Biography for
Kris Kristofferson (I) More at IMDb Pro »

Date of Birth

22 June 1936, Brownsville, Texas, USA

Birth Name

Kristoffer Kristofferson

Height

5' 11½" (1.82 m)

Mini Biography

Kris Kristofferson's father was an Air Force general who pushed his son to a military career. Kris was a Golden Gloves boxer and went to Pomona College in California. From there, he earned a Rhodes scholarship to study literature at Oxford. He ultimately joined the army and achieved the rank of captain. He became a helicopter pilot, which served him well later. In 1965 he resigned his commission to pursue songwriting. He had just been assigned to become a teacher at West Point. He got a job sweeping floors in Nashville studios. There he met Johnny Cash, who initially took some of his songs but ignored them. He was also working as a commercial 'copter pilot at the time. He got Cash's attention when he landed his helicopter in Cash's yard and gave him some more tapes. Cash then recorded Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down", which went was voted 1970's Song Of The Year by the Country Music Association. Kris was noted for his heavy boozing. He lost his helicopter pilot job when he passed out at the controls, and his drinking ruined his marriage to singer Rita Coolidge, when he was reaching a bottle and half of Jack Daniels daily. He gave up alcohol in 1976. His acting career nose-dived after making Heaven's Gate (1980) in 1980. In recent years he has made a comeback with his musical and acting careers. He does say that he prefers his music, but says his children are his true legacy.

IMDb Mini Biography By: John Sacksteder

Spouse

Lisa Meyers	(19 February 1983 - present) 5 children
Rita Coolidge	(17 August 1973 - 1980) (divorced) 1 child
Frances Beer	(11 February 1961 - 15 August 1973) (divorced) 2 children

Trade Mark

Beard

Trivia

In June of 1999 Kristofferson underwent elective heart bypass

Attended Pomona College in Claremont, California with a BA in Creative Literature, graduated 1958.

Rhodes Scholar

Dated Janis Joplin

Special guest at Roger Ebert's 4th annual Overlooked Film Festival in Champaign, Illinois in March 2002 where his film A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998) was one of 14 neglected movies screened.

Has been awarded an honorary Doctorate from Pomona College

He wrote the song "Me and Bobbie (later Bobby) McGee" which Janis Joplin recorded. The song was a hit for Roger Miller in 1969, who started recording it even before Kristofferson was done writing it.

He got his start in the music business by landing a helicopter in Johnny Cash's backyard and presenting him with a song he had written. Cash went on to record the song

A young Kris Kristofferson can be seen on one of of his album covers in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976).

Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004

Brother of Karen Kirschenbauer.

Father of Tracy Kristofferson and Kris Kristofferson (b. 1968) with Frances Beir. Casey Kristofferson (b. 1974) with Rita Coolidge. Jesse Turner Kristofferson (b. 1984), Jody Ray Kristofferson (b. 1985), Johnny Kristofferson (b. 1988), Kelly Marie Kristofferson (b. 1991) and Blake Cameron Kristofferson (b. 1994) with Lisa Meyers.

Was a member of The Highwaymen with fellow country music stars Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.

He got the leading male role of "A Star is Born" (1976) after Elvis Presley couldn't do it. Elvis has also recorded a song written by Kristofferson.

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985.

1970: Won the coveted Country Music Song of the Year Award for his song, "Sunday Morning Coming Down", as well as the Country Music Songwriter of the Year Award.

Inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in March 2006 in Austin, Texas.

On an interview he did before his concert in Finland, he told that his original ancestry is Finnish.

He was going to star as the lead in Hanover Street (1979), but dropped out to mount a concert tour instead. Harrison Ford got the part.

Got his big break by landing a helicopter in Johnny Cash's garden, then personally handing Cash tapes of songs that he had written himself.

Among his personal heroes are Martin Luther King, Jr., Jesus Christ, and Mohandas Gandhi.

Favorite actors are Gary Cooper, Robert Ryan and Gregory Peck.

Used to work as a commercial helicopter pilot.

He is a good friend of Muhammad Ali and Willie Nelson. He was also a very good friend of the late Johnny Cash.

Was a skilled boxer, rugby and football player until a string of serious injuries forced him to quit.

As a kid, his heroes were Hank Williams and Rocky Graziano.

Cameron Crowe posed as a student at Clairemont High School to get material for the screenplay for Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). The principal of Clairemont was not thrilled with the idea, but when he asked Crowe about musicians that he had met, he mentioned Kris Kristofferson. The principle was a big fan of Kristofferson and agreed to let Crowe on campus.

He is a former United States Army Rangers captain. He graduated Airborne School, Ranger School and flight school, served in Germany, volunteered for Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, but instead was offered a professor of English Literature position at USMA West Point. Disappointed that he was not allowed to fight in Vietnam, he resigned his position in 1965.

He was the first choice for the role of "The Driver" in Two-Lane Blacktop (1971).

The American Veteran Awards named him Veteran of the Year in 2002.

Personal Quotes

I think between us, Bill Clinton and I have settled any lingering myths about the brilliance of Rhodes scholars.

Never go to bed with anyone crazier than yourself.

[on working with Barbra Streisand on "A Star Is Born"] Filming with Streisand is an experience which may have cured me of movies.

(on Heaven's Gate (1980)) I was real surprised to see the critics line up on the side of the philistines so fast. To me, the film was about the American dream, and it shows one of the basic flaws in the dream - the idea that money is more important than people. I'll be proud of that movie as long as I'm in the business. It was a work of art. Michael Cimino, the director, says he's unrepentant and plans to sin again, and I hope he gets the chance.

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