Kevin Peter Hall
Kevin Peter Hall | |
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Born | Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, U.S. | May 9, 1955
Died | April 10, 1991 Hollywood,California, U.S. | (aged 35)
Education | |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1978–1991 |
Known for | Predator |
Height | 7 ft 2 in (218 cm) |
Spouse |
Kevin Peter Hall(May 9, 1955 – April 10, 1991) was an American actor. Hall stood 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) tall,[1]and frequently played monster characters. He was the originaltitle characterin the science fictionPredatorfranchise, appearing in thefirst 1987 filmand its1990 sequel.Hall also portrayed the eponymous Harry in the fantasy comedy filmHarry and the Hendersons(1987), a role he reprised for the first season ofNBC'stelevision adaptation(1990–1991). His human roles included Dr. Elvin "El" Lincoln on the NBC science fiction seriesMisfits of Science(1985–1986) and Warren Merriwether on the sitcom227(1989–1990).
Early life
[edit]Hall was born inPittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Hall came from a tall family. His father, Charles Hall, stood 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), and his mother, Sylvia, stood 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m). At 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m), Hall was the tallest of his brothers, all of whom were at least 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) tall.[2]
During his high school years atPenn Hills High School,he was a starbasketballplayer. He subsequently attendedGeorge Washington UniversityinWashington, D.C.,where he played for its basketball team and majored in Theatrical Arts.[3]
After graduation, Hall moved toVenezuelato play professional basketball.
Career
[edit]Due to Hall's height, he was often cast in monster roles. He made his acting debut in the 1979 horror filmProphecy.He appeared as the alien in the 1980 horror filmWithout Warningand as Gorvil in the 1982television movieMazes and Monsters.In 1985, he co-starred in the short-lived seriesMisfits of Science.He guest-starred on the sitcomNight Courtas a huge but gentle mental patient who humorously towered over bailiff Bull Shannon, played byRichard Moll,who is 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), and a fellow mental patient, played byJames Cromwell,who is 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m). The next year, Hall portrayed yet another monster in the horror filmMonster in the Closet,followed by the role of Harry, theBigfoot,inHarry and the Hendersons.
In 1986, Hall was cast as the main antagonist inPredator,oppositeArnold Schwarzenegger,Carl WeathersandJesse Ventura.During its developmental stages, thePredatorwas going to be played byJean-Claude Van Damme,who played the Predator for the first few scenes, but was uncredited in the end credits. The producers decided to recast the role with Hall so that the Predator could more convincingly dominate the film's human characters with its greater size. Hall also appeared unmasked as a helicopter pilot at the end of the film. Hall would go on to reprise the role in the1990 sequel,this time oppositeDanny GloverandGary Busey.
Following his role inPredator,Hall appeared in the feature filmBig Top Pee-wee(1988) and had a guest spot onStar Trek: The Next Generation;Hall had been one of the actors considered for the role ofGeordi La Forgeon the latter, before the role went toLeVar Burton.[4]From 1989 to 1990, he had a recurring role on theNBCsitcom227.In 1990, Hall reprised his role as Harry in the television seriesHarry and the Hendersons,based on the 1987 film of the same name. He died during the series' first season.
Personal life and death
[edit]Hall met actressAlaina Reedwhile taping a guest role on the television show227.The couple would marry both on the show and in real life.[5]
While working on the TV seriesHarry and the Hendersons,Hall announced that he had contractedHIVfrom a blood transfusion during surgery for injuries he sustained in a car accident.[6][7]He died fromAIDS-related pneumoniaon April 10, 1991, a month short of his 36th birthday.[8][9]
Honors
[edit]Hall was posthumously inducted into the Penn Hills Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class on May 8, 2009.[10]
Filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1979 | Prophecy | Mutant bear | Uncredited |
1980 | Without Warning | The Alien | Credited as Kevin Hall |
1982 | One Dark Night | Eddie | |
1982 | Mazes and Monsters | Gorvil | Television Movie |
1984 | The Wild Life | Bouncer | Credited as Kevin Hall |
1984 | E/R | Donald Haines | Episode: "Mr. Fix-It" |
1985 | Night Court | Wendell Martin | Episode: "Nuts About Harry" |
1985 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Floyd Malone | Episode: "Opening Night at the Boar's Nest" |
1985–1986 | Misfits of Science | Dr. Elvin "El" Lincoln | 16 episodes |
1986 | Monster in the Closet | Monster | |
1987 | Harry and the Hendersons | Harry | |
1987 | Predator | The Predator,Helicopter pilot | Double role |
1988 | Big Top Pee-wee | Big John | |
1989 | Rodney Dangerfield: Opening Night at Rodney's Place | Richard Small | Television special |
1989 | Shannon's Deal | Harry | Television movie |
1989 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Leyor | Episode: "The Price" |
1989–1990 | 227 | Warren Merriwether | 11 episodes |
1990 | Predator 2 | The Predator, Elder Predator | Double role |
1990–1991 | Harry and the Hendersons | Harry | Main role |
1992 | Highway to Hell | Charon | Final film role |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Arnold Schwarzenegger(November 19, 2012).Min utrolige livshistorie.Vigmostad & Bjørke AS.ISBN9788251680431.
- ^Halliwell, Leslie; Walker, John (2003).Halliwell's Who's Who In the Movies(15th ed.). HarperCollins. p.209.ISBN0-06-053423-0.
Kevin Peter Hall.
- ^Donnelley, Paul (November 1, 2005).Fade To Black: A Book Of Movie Obituaries(3rd ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 436.ISBN1-84449-430-6.
- ^"STAR TREK/Casting".Letters of Note.RetrievedMarch 25,2010.
- ^"Actor Kevin Peter Hall Dies In L.A. At Age 35".Jet.Vol. 80, no. 2. Johnson Publishing Company. April 29, 2009. p. 62.ISSN0021-5996.
- ^Snauffer, Douglas; Thurm, Joel (2008).The Show Must Go on: How the Deaths of Lead Actors Have Affected Television.McFarland. p. 201.ISBN978-0-7864-3295-0.
- ^"Kevin Peter Hall, Actor, 35".The New York Times.April 19, 1991.RetrievedFebruary 14,2008.
- ^"Kevin Peter Hall, Actor, 35".The New York Times.April 19, 1991. p. 11.RetrievedFebruary 14,2008.
- ^"People Are Talking About..."Jet.Vol. 81, no. 14. January 27, 1992. p. 57.ISSN0021-5996.RetrievedApril 17,2022.
- ^"Penn Hills Arts and Music Education".Phameonline.org.2009. Archived fromthe originalon July 27, 2011.RetrievedMay 9,2009.
External links
[edit]- 1955 births
- 1991 deaths
- 20th-century American male actors
- African-American male actors
- AIDS-related deaths in California
- American expatriate basketball people in Venezuela
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball players from Pittsburgh
- Deaths from pneumonia in California
- George Washington Revolutionaries men's basketball players
- Male actors from Pittsburgh