January 25, 2006
Chris Penn Dies
Actor Chris Penn has passed away at the age of 43. Sad day.
My favorite Chris Penn role (and this will surprise a lot of you) was NOT Reservoir Dogs (although I loved that film), but rather an under the radar little goofy karate movie called "Best of the Best" which also stared Eric Roberts and James Earl Jones. Man I LOVED that move as a kid. The ending where to Korean team puts their gold medals on the American team still chokes me up. No... I'm serious.
The folks over at ABC7 give these nice words:
Chris Penn's credits included "Rumble Fish," "All the Right Moves," "Footloose," "Rush Hour," "Corky Romano" and "Starsky & Hutch." He also played Nice Guy Eddie Cabot in the 1992 Quentin Tarantino crime drama "Reservoir Dogs."Here here. I always liked Chris Penn. Thoughts and prayers out to Sean and the rest of his family. No word yet on cause of death other than they don't suspect "foul play".Although he was not as well known as his brother Sean, 45, critics said he often was underrated.
"Just as talented as Sean - just a lot less cocky," Slate magazine critic Cintra Wilson wrote of him last year. He "makes you seamlessly believe in characters so much you barely even notice them."
Posted by John Campea at January 25, 2006 10:57 AM
Comments
Posted by: darren seeley at January 25, 2006 11:27 AM
I just picked up Best of the Best on DVD a week ago! I love the film as well. His cowboy-hat-wearing character Travis was awesome.
The number of one-liners in the opening karate tournament is great!
Posted by: Chris Haaker at January 25, 2006 11:46 AM
Ride'm like a toilet seat, Tommy!
Posted by: Bombadil at January 25, 2006 12:29 PM
Oh this is sad. I also loved him in Rumble Fish and Footloose. I dont remember if I saw Best of the Best. And of course, Reservoir Dogs. What a shame to lose a real talent there.
Posted by: Simone at January 25, 2006 03:29 PM
Sad and hugely unexpected news. I was just catching up on the headlines since I've been away and this shocked me senseless.
Posted by: Richard Brunton at January 26, 2006 06:16 AM
I have always been a fan of Chris ever since I watched Best of the Best. Although he has never been as big as his brother, I have seen more movies with Chris in then Sean. I was shocked by the news and he will be missed.
Posted by: stuart at January 27, 2006 04:05 AM
Very sad news.
I liked the actor in 'Footloose', 'At Close Range' (where he was alongside his brother Sean)
'Res Dogs', "Rumble Fish', and...
Yes! Best Of The Best! Not the silly sequel where his character Travis gets knocked off by future TV Conan/ Gladiator Raph Moller, but the melodramatic first film, which was set apart from other martial arts films simply because it was about a Olympic tournament and the training of the fighters. As the series of films progressed, I warmed up to action star Phillip Rhee and wish he'd make more films...but every time I saw one of the BOB sequels, all I thought about was that first film.
But yeah, Chris was good in the first film. He had some memorable lines too.
"Why Bother Counting Them?"