Kurt Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor who began his career as a child star in the 1960s. Russell moved from Massachusetts to California when he was four years old. His father, Neil "Bing" Russell, was also an actor. Russell is known for his roles in a number of Disney films, such as Follow Me, Boys! (1966), The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), and Superdad (1973). He is also known for his action films, especially his collaborations with director John Carpenter, including Escape from New York (1981) and The Thing (1982). In 1973, an injury ended his baseball career, so he focused on acting.

What kind of roles is Kurt Russell known for?

Kurt Russell began as a child actor in the 1960s, appearing in Disney films such as Follow Me, Boys! and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes . He transitioned into a successful leading man, acclaimed for action dramas like Escape from New York , where he played Snake Plissken. Russell is also known for his roles in comedies such as Overboard and westerns like Tombstone , where he portrayed Wyatt Earp. In recent years, he has appeared in the Fast and Furious series and as Santa Claus in The Christmas Chronicles .

What was Kurt Russell’s first major film or TV appearance?

Kurt Russell's career began in the early 1960s. He made his television debut in 1962 with appearances on Dennis the Menace and The Dick Powell Theatre . In 1963, he appeared in his first film, It Happened at the World’s Fair . From 1963 to 1964, Russell starred in the TV series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters and had roles in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Gilligan’s Island . His first Walt Disney movie was Follow Me, Boys! in 1966.

Which famous movies has Kurt Russell starred in?

Kurt Russell, born March 17, 1951, is an American actor who began as a child star in the 1960s appearing in a number of Disney films . He transitioned into a successful leading man, especially known for action dramas. Russell starred in Escape from New York (1981), where he played Snake Plissken, and the film became a cult classic. He also starred in The Thing (1982), a sci-fi horror film, Silkwood (1983), a drama with Meryl Streep, Tombstone (1993), a western where he portrayed Wyatt Earp, and Miracle (2004), a crowd-pleaser about the 1980 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team. More recently, he has been in The Hateful Eight (2015), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019).

How has Kurt Russell contributed to the film industry over the years?

Kurt Russell, born March 17, 1951, is an American actor who began his career as a child star in the 1960s, appearing in a number of Disney films. Russell transitioned into a successful leading man, particularly known for action dramas such as Escape from New York (1981), where he played Snake Plissken, solidifying his status as a star. Russell has starred in a wide array of films, including collaborations with director John Carpenter, such as The Thing (1982), and roles in films like Silkwood (1983) with Meryl Streep. His filmography spans various genres, from comedies like Tango & Cash (1989) to westerns such as Tombstone (1993), and includes more recent works such as The Hateful Eight (2015) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).

What are some interesting facts or achievements about Kurt Russell’s career?

Kurt Russell, born March 17, 1951, is an American actor who began as a child star in the 1960s, appearing in a number of Disney films The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes , Superdad , Follow Me, Boys! , and transitioned to a successful career as a leading man in action dramas. Russell earned acclaim for his roles in The Deadly Tower (1975) and Elvis (1979). His collaboration with John Carpenter led to the cult classic Escape from New York (1981), solidifying his status as a star. In 1973, an injury effectively ended his baseball career, after which he focused on acting.

Kurt Russell

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In full:: Kurt Vogel Russell

Born:: March 17, 1951, Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. (age 75)

Married To:: Season Hubley (1979–1983)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "Gunsmoke" (1964–1974); "Backdraft" (1991); "Silkwood" (1983); "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" (2019); "Crypto" (2019); "Mosby's Marauders" (1967); "Unlawful Entry" (1992); "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964); "The Strongest Man in the World" (1975); "Superdad" (1973); "Dark Blue" (2002); "Disneyland" (1967–1976); "Laredo" (1966); "Guns in the Heather" (1969); "Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story" (2005); "Charley and the Angel" (1973); "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" (2017); "The Thing" (1982); "Miracle" (2004); "Lost in Space" (1966); "Soldier" (1998); "The Road West" (1967); "Tequila Sunrise" (1988); "The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band" (1968); "The Fox and the Hound" (1981); "Fools' Parade" (1971); "Our Man Higgins" (1963); "Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road" (2002); "Love, American Style" (1970); "Grindhouse" (2007); "The Eleventh Hour" (1963); "Room 222" (1971); "The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit" (1968); "The F.B.I." (1966); "The Dick Powell Show" (1962); "Tango & Cash" (1989); "The Barefoot Executive" (1971); "Love Story" (1973); "Swing Shift" (1984); "Police Story" (1974–1975); "Then Came Bronson" (1969); "Touchback" (2011); "Big Trouble in Little China" (1986); "The Hateful Eight" (2015); "Vanilla Sky" (2001); "The Virginian" (1964–1965); "Used Cars" (1980); "Jiminy Glick in Lalawood" (2004); "Daniel Boone" (1965–1969); "The New Land" (1974); "The Fate of the Furious" (2017); "Hec Ramsey" (1974); "Death Proof" (2007); "Bone Tomahawk" (2015); "Escape from L.A." (1996); "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" (1972); "The Mean Season" (1985); "Deepwater Horizon" (2016); "The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" (1963–1964); "Follow Me, Boys!" (1966); "Overboard" (1987); "3000 Miles to Graceland" (2001); "Executive Decision" (1996); "The Legend of Jesse James" (1966); "The High Chaparral" (1970); "The Quest" (1976); "The Christmas Chronicles" (2018); "The Art of the Steal" (2013); "Tombstone" (1993); "Poseidon" (2006); "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" (1969); "Breakdown" (1997); "Captain Ron" (1992); "Stargate" (1994); "Gilligan's Island" (1965); "Hawaii Five-O" (1977); "The Fugitive" (1964–1966); "Guns of Diablo" (1964); "Harry O" (1975); "The Captive: The Longest Drive 2" (1976); "Escape from New York" (1981); "The Best of Times" (1986); "Sky High" (2005); "Sam Benedict" (1963); "Winter People" (1989); "Furious 7" (2015); "Storefront Lawyers" (1970)

Movies/Tv Shows (Writing/Creator):: "Escape from L.A." (1996)

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Kurt Russell

American actor

Also known as: Kurt Vogel Russell

Written by

Amy Tikkanen

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Sep. 22, 2026 •History

Childhood, early acting roles, and baseball career

When Russell was four, his family moved from Massachusetts to California. There his father, Neil (“Bing”) Russell, a former professional baseball player, pursued an acting career, notably appearing in the television series Bonanza. The younger Russell was interested in sports, especially baseball, though he also occasionally acted.

In 1962 he made his television debut, appearing on Dennis the Menace and The Dick Powell Theatre. He auditioned for the movie Safe at Home! (1962), hoping to meet baseball legends Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, but was not cast. Russell later starred in the TV series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963–64) and had roles on such shows as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Gilligan’s Island. In addition, in 1963 he appeared in his first film, It Happened at the World’s Fair.

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USA 2006 - 78th Annual Academy Awards. Closeup of giant Oscar statue at the entrance of the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, film movie hollywood

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In 1966 Russell acted in Follow Me, Boys!, the first of his Walt Disney movies, which also include The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) and Superdad (1973). During this time he continued to play baseball, and he later was a member of several minor-league teams. In 1973, however, he tore his rotator cuff, and the injury effectively ended his baseball career.

TV and film star: The Deadly Tower, Elvis, and The Thing

Russell subsequently focused on his acting, and, unlike many former child performers, he easily transitioned to adult roles. He earned particular acclaim for two TV movies: The Deadly Tower (1975), in which he portrayed Charles Whitman, a mass murderer responsible for the attack known as the Texas Tower shooting of 1966, and Elvis (1979), a biopic about the legendary performer. The latter was directed by John Carpenter, and the duo collaborated on several subsequent films, perhaps most notably Escape from New York (1981). In that action thriller, Russell played Snake Plissken, a war hero turned criminal who is sent to Manhattan, which has become a maximum-security prison. Officials, however, vow to release him if he can save the U.S. president, whose plane has crashed in the borough. The film became a cult classic, and Russell solidified his status as a star.

Russell reteamed with Carpenter on The Thing (1982), a sci-fi horror film that also later became a cult classic, and then starred with Meryl Streep in Mike Nichols’s acclaimed drama Silkwood (1983). In 1984 he appeared in the romantic comedy Swing Shift, which also featured Goldie Hawn. Although the film was a disappointment, Russell and Hawn became one of Hollywood’s most enduring couples.

He then starred in a series of crime dramas, including The Mean Season (1985) and Tequila Sunrise (1988); the latter, a commercial hit about drug dealing, also featured Mel Gibson and Michelle Pfeiffer. During that period Russell also reunited with Carpenter on the martial arts comedy Big Trouble in Little China (1986), which like many of their collaborations has had a long afterlife as a cult hit. Russell teamed with Sylvester Stallone for the action comedy Tango & Cash (1989), which was critically panned but became a box-office hit.

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Russell earned better reviews for Backdraft (1991), Ron Howard’s action drama about firefighters in Chicago. Also popular was the western Tombstone (1993), in which he portrayed Wyatt Earp. After appearing in the sci-fi Stargate (1994), Russell reprised his role as Snake Plissken in Carpenter’s Escape from L.A. (1996), though the film failed to connect with moviegoers.

Later roles

Russell remained a sought-after actor into the 21st century. In 2004 he starred in the crowd-pleaser Miracle, about the U.S. men’s ice hockey team that upset the Soviets at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. Two years later he appeared in Poseidon, a remake of the 1972 classic about an ocean liner that capsizes. He then was cast in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof (2007), playing a murderous stunt driver. He reunited with Tarantino on The Hateful Eight (2015) and then appeared in the action drama Deepwater Horizon (2016), about the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

During this time he was also cast in several installments of the blockbuster series the Fast and the Furious: Furious 7 (2015), The Fate of the Furious (2017), and F9: The Fast Saga (2021). In addition, Russell had a role in the box-office hit Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), which features a Marvel Comics superhero team. In the family comedy The Christmas Chronicles (2018), he portrayed Santa Claus, with Hawn as Mrs. Claus; the couple also appeared in the sequel (2020). In 2019 Russell made a brief appearance as a stunt coordinator in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, a dramedy set in 1969 Los Angeles.

In the 2020s Russell joined the cast of the Apple TV action adventure series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023– ) and costarred, with Michelle Pfeiffer, on the Paramount+ family drama The Madison (2026– ), which was created by Taylor Sheridan. In addition, Russell appeared opposite Matthew McConaughey in the crime drama film The Rivals of Amziah King (2026).

Personal life

Russell was married to actress Season Hubley from 1979 to 1983, and the couple had a son. Russell subsequently began dating actress Goldie Hawn. Their son, Wyatt Russell, became an actor.

Amy Tikkanen

Kurt Russell

Childhood, early acting roles, and baseball career

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TV and film star: The Deadly Tower, Elvis, and The Thing

Later roles

Personal life