Actor
Chris Penn
Born 10 October 1965 · Los Angeles, California, USA — died 24 January 2006
Chris Penn (1965–2006) was an American character actor from Los Angeles, and the brother of Sean and Michael Penn. He moved from 1980s teen dramas like Footloose to memorable tough-guy roles in 1990s crime films, including Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and True Romance.
Key films
Footloose (1984)
Breakout role as Willard, the comic sidekick in the hit teen dance drama.
Rumble Fish (1983)
Early supporting part in Francis Ford Coppola's stylised black-and-white teen drama.
At Close Range (1986)
Played opposite his brother Sean Penn in a gritty crime drama.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Played Nice Guy Eddie in Tarantino's debut, his best-known role.
The Funeral (1996)
Lead-level supporting turn in Abel Ferrara's gangster drama that won him a Venice acting prize.
Key awards
- 1996 Venice Film Festival Volpi Cup for Best Supporting Actor (The Funeral)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 62
- 1979Charlie and the Talking Buzzard · as Pete (as Christopher Penn)Actor
- 1983Rumble Fish · as B.J. JacksonActor
- 1983All the Right Moves · as Brian RileyActor
- 1984Footloose · as WillardActor
- 1984The Wild Life · as Tom DrakeActor
- 1985Pale Rider · as Josh LaHoodActor
- 1985North Beach and Rawhide · as Dan DonnellyActor
- 1986At Close Range · as Thomas 'Tommy' WhitewoodActor
- 1987Made in U.S.A. · as TuckActor
- 1987Faerie Tale Theatre: Rip Van Winkle · as Will TussenbrookActor
- 1989Best of the Best · as Travis BrickleyActor
- 1989Return from the River Kwai · as Lieutenant CrawfordActor
- 1991Mobsters · as Tommy ReinaActor
- 1991Future Kick · as BangActor
- 1992Reservoir Dogs · as "Nice Guy" Eddie CabotActor
- 1992Leather Jackets · as Big SteveActor
- 1993True Romance · as Nicky DimesActor
- 1993Beethoven's 2nd · as FloydActor
- 1993Short Cuts · as Jerry KaiserActor
- 1993Best of the Best 2 · as Travis BrickleyActor
- 1993The Music of Chance · as FloydActor
- 1993Josh & S.A.M. · as Derek BaxterActor
- 1993The Pickle · as Gregory StoneActor
- 1993Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country · as SelfActor
- 1994Imaginary Crimes · as JarvisActor
- 1994Who Do You Think You're Fooling? · as Eddie Cabot (archive footage)Actor
- 1995To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar · as Sheriff DollardActor
- 1995Fist of the North Star · as JackalActor
- 1995Under the Hula Moon · as Turk DicksonActor
- 1996Mulholland Falls · as Arthur RelyeaActor
- 1996The Funeral · as Chez TempioActor
- 1996Cannes Man · as SelfActor
- 1996The Boys Club · as LukeActor
- 1996Sacred Cargo · as Vince KanevskyActor
- 1997Deceiver · as Detective Phillip BraxtonActor
- 1998Rush Hour · as CliveActor
- 1998Papertrail · as FBI Agent Jason EnolaActor
- 1998One Tough Cop · as Duke FinnerlyActor
- 1998Flagpole SpecialActor
- 1998Family Attraction · as FatherActor
- 1999The Florentine · as BobbieActor
- 2000Bread and Roses · as Party Guest (uncredited)Actor
- 2000Cement · as Bill HoltActor
- 2001Corky Romano · as Peter RomanoActor
- 2001Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) · as BubbaActor
- 2002Murder by Numbers · as Ray FeathersActor
- 2002Stealing Harvard · as David LoachActor
- 2002Redemption · as Tony LeggioActor
- 2003Masked and Anonymous · as Crew Guy #2Actor
- 2003Shelter Island · as Sheriff DelucaActor
- 2004Starsky & Hutch · as ManettiActor
- 2004After the Sunset · as Rowdy FanActor
- 2004American Pie: Revealed · as Stifler's DadActor
- 2004Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Introduction · as Pulaski (voice)Actor
- 2004Footloose: A Modern Musical · as SelfActor
- 2005On Location in Tulsa: The Making of 'Rumble Fish' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2006Holly · as FreddieActor
- 2006Best of Chris Isaak · as (segment "Somebody's Crying") (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 2007The Darwin Awards · as TomActor
- 2007King of Sorrow · as Detective EnolaActor
- 2011"Footloose": Remembering Willard · as Self (archive)Actor
- 2013Aftermath · as Tony BrickerActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.