Christopher Shannon Penn (October 10, 1965 – January 24, 2006) was an American actor. He was the younger brother of both actor and filmmaker 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.
Penn had notable parts in such films as All the Right Moves (1983), The Wild Life (1984), Footloose (also 1984), Pale Rider (1985), At Close Range (1986), Reservoir Dogs (1992), True Romance (1993), Short Cuts (also 1993), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), The Boys Club (1996), Rush Hour (1998), Corky Romano (2001), and Starsky & Hutch (2004). He won the Volpi Cup for Best Supporting Actor and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for his performance in The Funeral (1996). He also provided the voice of corrupt cop Edward "Eddie" Pulaski in the action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).
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" (cardiovascular disease).
Early life Christopher Shannon Penn was born on October 10, 1965, 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, and his mother was a Catholic of Italian and Irish descent. 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 Charlie and the Talking Buzzard (1979), 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 (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, appeared in the motion picture Best of the Best (1989) 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 Best of the Best 2 (1993).
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 who is killed by Josh Brolin's character James Butler "Jimmy" Hickok. In Robert Altman's ensemble film Short Cuts (1993), 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 Cobb in the film Rush Hour (1998).
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. 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 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 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. An autopsy and subsequent toxicology report performed by Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner revealed the primary cause of death was cardiovascular disease. The report also noted that the prescription drug promethazine with codeine and an enlarged heart were possible contributing factors to his death. The toxicology report revealed that Valium, morphine, marijuana and an elevated level of codeine were found in his bloodstream. 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.
Penn's grave is located at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1979Charlie and the Talking BuzzardPeteCredited as Christopher Penn (debut role)1983All the Right MovesBrian RileyCredited as Christopher PennRumble FishB.J. JacksonCredited as Christopher PennNobody's HeroesN/ADirector/Producer/Writer1984FootlooseWillard HewittCredited as Christopher PennThe Wild LifeTom DrakeCredited as Christopher Penn1985Pale RiderJosh LaHoodCredited as Christopher Penn1986At Close RangeTommyCredited as Christopher Penn1987Made in U.S.A.TuckCredited as Christopher Penn1989Return from the River KwaiLieutenant CrawfordCredited as Christopher PennBest of the BestTravis BrickleyCredited as Christopher Penn1991MobstersTommy ReinaCredited as Christopher PennLeather JacketsSteve 'Big Steve'Credited as Christopher PennFuture Kick'Bang'1992Reservoir DogsEddie 'Nice Guy Eddie' Cabot1993Best of the Best IITravis BrickleyCredited as Christopher PennThe Music of ChanceFloydThe PickleGregory StoneShort CutsJerry KaiserTrue RomanceDetective Nicky DimesJosh and S.A.M.Derek BaxterBeethoven's 2ndFloyd1994Imaginary CrimesJarvis1995Fist of the North Star'Jackal'To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie NewmarSheriff DollardUnder the Hula Moon'Turk' DicksonSacred CargoVince Kanevsky1996Mulholland FallsDetective Arthur RelyeaThe Funeral'Chez'Nominated – Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Male LeadThe Boys ClubLuke1997DeceiverDetective Philip Braxton1998PapertrailFBI Agent Jason EnolaOne Tough CopDuke FinnerlyRush HourCliveFamily AttractionFatherShort film1999The FlorentineBobby2000CementBill Holt2001Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang)BubbaCorky RomanoPeter Romano2002Murder by NumbersRayRedemptionTony LeggioDirect-to-videoStealing HarvardDavid Loach2003American Pie: Beneath the Crust Vol. 2Stiffler's DadDeleted scenesMasked and AnonymousCrew Guy #2Shelter IslandSheriff DeLuca2004Starsky & HutchManettiAfter the SunsetRowdy Fan2006The Darwin AwardsTom AndyPosthumous releaseJuarez: Stages of FearUnknown RoleDirect-to-video; posthumous release, also executive producerHollyFreddie VibalPosthumous release2007King of SorrowDetective Enola2013AftermathTony BrickerFilmed in 2005; posthumous release (final film role)
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1982Magnum, P.I.Wounded Soldier in VietnamEpisode: "Heal Thyself"; credited as Christopher Penn1985North Beach and RawhideDan DonnellyTV movie1987Faerie Tale TheatreWill TussennbrookEpisode: "Rip Van Winkle"; credited as Christopher Penn1990The Young RidersBrad EnrightEpisode: "Matched Pair"1995Chicago HopeKevin FitzpatrickEpisode: "Life Support"1996Dead Man's WalkCharles GoodnightMiniseries Episode: "#1.2"2002AFP: American Fighter PilotNarratorVoice role2003CSI: MiamiPete WiltonEpisode: "Grave Young Men"The Brotherhood of Poland, New HampshireWaylon ShawSeries regular (6 episodes)Will & GraceRudyEpisode: "Fanilow"2005Law & Order: Criminal IntentTommy OneratoEpisode: "Death Roe"EverwoodFrank SullivanEpisode: "Fate Accomplis"EntourageChris Penn (Himself)Episode: "An Offer Refused"
Music videos YearTitleRoleArtist1991"Date Rape"PerpetratorSublime1995"Somebody's Crying"BeachgoerChris Isaak1998"Can I Get A..."BartenderJay-Z feat. Ja Rule & Amil
Video games YearTitleRoleNotes 2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Officer Edward "Eddie" Pulaski 2021 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition Archival recordingsRemaster of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas only
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