Growing up in a middle class area of Los Angeles, Kurt Russell got into acting because it was a better way to make money than delivering newspapers at four in the morning. So at nine years of age he found work at Disney Studios in both film and TV project such as "The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters", "Follow Me Boys!", "The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes", and "The Strongest Man in the World".
      Outside of Hollywood, Russell shared his father's passion for baseball. He was the top hitter in the Texas league, hitting more than 400 for the California Angels farm team in El Paso. In his own words, "I just wasn't going take up acting full time until my baseball days were over, and that came sooner than I expected." Sadly, a rotator cuff injury ended his short career in minor league baseball in June 1973.
      Russell returned to acting and never once suffered the slump that many child actors face during their transition to playing more mature roles. During his 20s, Kurt made a significant shift to portraying dark and complex characters, such as the mass-murderer Charles Whitman in the TV movie, "The Deadly Tower". In 1979, Russell got to play the role of his young career in writer-director John Carpenter’s TV biopic "Elvis". His slick and convincing portrayal of the rock idol earned him an Emmy nomination. He also met his future wife, Season Hubley, on the set. They married later that year, and had one child, Boston, in 1981.
      Russell hit the 80s fresh from his television success and landed the role of a charming, fast-talking car salesman in Robert Zemeckis’ comedy, "Used Cars", which went largely unrecognized during its 1980 release. He then re-teamed with John Carpenter for three more films, establishing himself as a major player in the action arena. He played a Clint Eastwood type in 1981’s "Escape From New York", a paranoid tough guy in "The Thing", and a post-modern John Wayne in the hilarious comedy, "Big Trouble in Little China".
      During the shoot of Jonathan Demme’s 1984 comedy "Swing Shift", Russell met fellow actor Goldie Hawn. The two immediately clicked and, despite Hollywood’s constant chatter about marriage, they have peacefully shared a residence for fourteen years and have one child together, Wyatt Russell. "We’re very individual," Russell has said of their relationship, "Society can rule you or you can be concerned about doing what you think is right for you."
      Russell eventually made a transition to some hard-hitting dramatic roles, playing a co-worker and lover opposite the stellar Meryl Streep in Mike Nichol’s "Silkwood", and a hardworking firefighter in Ron Howard’s "Backdraft". He took other leading dramatic roles in "Tequilla Sunrise" with Mel Gibson and Michelle Pfeiffer, and "Unlawful Entry" with Ray Liotta. Despite his appearance in these high-profile films, Russell remained in the row behind such Hollywood favorites as Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner. He comments, "in my personal career I've slid along somewhat hidden in that I choose roles in which the movie's not about HIM. I prefer to read good stories. Often I'm more taken with the story than I am with character." As a result, Russell has come to be known as Hollywood’s "Everyman" actor, one that viewers identify with on a very tangible, human level.
      The late 90s watched Russell make a return to action films. He once again paired up with teamster John Carpenter in 1996’s "Escape From L.A.", which he also co-wrote and co-produced. In 1997, he played a man searching for his wife after his car breaks down in the desert in Jonathan Mostow’s action/thriller "Breakdown". In 1998’s sci-fi action embarrassment, "Soldier", he played Todd, a soldier who rises from near death to save a peaceful community from genetically engineered monsters, for which he recieved a fee of $20 million from Warners.
      Russell shares an extended family with Goldie Hawn: her son and daughter from her marriage to Bill Hudson, his son (with Hubley), and their son together, 11-year-old Wyatt. They currently reside in Los Angeles, and Russell spends his free time skiing, flying planes, and attending Wyatt’s little league baseball games. - Photo © Unknown

Bio by Simon Roper - [Please let us know of any errors]