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Chris Penn

Chris Penn

Actor · Died January 24, 2006, aged 40 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Christopher Shannon Penn (October 10, 1965 – January 24, 2006) was an American actor, known for his roles in The Wild Life, Reservoir Dogs, Footloose, Rush Hour, True Romance, All the Right Moves, and Pale Rider.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 10, 1965
Died
January 24, 2006 (aged 40)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
50 on MovieCove · 73 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 11% in 30 days

What are Chris Penn's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
28%
Morality
25%
Self
13%
Power
13%
Society
9%
Ideas
7%
Survival
6%
Family bonds12 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 36 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 10 · Serious 8 · Dark 18

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 16 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 21 · Intense 11

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 15 · Shifting 17 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 21 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 7

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 24 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 15 · Engaged 18 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 10 · Affecting 18 · Heavy 8

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

19 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 8 of 19 analyzed roles.

Ally
8 of 19
Shadow
8 of 19
Trickster
1 of 19
Threshold guardian
1 of 19
Hero
1 of 19
Show the 19 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
25
Melancholic
17
Warm
8
Joyful
8
Dread
7
Other
29

How their films linger

Feel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy16
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Chris Penn's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 50 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Chris Penn's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

73 credits, 50 with a MovieCove page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Aftermath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Tony Bricker

  • King of Sorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Detective Enola

  • The Darwin Awards(2006)

    as Tom

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Holly(2006)

    as Freddie

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Best of Chris Isaak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as (segment "Somebody's Crying") (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • The Contender(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Introduction(2004)

    as Pulaski (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • After the Sunset(2004)

    as Rowdy Fan

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Footloose: A Modern Musical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Thanks · as Self

  • Entourage(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Chris Penn

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Starsky & Hutch(2004)

    as Manetti

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • American Pie: Revealed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Stifler's Dad

  • The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 8 episodes · as Waylon Shaw

  • Masked and Anonymous(2003)

    as Crew Guy #2

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • VH1 Goes Inside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Shelter Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Sheriff Deluca

  • CSI: Miami(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Pete Wilton

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Everwood(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Sullivan

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Stealing Harvard(2002)

    as David Loach

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Redemption (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Tony Leggio

  • Murder by Numbers(2002)

    as Ray Feathers

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • AFP: American Fighter Pilot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • Revealed with Jules Asner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Kiss Kiss Bang Bang(2001)

    as Bubba

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Corky Romano(2001)

    as Peter Romano

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Tommy Onerato

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Bread and Roses(2000)

    as Party Guest (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Cement(2000)

    as Bill Holt

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Florentine(1999)

    as Bobbie

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Family Attraction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Father

  • One Tough Cop(1998)

    as Duke Finnerly

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Papertrail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as FBI Agent Jason Enola

  • Will & Grace(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Rudy

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Rush Hour(1998)

    as Clive

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Flagpole Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Actor

  • Deceiver(1997)

    as Detective Phillip Braxton

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Boys Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Luke

  • Sacred Cargo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Vince Kanevsky

  • Dead Man's Walk(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Goodnight

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • Mulholland Falls(1996)

    as Arthur Relyea

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Funeral(1996)

    as Chez Tempio

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Under the Hula Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Turk Dickson

  • To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar(1995)

    as Sheriff Dollard

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Fist of the North Star(1995)

    as Jackal

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Imaginary Crimes(1994)

    as Jarvis

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Kevin Fitzpatrick

  • Who Do You Think You're Fooling? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Eddie Cabot (archive footage)

  • Beethoven's 2nd(1993)

    as Floyd

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Josh and S.A.M.(1993)

    as Derek Baxter

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Short Cuts(1993)

    as Jerry Kaiser

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • True Romance(1993)

    as Nicky Dimes

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Music of Chance(1993)

    as Floyd

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Pickle(1993)

    as Gregory Stone

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Best of the Best II(1993)

    as Travis Brickley

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Reservoir Dogs(1992)

    as "Nice Guy" Eddie Cabot

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Leather Jackets(1991)

    as Big Steve

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Future Kick(1991)

    as Bang

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Mobsters(1991)

    as Tommy Reina

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Best of the Best(1989)

    as Travis Brickley

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Young Riders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Return from the River Kwai(1989)

    as Lieutenant Crawford

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Made in U.S.A.(1987)

    as Tuck

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Faerie Tale Theatre: Rip Van Winkle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Will Tussenbrook

  • At Close Range(1986)

    as Thomas 'Tommy' Whitewood

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • North Beach and Rawhide(1985)

    as Dan Donnelly

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Pale Rider(1985)

    as Josh LaHood

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Wild Life(1984)

    as Tom Drake

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Footloose(1984)

    as Willard

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • All the Right Moves(1983)

    as Brian Riley

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Rumble Fish(1983)

    as B.J. Jackson

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Faerie Tale Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Will Tussenbrook

  • Magnum, P.I.(1980)

    Show 1 episode · as Wounded Soldier

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Charlie and the Talking Buzzard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Pete (as Christopher Penn)

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 73 titles from 1979 to 2013; peak year 1992.

Biggest box office

Rush Hour (1998)

$245M worldwide

Highest rated

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

19792013

Peak 1992 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting72 of 73: 72 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score48thOther crew1 of 73: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s14 · acting1990s30 · acting2000s27 · 26 acting · 1 crew2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 3% of 29 roles
838898

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Chris Penn's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 42; across their 36 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 47th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Reach · how many have seen their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 36

Midcredits score across 50 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th17
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 50 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned2
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · actor

North Beach and Rawhide (1985)

81st percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 65/100 in their films, across 34 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Chris Penn's work okay for kids?

Across up to 16 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore15 titles46–84 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity16 titles16–64 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity14 titles38–86 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles35–63 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles25–67 · median 46 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Chris Penn work with?

People who share at least 2 of Chris Penn's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Madsen shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles