Farewell to Chris Penn

[ALIASd]

Such a genuinely nice guy and a wonderful actor.

Actor Chris Penn dead, no sign of foul play: report

January 24, 2006 22:19:10
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Chris Penn has died in a Santa Monica residence, with no signs of foul play, a local ABC television affiliate reported on Tuesday.
Penn, 43, was the brother of actor Sean Penn and starred in dozens of films.
He played baby-faced criminal Nice Guy Eddie Cabot in director Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" and starred along with his brother in the 1986 film "At Close Range." He also played Willard Hewitt in "Footloose" in 1984.
Recently, Penn voiced Officer Eddie Pulaski in the video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas."
Santa Monica police and the Los Angeles County Coroner were not immediately available for comment.

[ALIASd]

Actor Chris Penn Dies
Tuesday Jan 24, 2006 10:50pm EST


CREDIT: JEFFREY MAYER / WIREIMAGE


Actor Chris Penn has died in Santa Monica, Calif., PEOPLE has confirmed. He was 40.

Santa Monica police say there is no evidence of foul play in the death of the actor, whose brother is Sean Penn.

"The Penn family would appreciate the media’s respect of their privacy during this difficult time," the family's rep said in a statement given to PEOPLE on Tuesday.

Penn, who has more than 50 acting credits to his name, has starred in such films as Reservoir Dogs, At Close Range, Mulholland Falls, Short Cuts and Footloose.

The California-native comes from a true show-business family: In addition to his Oscar-winning brother Sean, his brother Michael is a musician, his father, Leo, was a television director and mom Eileen Ryan is an actress.

[Grumpy4]

Wow!! That is so weird! Too bad. He was a pretty good actor. I loved Footloose!!

[Tinkerbelle]

Oh, that's too bad. I recoginise him form Resevoir dogs too....

[pixie chick]

whoa. what a shock! how sad

[DOOM BGI]

I had such a crush on him when I first saw him in "Footloose."

[stinkerbell]

Wow, he's one of our favorite character actors. My husband is going to hate this news!! We loved him in several movies with Michael Madsen, they did a few together...we kinda pictured them hanging out together all tough-like in real life. I especially loved him in True Romance.

Damn.

[Gemini Cricket]

Wow! That's sad. I wonder what happened?

[Xharryb]

This is a really sad loss. My guess on the circumstances, heart failure. Or some other problem caused by the fact that he was a pretty big guy, not in very good shape it seemed. He may not have been as a big of a star as his brother, but he seemed like a much more down to earth guy and i liked that.

[Captain Zissou]

R.I.P. Nice Guy Eddie.

[Princess Buttercup]

Wow! He was really young! What a sad thing for him and his family!

[ALIASd]

January 26, 2006

Sundance Diary: Winona Ryder, Joseph Fiennes, and more


Yesterday’s big premiere movie was The Darwin Awards, a kind of high-brow screwball comedy from Sundance vet director Finn Taylor (Cherish) starring Winona Ryder and Joseph Fiennes (pictured), and just about everyone else with a SAG card: David Arquette, Juliette Lewis, Tim Blake Nelson, Nora Dunn, Lukas Haas, and the always hilarious, inimitable Judah Friedlander (American Splendor). Also among the supporting cast was Chris Penn, who died on Tuesday. At the Q&A following the screening, Finn and Ryder had lovely things to say about Penn. "He wasn’t just Sean’s little brother,” the actress said, holding back tears.
http://popwatch.ew.com/

[ALIASd]

Getty
Scuffle at Chris Penn's Funeral

February 4, 2006

TMZ has learned a scuffle broke out today at Chris Penn’s funeral and police confirm a photographer is at the Culver City Police Department right now (4:45 PM Pacific time) lodging a criminal complaint against actor Mark Ruffalo.
Chris Penn, brother of actor Sean Penn, died earlier this week at age 40. Today’s incident occurred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, Calif. TMZ is told Sean became irate with a photographer, there was an altercation and Mark Ruffalo allegedly seized the photographer’s video card out of his camera.
Ruffalo, who has appeared in a number of films including 'Just Like Heaven' and ‘Collateral,’ most recently co-starred with Jennifer Aniston in ‘Rumor Has It.’
TMZ was unable to reach the parties for comment.

http://tmz.aol.com/

[ALIASd]

Update: Police Investigate Actor Mark Ruffalo
By TMZ.COM STAFF

(Feb. 6) -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the Culver City Police Department is investigating allegations that actor Mark Ruffalo assaulted a photographer and committed theft.

TMZ broke the story about the incident that occurred at Chris Penn's funeral last Saturday. Sean Penn, Chris' brother, allegedly got into an altercation with the photographer and Mark Ruffalo allegedly seized the photographer's video card out of his camera.

Ruffalo, who has appeared in a number of films including 'Just Like Heaven' and 'Collateral,' most recently co-starred with Jennifer Aniston in 'Rumor Has It.'

The photographer went to the Culver City PD after the funeral and filed a criminal complaint.

An official with the Culver City Police Depatment told TMZ that his department has taken note that the photographer was on private property without permission. The incident occurred on the grounds of Holy Cross Cemetary in Culver City, Calif.

http://tmz.aol.com/

[ALIASd]

American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre Presents...
Movies on the Big Screen Since 1940!
1328 Montana Avenue at 14th Street in Santa Monica

Saturday, April 22 – 7:30 PM
Homage to Chris Penn - Double Feature:
Chris Penn, brother to Sean and a Los Angeles homeboy, was a consummately professional actor, constantly working in his chosen profession, always delivering spot-on performances and enhancing everything he appeared in. He will be sorely missed.

RESERVOIR DOGS, 1992, Miramax, 99 min. Director Quentin Tarantino’s self-assured feature debut pits five criminals of different temperament, strangers to each other, brought together by an elderly mastermind (perfectly cast Lawrence Tierney) against an undercover cop who sabotages their jewelry store heist. A riveting saga told in disjointed time with bravura characterizations, spotlighted in the fraternal bonding of Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) and Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), the sadistic antics of psychotic Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), the foul-mouthed comments of Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) and last, but not least, the versatile Chris Penn as Nice Guy Eddie Cabot, Tierney’s faithful son.

THE FUNERAL, 1996, Focus Features, 99 min. One of the all-time greatest, most underrated efforts by director Abel Ferrara (BAD LIEUTENANT). Elder Christopher Walken and seething Chris Penn are gangster brothers lamenting the death of their youngest sibling, Johnny (Vincent Gallo) and trying to figure out just who will pay for his untimely demise. A real tour de force in every respect, especially in its relentless, probing focus on characters, with a cumulative effect at the climax that is awe-inspiring. An ensemble piece, finely written by Ferrara and Nicholas St. John, and performed faultlessly by a fine cast, including Annabella Sciorra as Jean, the rational conscience of the family, Isabella Rossellini, Benicio Del Toro, Gretechen Moll. Arguably Chris Penn’s most nuanced and emotionally-wrenching performance.