Christopher Ryan Penn R.I.P.
(June 10, 1962 January 24, 2006)
Chris Penn was an American film actor. He was the brother of actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn, as well as the son of director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan.
Born in Los Angeles, Penn started acting at the age of 12 at the Loft Studio. In 1983, he made his feature film debut in Francis Ford Coppola's youth drama Rumble Fish. In 1983 he had a small role in the high school football drama All the Right Moves starring Tom Cruise, appeared in the hit dance musical Footloose in 1984, and played a villain in the Clint Eastwood western Pale Rider (1985).
In 1986 he co-starred with his brother, Sean, and mother Eileen Ryan in At Close Range.
Penn was typically cast as a supporting actor or with smaller roles in his movies. Two of his more memorable performances came in Reservoir Dogs and True Romance. In 1996 he won the best-supporting actor at the Venice Film Festival for The Funeral.
Penn was also featured on the 2004 video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as the voice of Officer Eddie Pulaski. In 2005 he played himself on an episode of Entourage.
Chris Penn dated and lived with Steffiana De La Cruz (birth name Stephanie Anna Zantua) for six years, she is the current wife of Actor Kevin James. Their relationship lasted until 1999, in 2000 she was the driver in a car accident where one passenger was killed and the other was left paralyzed. She later met Kevin James on a blind date in late 2001/2002 and moved in with him within three months. Kevin and she married in 2004.
Penn was found dead January 24, 2006 at a condominium near the beach in Santa Monica. Police said they discovered the 43-year-old actor's body around 4 p.m. Lt. Frank Fabrega said there were no obvious signs of foul play.
(June 10, 1962 January 24, 2006)
Chris Penn was an American film actor. He was the brother of actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn, as well as the son of director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan.
Born in Los Angeles, Penn started acting at the age of 12 at the Loft Studio. In 1983, he made his feature film debut in Francis Ford Coppola's youth drama Rumble Fish. In 1983 he had a small role in the high school football drama All the Right Moves starring Tom Cruise, appeared in the hit dance musical Footloose in 1984, and played a villain in the Clint Eastwood western Pale Rider (1985).
In 1986 he co-starred with his brother, Sean, and mother Eileen Ryan in At Close Range.
Penn was typically cast as a supporting actor or with smaller roles in his movies. Two of his more memorable performances came in Reservoir Dogs and True Romance. In 1996 he won the best-supporting actor at the Venice Film Festival for The Funeral.
Penn was also featured on the 2004 video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as the voice of Officer Eddie Pulaski. In 2005 he played himself on an episode of Entourage.
Chris Penn dated and lived with Steffiana De La Cruz (birth name Stephanie Anna Zantua) for six years, she is the current wife of Actor Kevin James. Their relationship lasted until 1999, in 2000 she was the driver in a car accident where one passenger was killed and the other was left paralyzed. She later met Kevin James on a blind date in late 2001/2002 and moved in with him within three months. Kevin and she married in 2004.
Penn was found dead January 24, 2006 at a condominium near the beach in Santa Monica. Police said they discovered the 43-year-old actor's body around 4 p.m. Lt. Frank Fabrega said there were no obvious signs of foul play.