Singer, songwriter, and actor Kris Kristofferson died on September 28 2024 at the age of 88. As an actor he had appeared in such movies as A Star is Born (1976), Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), and Blade (1998). As a country music singer and songwriter, he had several hit songs and won many awards.
Kris Kristofferson was born on June 22 1936 in Brownsville, Texas. His father was an officer in the United States Army Air Corps and later the United States Air Force. Because of his father's military service the family moved frequently, but finally settled in San Matteo, California. He graduated from San Matteo High School in 1954. He then attended Pomona College in Claremont, California. He wanted to become a writer and actually had two stories published in The Atlantic Monthly. In 1958 he received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University. He studied at Merton College. In 1960 he graduated with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in English literature.
He then enlisted in the United States Army where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He became a helicopter pilot and completed Ranger School as well. He was stationed in West Germany as a member of the 8th Infantry Division.
Kris Kristofferson left the United States Army to pursue his music career. He moved to Nashville and in 1967 he signed to Epic Records. His first major hit would not be performed by himself. Johnny Cash recorded his song "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" and it went to no. 1 on the Country music chart in 1970.
As an actor Kris Kristofferson made his film debut in a small part in The Last Movie in 1971. His first starring role came in 1972 with Cisco Pike. In the Seventies he appeared in the movies Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), Blume in Love (1973), Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974), Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1976), Vigilante Force (1976), A Star is Born (1976), Semi-Tough (1977), Convoy (1978), and Heaven's Gate (1980). He appeared on television on Saturday Night Live and The Muppet Show.
In the Eighties Kris Kristofferson appeared in the movies Rollover (1981), The Last Horror Film (1982), Flashpoint (1984), Songwriter (1984), Trouble in Mind (1985), Big Top Pee-wee (1988), Millennium (1989), Welcome Home (1989), and Sandino. On television he appeared in several TV movies, including a 1986 remake of Stagecoach in which he played the Ringo Kid. He starred in the mini-series Amerika.
In the Nineties Mr. Kristofferson appeared in the films Night of the Cyclone (1991), Original Intent (1992), No Place to Hide (1993), Paper Hearts (1993), Knights (1993), Pharaoh's Army (1995), Lone Star (1996), Fire Down Below (1997), Girls' Night (1998), Blade (1998), Dance with Me (1998), A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998), Payback (1999), Molokai: The Story of Father Damien (1999), Limbo (1999), The Joyriders (1999), and Comanche. On television he was the narrator on the Western anthology series Dead Man's Gun and guest starred on The Larry Sanders Show. He appeared in several TV movies.
In the Naughts he appeared in the movies Planet of the Apes (2001), Chelsea Wails (2001), Wooly Boys (2001), D-Tox (2002), Blade II (2002), Where the Red Fern Grows (2003), Silver City (2004), Blade: Trinity (2004), The Jacket (2005), The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico (2005), The Wendell Baker Story (2005), Dreamer (2005), Disappearances (2006), Fast Food Naiton (2006), Room 10 (2006), Requiem for Billy the Kid (2006), Jump Out Boys (2008), He's Just Not That Into You (2009), Powder Blue (2009), For Sale By Onwer (2009), Bloodworth (2010), The Last Rites of Ransom Pride (2010), and Yohan the Child Wanderer (2010). On television he appeared in the mini-series Lives of the Saints and was a guest voice on the show Handy Mandy. He also appeared in a few TV movies.
In the Teens Kris Kristofferson appeared in the movies Dolphin Tale (2011), The Greening of Whitney Brown (2011), Joyful Noise (2012), Deadfall (2012), The Motel Life (2012), Angels Sing (2012), Midnight Station (2013), San Patricios (2014), Dolphin Tale 2 (2014), 7 Minutes (2014), Traded (2016), The Red Maple Leaf (2016), Hickcok (2017), The Star (2017), Abilene (2017), and Blaze (2018). On television he appeared in the mini-series Texas Rising.
I am not a country music fan, so I don't know too much about Mr. Kristofferson's music career. I do know he recorded 21 studio albums. He also won several awards for his songs, including one Country Music Association Awards for Song of the Year and one Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year. In 2004 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the CMA and the Grammy Awards.
I don't know much about country music, but I think it can be said that Kris Kristofferson was a legendary songwriter and singer in the genre. I do know movies and television, and I think he was a remarkable actor. He played a wide variety of roles throughout his acting career. He gave a solid performance as self-destructive rock star John Norman Howard. He was also quite good as Billy the Kid in Pat Garrett and Billy Kid. While the mini-series Amerika was controversial and received mixed reviews, Mr. Kristofferson was convincing as Devon Milford, the leader of the resistance against the U.S.S.R. He also did a great job as Whistler, Blade's mentor and weaponsmith, in Blade. While known for dramas, Westerns, and action movies, Kris Kristofferson was quite adept at comedy, as shown by his performance as circus ringmaster Mace Montana in Big Top Pee-wee. Kris Kristofferson was a rare multi-talent and he will always be remembered.
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