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Kris Kristofferson
Age: 73
Height: 5' 11 1/2"
Birth Place: Brownsville, Texas, USA
Born: Jun. 22nd, 1936
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Kris Kristofferson's Main TV Roles
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at
IMDB
BIOGRAPHY: Kris Kristofferson's father was an Air Force general who pushed his son to a military career. Kris was a Golden Gloves boxer and went to Pomona College in California. From there, he earned a Rhodes scholarship to study literature at Oxford. He ultimately joined the army and achieved the rank of captain. He became a helicopter pilot, which served him well later. In 1965 he resigned his commission to pursue songwriting. He had just been assigned to become a teacher at West Point. He got a job sweeping floors in Nashville studios. There he met Johnny Cash (I), who initially took some of his songs but ignored them. He was also working as a commercial 'copter pilot at the time. He got Cash's attention when he landed his helicopter in Cash's yard and gave him some more tapes. Cash then recorded Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down", which went was voted 1970's Song Of The Year by the Country Music Association. Kris was noted for his heavy boozing. He lost his helicopter pilot job when he passed out at the controls, and his drinking ruined his marriage to singer Rita Coolidge, when he was reaching a bottle and half of Jack Daniels daily. He gave up alcohol in 1976. His acting career nose-dived after making Heaven's Gate (1980) in 1980. In recent years he has made a comeback with his musical and acting careers. He does say that he prefers his music, but says his children are his true legacy.
TRIVIA:
- He is a former United States Army Rangers captain. He graduated Airborne School, Ranger School and flight school, served in Germany, volunteered for Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, but instead was offered a professor of English Literature position at USMA West Point. Disappointed that he was not allowed to fight in Vietnam, he resigned his position in 1965.
- He was asked to try out for the US Special Forces, but didn't fancy it.
- Favorite actors are 'William Holden (I)' (qv), 'Robert Ryan (I)' (qv) and 'Gregory Peck' (qv).
- His brother Kraigher Kristofferson is, like Kris, a veteran of the Armed Forces. Kraigher was a Navy fighter pilot and served in the Vietnam War.
- As a kid, his heroes were 'Hank Williams (I)' (qv) and 'Rocky Graziano (I)' (qv).
- It is speculated that either Kristofferson, 'Warren Beatty' (qv), 'Cat Stevens' (qv) or 'Mick Jagger' (qv) "inspired" the famous song "You're so Vain" by Carly Simon. Kristofferson doesn't think so himself, and said the following when an interviewer asked him about it: "It couldn't have been me, 'cause I've never flown in a Lear jet like that guy in the song.".
- When Kristofferson hosted the season finale of _"Saturday Night Live" (1975)_ (qv) in 1976, the cast and crew reported that he was drunk, and were worried that he wouldn't be able to do it. Still, Kristofferson proved himself to be quite the functioning drunk, and the show went pretty well. Kristofferson has remarked on numerous occasions that his drinking was often a way to survive when performing, because he is pretty shy and does not have a great deal of confidence in himself.
- After seeing Kristofferson perform at the popular tavern The Troubadour in Los Angeles and his appearance in _Cisco Pike (1972)_ (qv), Sam Peckinpah decided to cast him as Billy the Kid in _Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)_ (qv).
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