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Chris Penn Found Dead

posted 18 years ago by quiquiricky
14 replies | jump to latest

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/13705396.htm

Actor Chris Penn found dead in Santa Monica
PAUL CHAVEZ
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Actor Chris Penn, brother of Sean Penn, was found dead at his Santa Monica condominium, authorities said.

Santa Monica police discovered the actor's body at his first-floor residence around 4 p.m., Lt. Frank Fabrega said. Police said he was 40 but several celebrity Web sites list his age as 43. There were no obvious signs of foul play, Fabrega said. Autopsy results were pending.

"The Penn family would appreciate the media's respect of their privacy during this difficult time," Mara Buxbaum, Sean Penn's publicist, said in a statement.

Penn's body was discovered in a bed inside the residence, located in a four-story complex near the beach on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, said Capt. Ed Winter of the county coroner's office. Authorities were called to the condominium complex by Penn's housekeeper, Winter said.

On Tuesday night, actor Martin Sheen left the condominium complex from a rear exit with two older women but did not comment.

Chris Penn's credits included "Mulholland Falls," "Rumble Fish," "All the Right Moves," "Footloose" and "Rush Hour." He also played Nice Guy Eddie Cabot in the 1992 Quentin Tarantino crime drama "Reservoir Dogs."

Although he was not as well known or praised as his brother Sean, 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."

A bar on New York's Lower East Side called "Nice Guy Eddie's" was named for his performance in "Reservoir Dogs." Penn attended the opening and mixed easily with patrons, said David McWater, the bar owner and an acquaintance of the actor.

"He was real nice approachable, just one of the guys. He wasn't standoffish, not trying to be star," McWater said.

Penn's late father, Leo Penn, directed television shows. His mother, Eileen Ryan, is an actress whose credits include "I Am Sam," "Magnolia" and "Parenthood." And his brother is musician Michael Penn.

Chris Penn's latest film, "The Darwin Awards," was scheduled to premiere Wednesday at the Sundance Film Festival.
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[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tha_416_raver 18 years ago

LOS ANGELES -- Investigators suspect actor Chris Penn's death was
the result of natural causes or an accident.
A coroner's spokesman in Los Angeles says Penn had a prior
illness and had taken drugs in the past.
He wouldn't be more specific.
The 40-year-old actor was found dead in his Santa Monica,
California, condominium on Tuesday.
Medical examiners performed an autopsy Wednesday but won't know
what caused Penn's death until toxicology tests are completed in
about six weeks.
Penn was the younger brother of Academy Award-winning actor Sean
Penn and musician Michael Penn.
He appeared in numerous films, including ``Reservoir Dogs'' and
``Starsky and Hutch.''

[–] ladydelaluna 18 years ago

Chris Penn’s toxicology report revealed
Actor had Valium, morphine, marijuana and codeine in his system

Valium, morphine, marijuana and an elevated level of codeine were all found in Chris Penn's body when he died, according to the toxicology report obtained by Access Hollywood.

The report also found traces of promethazine (an antihistamine) in his system.

Chris, the younger brother of Oscar-winner Sean Penn, was found dead on January 24 at his condominium near the beach in Santa Monica, California.

The 40-year-old actor's body was discovered after police were called to the condominium complex by Penn's housekeeper.

The official cause of death is still an enlarged heart, but the coroner's office claims the drugs in his system added to the problems associated with his already enlarged heart.

Chris Penn's film credits included "Starsky & Hutch," "Mulholland Falls," "Rumble Fish," "All the Right Moves," "Footloose" and "Rush Hour." He also played Nice Guy Eddie Cabot in the 1992 Quentin Tarantino crime drama "Reservoir Dogs."

His late father, Leo Penn, directed television shows. His mother, Eileen Ryan, is an actress whose credits include "I Am Sam," "Magnolia" and "Parenthood." Another brother is musician Michael Penn.

Chris' latest film, "The Darwin Awards," premiered in late January the Sundance Film Festival.

from: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11509483/

This is so incredibly sad... :(

[–] nikeflip2 18 years ago

Sad!? With all of those illegal substances in his body, he was asking for death. Probably just some Chris Farley wannabe...

[–] ladydelaluna 18 years ago

Chris Farley wannabe?
Do you not read?
For crying out loud he wasn't even a comic.

It's sad because I spoke with him on the set of Aftermath, and I remember him talking about "the business" - he looked sad to me then, and this pretty much proves that he really was sad.

Do I think he intended to kill himself? No. The only illegal substance in his body was the marijuana. You don't know what things were or were not prescribed to him any more than I do. But you're talking illegal substances... antihistamines? Not illegal. Codeine? Not illegal when prescribed. Valium? Also not illegal.

Chris Farley died of a "speedball" - a lethal (overdosed) combination of cocaine and heroin. Both highly illegal, thankyouverymuch.

Is it sad that those things were found in his body, in the combination they were? Yeah, I think so. I also had a friend who died from taking too many anti-depressants... prescribed to her by her doctor.

Have a heart for God's sake... The man was an unrecognized talent, and it's sad that he's gone.

I bet you got all upset when Chris Farley died, didn't you? Awhhh no more fat jokes and farting noises... poor baby.

[–] steviefric420-1 17 years ago

nikeflip, you are an ignorant as*hole and you disgust me. you have no idea what you are talking about and to make such a comment is insulting to everyone.

______________________________________
"As usual, marijuana saves an otherwise disasterous day."

[–] blakesbeast 17 years ago

Not really ignorant. It could have been worded differently. But when you take drugs you have to think that he didn't care to much for life.

[–] xoxMovieChickxox 17 years ago

I have to agree with blakesbeast. I have little sympathy for Chris because he was already having trouble with his heart. He took the drugs, which made it worse.

[–] robbiechampion 17 years ago

"All You Need Is Love"-The Beatles
This may sound Fkd-up, But I had no idea he had died! I had seen him in all kinds of movies, and totally remembered him from "Footloose", and "Resevoir Dogs". Though I never heard of his passing.... It's a shame what drugs can do to a person. (Whether they're legal or not!)

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] drunkdaddyo69 17 years ago

john belishi died of speedballing.chris farley died of being fat drunk stoned and doing crack for 3 and a half days with no sleep.

life is short. Play.

[–] d-smith-2 17 years ago

I don't know why people feel the need to say 'well if he took drugs he doesn't care much for life'... So what that translates too is that you think he deserved to die? Or is your life so perfect that you have never experimented with anything that might alter your senses? Im not saying that drugs are the way to go, and I know there is help out there for people, but not everyone is perfect. People make mistakes and I don't think they then deserve some idiot on a website to say 'well if he took drugs he doesn't care much for life' like you would know. He was a person too you know, with a family. Just have a little respect.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 10 years ago

The man was an unrecognized talent, and it's sad that he's gone.

He was about as talented as Daniel Baldwin, who was not talented at all. There's always some "fan" that thinks their actor was "special."

I'm not dancing on his grave but the truth is the truth.

And ladydelaluna, you're an idiot! You reply by disrespecting Chris Farley? Isn't that what you're railing against? Fat Chris Penn was a nasally voiced, coat-tail rider! Sean has all the talent in that family.

[–] raceblakhart 8 years ago

Anti-PC_John, your comment just goes to show that you wouldn't know talent if it fell out of the sky, landed on your face, took a runny *beep* and started to wiggle.
To say Chris was riding anyone's coattails just shows how little you research your points before making them.
To compare Chris to Daniel Baldwin just goes to further prove your ignorance.

Your post exposes more about yourself than you ever intended.

Now, you can reply with some silly keyboard warrior style retort, or you can simply pretend you didn't read this. But as you say the "truth is the truth". And the truth is, you should dig a hole, jump in, and ask a friend to fill it in for ya.

Leave it to some ignorant douchebag to pick on a corpse.