slater

Seymour Cassel

Fred Ward

George Cheung

Eric Roberts

Brett RatnerDirector, 2 films Robert RadlerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Christopher Walken3 films together, 1986 to 1996
Christopher Walken's page
- The Funeral1996IMDb rating 6.6Penn as Chez TempioWalken as Ray Tempio
- True Romance1993IMDb rating 7.9Penn as Nicky DimesWalken as Vincenzo Coccotti
- At Close Range1986IMDb rating 6.9Penn as TommyWalken as Brad Sr.
Christian Slater3 films together, 1991 to 2003
Christian Slater's page
- Masked and Anonymous2003IMDb rating 5.3Penn as Crew Guy #2Slater as Crew Guy #1
- True Romance1993IMDb rating 7.9Penn as Nicky DimesSlater as Clarence Worley
- Mobsters1991IMDb rating 5.9Penn as Tommy ReinaSlater as Charlie 'Lucky' Luciano
Seymour Cassel3 films together, 1991 to 2002
Seymour Cassel's page
- Stealing Harvard2002IMDb rating 5.2Penn as David LoachCassel as Uncle Jack
- Imaginary Crimes1994IMDb rating 6.4Penn as JarvisCassel as Eddie
- Mobsters1991IMDb rating 5.9Penn as Tommy ReinaCassel as Father Bonotto
Fred Ward3 films together, 1993 to 2003
Fred Ward's page
- Masked and Anonymous2003IMDb rating 5.3Penn as Crew Guy #2Ward as Drunk
- Corky Romano2001IMDb rating 4.8Penn as Peter RomanoWard as Leo Corrigan
- Short Cuts1993IMDb rating 7.6Penn as Jerry KaiserWard as Stuart Kane
George Cheung3 films together, 1995 to 2004
George Cheung's page
- Starsky & Hutch2004IMDb rating 6.1Penn as ManettiCheung as Chau
- Rush Hour1998IMDb rating 7.1Penn as CliveCheung as Soo Yung's Driver
- Fist of the North Star1995IMDb rating 3.9Penn as JackalCheung as Neville
Eric Roberts2 films together, 1989 to 1993
Eric Roberts's page
- Best of the Best 21993IMDb rating 5.6Penn as Travis BrickleyRoberts as Alex Grady
- Best of the Best1989IMDb rating 6.4Penn as Travis BrickleyRoberts as Alex Grady
Brett RatnerDirector, 2 films, 1998 to 2004
All films by Brett Ratner
- After the Sunset2004IMDb rating 6.3Penn as Rowdy Fan
- Rush Hour1998IMDb rating 7.1Penn as Clive
Robert RadlerDirector, 2 films, 1989 to 1993
All films by Robert Radler
- Best of the Best 21993IMDb rating 5.6Penn as Travis Brickley
- Best of the Best1989IMDb rating 6.4Penn as Travis Brickley
Also two films together23 more actors
- Bruce DernMasked and Anonymous (2003) and Mulholland Falls (1996)
- Michael MadsenMulholland Falls (1996) and Reservoir Dogs (1992)
- Harvey KeitelImaginary Crimes (1994) and Reservoir Dogs (1992)
- Dennis HopperTrue Romance (1993) and Rumble Fish (1983)
- Mickey RourkeMasked and Anonymous (2003) and Rumble Fish (1983)
- Val KilmerMasked and Anonymous (2003) and True Romance (1993)
- Tim RothDeceiver (1997) and Reservoir Dogs (1992)
- Juliette LewisThe Darwin Awards (2006) and Starsky & Hutch (2004)
- Tracey WalterFist of the North Star (1995) and At Close Range (1986)
- Costas MandylorFist of the North Star (1995) and Mobsters (1991)
- Rex LinnAfter the Sunset (2004) and Rush Hour (1998)
- J.C. QuinnDeceiver (1997) and At Close Range (1986)
- Victor ArgoThe Funeral (1996) and True Romance (1993)
- Don 'The Dragon' WilsonStealing Harvard (2002) and Future Kick (1991)
- Meg FosterBest of the Best 2 (1993) and Future Kick (1991)
- Tom WaitsShort Cuts (1993) and Rumble Fish (1983)
- R.D. CallMurder by Numbers (2002) and At Close Range (1986)
- Simon RheeBest of the Best 2 (1993) and Best of the Best (1989)
- Edan GrossBest of the Best 2 (1993) and Best of the Best (1989)
- Jeanette MillerStealing Harvard (2002) and Corky Romano (2001)
- Phillip RheeBest of the Best 2 (1993) and Best of the Best (1989)
- Roger FanCorky Romano (2001) and Rush Hour (1998)
- Ken NagayamaBest of the Best 2 (1993) and Best of the Best (1989)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Chris Penn's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$957 million

24 of the 32 films have a worldwide figure.

24Worldwide figure
4US gross only
4Figure not found

Top grosser

Rush Hour1998Clive$245 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 86% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Rush Hour1998as Clive
$245M25.6% of the total
2
Starsky & Hutch2004as Manetti
$170M17.8% of the total
3
Beethoven's 2nd1993as Floyd
$118M12.4% of the total
4
Footloose1984as Willard
$80M8.4% of the total
5
After the Sunset2004as Rowdy Fan
$61M6.4% of the total
6
Murder by Numbers2002as Ray Feathers
$57M5.9% of the total
7
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995as Sheriff Dollard
$48M5.0% of the total
8
Pale Rider1985as Josh LaHood
$41M4.3% of the total