Kurt Russell

Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. He began acting on television at the age of 12 in the western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963–1964). In the late 1960s, he signed a ten-year contract with The Walt Disney Company where, according to Robert Osborne, he became the studio's top star of the 1970s.[6]
Russell was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for his performance in Silkwood (1983). In the 1980s, he starred in several films directed by John Carpenter, including anti-hero roles such as army hero-turned-robber Snake Plissken in the futuristic action film Escape from New York (1981), and its sequel Escape from L.A. (1996), Antarctic helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in the remake of the horror film The Thing (1982), and truck driver Jack Burton in the dark kung-fu comedy action film Big Trouble in Little China (1986), all of which have since become cult films. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for the television film Elvis (1979), also directed by Carpenter.
Russell starred in other films, including Overboard (1987), Tombstone (1993), Stargate (1994), Death Proof (2007), The Hateful Eight (2015) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). He joined The Fast and the Furious franchise in 2015, having starred in Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious.[7][8]
== Early life ==
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Russell is the son of actor Bing Russell(1926–2003) and dancer Louise Julia (née Crone) Russell.[9] He has three sisters, Jill, Jamie and Jody. Russell played little league baseball throughout his grade school years and also on his high school baseball teams. He graduated from Thousand Oaks High School in 1969.[10] His father, Bing, played professional baseball. His sister, Jill, is the mother of baseball player Matt Franco.[11] From 1969 to 1975, Russell served in the California Air National Guard, and belonged to the 146th Tactical Airlift Wing, based in Van Nuys.[12]
== Career ==
=== 1962–1969 ===
Russell made his film debut for an uncredited part in Elvis Presley's It Happened at the World's Fair,[13] and appeared in two extra episodes, celebrating the tenth anniversary of the then-defunct series Rin Tin Tin.[citation needed] On April 24, 1963, Russell guest starred in the ABC series Our Man Higgins, starring Stanley Holloway as an English butler in an American family. He played Peter Hall in the 1963 episode "Everybody Knows You Left Me" on the NBC medical drama about psychiatry The Eleventh Hour.[citation needed]
Later, he played the title role in the ABC western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963–64). The show was based on Robert Lewis Taylor's eponymous novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1959. In 1964, Russell guest-starred in "Nemesis", an episode of the popular ABC series The Fugitive in which, as the son of police Lt. Phillip Gerard, he is unintentionally kidnapped by his father's quarry, Doctor Richard Kimble. In NBC's The Virginian, he played the mistaken orphan whose father was an outlaw played by Rory Calhoun who was still alive and recently released from prison looking for his son. Russell played a similar role as a kid named Packy Kerlin in the 1964 episode "Blue Heaven" for the western series Gunsmoke. He appeared in five episodes of Daniel Boone in various roles.[citation needed]
At age 13, Russell played the role of Jungle Boy on an episode of CBS's Gilligan's Island, which aired on February 6, 1965.[14] He guest-starred on ABC's western The Legend of Jesse James. In 1966, Russell played a 14-year-old Indian boy, Grey Smoke, adopted by the Texas Rangers in the episode "Meanwhile, Back at the Reservation" of the NBC western series Laredo.[citation needed] In the story line, he works for an outlaw gang, but the Rangers take him under their wing and the boy proves helpful when gunslingers try to occupy Laredo, Texas.[15]
In 1966, Walt Disney wrote "Kurt Russell" on a piece of paper as his final words.[16] In January 1967, Russell played Private Willie Prentiss in the episode "Willie and the Yank: The Mosby Raiders" in Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. While filming the Sherman Brothers theatrical film musical The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, Russell met his future partner Goldie Hawn. Later, he, Jay C. Flippen and Tom Tryon appeared in the episode '"Charade of Justice" of the NBC western series The Road West starring Barry Sullivan. In a March 1966 episode of CBS's Lost in Space entitled "The Challenge", he played Quano, the son of a planetary ruler and Edward's son "Whitey" in Follow Me, Boys!.
=== 1970–1989 ===
In 1971, he co-starred as a young robber released from jail, alongside James Stewart in Fools' Parade. Later, he guest-starred in an episode of Room 222 as an idealistic high school student who assumed the costumed identity of Paul Revere to warn of the dangers of pollution.[citation needed] In 1966, Russell was signed to a ten-year contract with The Walt Disney Company, where he became, according to Robert Osborne, the "studio's top star of the '70s".[6] Later, he starred in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, the latter of which spawned two sequels: Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972) and The Strongest Man in the World (1975).[citation needed]
Russell, like his father, had a baseball career. In the early 1970s, Russell was a switch-hitting second baseman for the California Angels minor league affiliates, the Bend Rainbows (1971)[17][18][19][20] and Walla Walla Islanders (1972) in the short season Class A-Short Season Northwest League,[21][22] then moved up to Class AA in 1973 with the El Paso Sun Kings of the Texas League.[23][24]
While in the field turning the pivot of a double play early in the season, the incoming runner at second base collided with him and tore the rotator cuff in Russell's right (throwing) shoulder. He did not return to El Paso, but was a designated hitter for the independent Portland Mavericks back in the Northwest League late in their short season. The team was owned by his father, and he had been doing promotional work for them in the interim.[25]
The injury forced his retirement from baseball in 1973 and led to his return to acting.[26]
In the autumn of 1974, he appeared in the ABC series The New Land, inspired by the 1972 Swedish film of the same name. Critically acclaimed, it suffered very low ratings and only aired six of the 13 episodes. In 1976, Russell appeared with Tim Matheson in the 15-episode NBC series The Quest[citation needed] In 1980, Russell was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for the made-for-television film Elvis.[27]
During the 1980s, Russell teamed with Carpenter several times, helping create some of his best-known roles, usually as anti-heroes, including the infamous Snake Plissken of Escape from New York and its sequel, Escape from L.A.. Among their collaborations was The Thing (1982), based upon the short story Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell, Jr., which had been interpreted on film before, albeit loosely, in 1951's The Thing from Another World. In 1986, Russell played a truck driver caught in an ancient Chinese war in Big Trouble in Little China, which was a financial failure like The Thing and has since gained a cult audience. He was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for his performance in Silkwood (1983).[28]
=== 1990–present ===
Russell played Lt. Stephen "Bull" McCaffrey in Backdraft (1991), Wyatt Earp in Tombstone (1993) and Colonel Jack O'Neil in the military science fiction film Stargate (1994). His portrayal of U.S. Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks in the 2004 film Miracle, won the praise of critics. "In many ways", wrote Claudia Puig of USA Today, "Miracle belongs to Kurt Russell." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "Russell does real acting here."[29] Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Russell's cagey and remote performance gives Miracle its few breezes of fresh air. "[30]
In 2006, Russell claimed in one interview that George P. Cosmatos had ghost-directed the hit 1993 western film Tombstone on Russell's behalf, saying he gave Cosmatos shot lists.[31] Russell claimed Sylvester Stallone recommended Cosmatos to him after the removal of the first director, writer Kevin Jarre, but Cosmatos had also worked with Tombstone executive producer Andrew G. Vajna before on Rambo: First Blood Part II. Russell said he promised Cosmatos he would keep it a secret as long as Cosmatos was alive; Cosmatos died in April 2005.[31] Russell said he didn't get a chance to edit his version, but Vajna gave him a tape of "everything on the movie" and that he might try to "reconstruct the movie", although he would need to go back to the script and all his notes.[31]
Russell played the villainous Stuntman Mike in Quentin Tarantino's segment Death Proof of the film Grindhouse. After a remake of Escape from New Yorkwas announced, Russell was reportedly upset with Gerard Butler for playing his signature character, Snake Plissken, as he believed the character 'was quintessentially [...] American.'[32][33]
Russell appeared in The Battered Bastards of Baseball, a documentary about his father and the Portland Mavericks, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festivalin 2014.[34] He co-starred in the action thriller Furious 7 in 2015.[35]
On May 4, 2017, Russell and Goldie Hawn received stars in a double star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their achievements in motion pictures, located at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.[36][37][38]
== Personal life ==
Russell married actress Season Hubley, whom he met while filming Elvis, in 1979, and had a son, Boston (born February 16, 1980). After his divorce from Hubley in 1983, Russell began his relationship with Goldie Hawn, and appeared alongside her in Swing Shift and Overboard having previously appeared with her in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band in 1968. They have a son, Wyatt Russell (born July 10, 1986), and own homes in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;[1] Snowmass Village, Colorado;[2] Manhattan, New York;[3]Brentwood[4] and Palm Desert, California.[5] Hawn's daughter with Bill Hudson, actress Kate Hudson, considers Russell to be her father.[39]
Russell is a Libertarian.[40] In 1996, he was quoted in the Toronto Sun saying: "I was brought up as a Republican, but when I realized that at the end of the day there wasn't much difference between a Democrat and Republican, I became a Libertarian."[40] In February 2003, Russell and Hawn moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, so that their son could play hockey.[1]
Russell is a hunter and a staunch supporter of the right to bear arms and said that gun control will not reduce terrorism.[41] He is also an FAA-licensed private pilot holding single/multi-engine and instrument ratings, and is an Honorary Board Member of the humanitarian aviation organization Wings of Hope.[42][not in citation given][43]
== Filmography ==
=== Television ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1962 	Dennis the Menace 	Kevin 	Episode: "Wilson's Second Childhood" (uncredited)[44][45]
1962 	The Dick Powell Show 	Boy / Vernon 	3 episodes
1963 	Sam Benedict 	Knute 	Episode: "Seventeen Gypsies and a Sinner Named Charlie"
1963 	The Eleventh Hour 	Peter Hall 	Episode: "Everybody Knows You Left Me"
1963 	Our Man Higgins 	Bobby 	Episode: "Delinquent for a Day"
1963–64	The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters 	Jaimie McPheeters 	Series regular (26 episodes)
1964 	The Man From U.N.C.L.E. 	Christopher Larson 	Episode: "The Finny Foot Affair"
1964/65	The Virginian 	Toby Shea / Andy Denning 	Episodes: "A Father for Toby", "The Brothers"
1964/66	The Fugitive 	Eddie / Philip Gerard Jr. 	Episodes: "Nemesis", "In a Plain Paper Wrapper"
1964/74	Gunsmoke 	Packy Kerlin / Buck Henry 	Episodes: "Blue Heaven" and "Trail of Bloodshed"
1965 	Gilligan's Island 	Jungle Boy 	Episode: "Gilligan Meets Jungle Boy"
1965–69	Daniel Boone 	Various 	5 episodes
1966 	Lost In Space 	Quano 	Episode: "The Challenge"
1966 	Laredo 	Grey Smoke 	Episode: "Meanwhile Back at the Reservation"
1967 	The Road West 	Jay Baker 	Episode: "Charade of Justice"
1967–72	Disneyland 	Rich Evans / Pvt. Willie Prentiss / Narrator	7 episodes
1969 	Guns in the Heather 	Rich 	Originally broadcast on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color; a.k.a. The Secret of Boyne Castle (European theatrical release)
1969 	Then Came Bronson 	William P. Lovering 	Episode: "The Spitball Kid"
1970 	Men at Law 	Jerry Patman 	Episode: "This is Jerry, See Jerry Run"
1970 	The High Chaparral 	Dan Rondo 	Episode: "The Guns of Johnny Rondo"
1970 	Love, American Style 	Johnny 	Segment: "Love and the First-Nighters"
1971 	Room 222 	Tim 	Episode: "Paul Revere Rides Again"
1973 	Love Story 	Scott 	Episode: "Beginner's Luck"
1974 	Hec Ramsey 	Matthias Kane 	Episode: "Scar Tissue"
1974 	The New Land 	Bo Larsen 	Series regular (6 episodes, plus 7 unaired)
1974/75	Police Story 	J.D. Crawford / Officer David Singer 	2 episodes
1975 	Harry O 	Todd Conway 	Episode: "Double Jeopardy"
1975 	The Deadly Tower 	Charles Whitman 	Movie
1975 	Search for the Gods 	Shan Mullins 	Movie
1976 	The Quest 	Morgan 'Two Persons' Bodeen 	Series regular (15 episodes)
1977 	Hawaii Five-O 	Peter Valchek 	Episode: "Deadly Doubles"
1977 	Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.	Johnny 	Movie
1979 	Elvis 	Elvis Presley 	Movie
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1963	It Happened at the World's Fair 	Boy Kicking Mike 	Uncredited[46]
1965	Guns of Diablo 	Jamie McPheeters 	
1966	Follow Me, Boys! 	Whitey 	
1966	Mosby's Marauders 	Private Willie Prentiss[47] 	
1968	The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band	Sidney Bower 	
1968	The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit 	Ronnie Gardner 	
1969	The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes 	Dexter Riley 	
1971	The Barefoot Executive 	Steven Post 	
1971	Fools' Parade 	Johnny Jesus 	
1972	Now You See Him, Now You Don't 	Dexter Riley 	
1973	Charley and the Angel 	Ray Ferris 	
1973	Superdad 	Bart 	
1975	The Strongest Man in the World 	Dexter Riley 	
1976	The Captive: The Longest Drive 2 	Morgan 'Two Persons' Bodeen 	
1980	Used Cars 	Rudolph "Rudy" Russo 	
1981	Escape from New York 	Snake Plissken 	
1981	The Fox and the Hound 	Copper (voice) 	
1982	The Thing 	R.J. MacReady 	
1983	Silkwood 	Drew Stephens 	
1984	Swing Shift 	Mike "Lucky" Lockhart 	
1985	The Mean Season 	Malcolm Anderson 	
1986	Big Trouble in Little China 	Jack Burton 	
1986	The Best of Times 	Reno Hightower 	
1987	Overboard 	Dean Proffitt 	
1988	Tequila Sunrise 	Det. Lt. Nicholas 'Nick' Frescia 	
1989	Winter People 	Wayland Jackson 	
1989	Tango & Cash 	Lt. Gabriel Cash 	
1991	Backdraft 	Stephen 'Bull' McCaffrey, Dennis McCaffrey	
1992	Unlawful Entry 	Michael Carr 	
1992	Captain Ron 	Captain Ron 	
1993	Tombstone 	Wyatt Earp 	
1994	Forrest Gump 	Elvis Presley (voice) 	Uncredited[48][49]
1994	Stargate 	Col. Jonathan "Jack" O'Neil 	
1996	Executive Decision 	Dr. David Grant 	
1996	Escape from L.A. 	Snake Plissken 	Also writer and producer
1997	Breakdown 	Jeffrey "Jeff" Taylor 	
1998	Soldier 	Todd 	
2001	3000 Miles to Graceland 	Michael Zane 	
2001	Vanilla Sky 	McCabe 	
2002	Interstate 60 	Captain Ives 	
2003	Dark Blue 	Eldon Perry 	
2004	Miracle 	Herb Brooks 	
2005	Sky High 	Steve Stronghold, The Commander 	
2005	Dreamer 	Ben Crane 	
2006	Poseidon 	Robert Ramsey 	
2007	Death Proof 	Stuntman Mike 	
2007	Cutlass 	Dad 	Short film
2011	Touchback 	Coach Hand 	
2013	The Art of the Steal 	Crunch Calhoun 	
2014	The Battered Bastards of Baseball 	Himself 	Documentary
2015	Furious 7 	Mr. Nobody 	
2015	Bone Tomahawk 	Sheriff Franklin Hunt 	
2015	The Hateful Eight 	John "The Hangman" Ruth 	
2016	Deepwater Horizon 	Jimmy "Mr. Jimmy" Harrell 	
2017	The Fate of the Furious 	Mr. Nobody 	
2017	Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 	Ego 	
2018	The Fox and the Hound 3 	Copper (voice) 	
2018	The Christmas Chronicles[50] 	Santa Claus 	Netflix original film
== Accolades ==
Year	Association 	Category 	Work 	Result
1979	Primetime Emmy Awards 	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special	Elvis 	Nominated
1984	Golden Globe Awards 	Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture 	Silkwood 	Nominated
1997	Blockbuster Entertainment Awards	Favorite Actor – Adventure/Drama 	Executive Decision 	Won
2003	DVD Exclusive Awards 	Best Audio Commentary – Library Release 	Used Cars 	Nominated
2003	Saturn Awards 	Career award 	N/A 	Won
2015	Fright Meter Awards 	Best Actor 	Bone Tomahawk 	Nominated
2015	Hollywood Film Awards 	Ensemble of the Year 	The Hateful Eight 	Won
2016	Fangoria Chainsaw Awards 	Fangoria Horror Hall of Fame induction 	N/A 	Won
2016	Fangoria Chainsaw Awards 	Best Actor 	Bone Tomahawk 	Won
2016	Gold Derby Awards 	Best Ensemble Cast 	The Hateful Eight 	Nominated
2017	Teen Choice Awards 	Choice Movie – Hissy Fit 	Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2	Nominated
2017	Hollywood Walk of Fame 	Star for Motion Pictures 	N/A 	Won
Category:The Fox and the Hound
Category:1951 births
Category:American actors
Category:Actors
Category:Emmet Reese & Roger