Sam Kinison
RETURN TO INDEX
Born Name:
Samuel Burl Kinison
Born Date: December 8, 1953
Born Place: Yakima, Washington
Died Date: April 10, 1992
Died Place: Needles, California
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actor
Brief Biography: Sam Kinison was famous for his intense, raucous style, politically incorrect observational humor, and trademark screaming tirades. Before finding fame, he spent several years working as a Pentecostal preacher. His life was tragically cut short at the height of his career when he was killed in a car crash.
From the Pulpit to the Stage:
He was raised in a strict religious family. His father was a well-off traveling Pentecostal evangelist, and Sam initially followed in his footsteps, serving as a preacher. He eventually abandoned the pulpit, citing a feeling of hypocrisy and an inability to fit the church's lifestyle, and turned to comedy in the late 1970s.
Rise to Fame:
Kinison honed his craft in small Houston comedy clubs before moving to Los Angeles, where he became a regular fixture at the famous Comedy Store. His big break came in 1985 when he appeared on the Rodney Dangerfield's Ninth Annual Young Comedians Special on HBO. His background as a preacher heavily influenced his act; he delivered loud, aggressive, fire-and-brimstone routines punctuated by sudden high-pitched screams and taboo observations about marriage, dating, and society. Throughout the 1980s, Kinison became a massive cultural icon. He was a frequent guest on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and Late Night with David Letterman. He also broke into mainstream pop culture by starring in the 1986 comedy film Back to School and by earning a 1988 Grammy nomination for his rock cover single "Wild Thing".
Personal Struggles and Sudden Death:
Behind the wild, hedonistic stage persona, Kinison struggled for years with substance abuse and alcohol, though he had reportedly begun cleaning up his life in the early 1990s. On April 5, 1992, he married Malika Marie Souiri. Tragically, just days later on April 10, 1992, while driving to a sold-out show in Laughlin, Nevada, Kinison’s Pontiac Trans Am was struck head-on by a pickup truck driven by a 17-year-old who had been drinking. Kinison died at the scene at the age of 38.
Legacy and Impact:
Kinison left a massive mark on the world of stand-up comedy, with his raw delivery paving the way for later generations of alternative and high-energy comedians. He won a posthumous Grammy Award in 1994 for Best Spoken Comedy Album for Live From Hell.Ü.Ù9.Nø
Born Date: December 8, 1953
Born Place: Yakima, Washington
Died Date: April 10, 1992
Died Place: Needles, California
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actor
Brief Biography: Sam Kinison was famous for his intense, raucous style, politically incorrect observational humor, and trademark screaming tirades. Before finding fame, he spent several years working as a Pentecostal preacher. His life was tragically cut short at the height of his career when he was killed in a car crash.
From the Pulpit to the Stage:
He was raised in a strict religious family. His father was a well-off traveling Pentecostal evangelist, and Sam initially followed in his footsteps, serving as a preacher. He eventually abandoned the pulpit, citing a feeling of hypocrisy and an inability to fit the church's lifestyle, and turned to comedy in the late 1970s.
Rise to Fame:
Kinison honed his craft in small Houston comedy clubs before moving to Los Angeles, where he became a regular fixture at the famous Comedy Store. His big break came in 1985 when he appeared on the Rodney Dangerfield's Ninth Annual Young Comedians Special on HBO. His background as a preacher heavily influenced his act; he delivered loud, aggressive, fire-and-brimstone routines punctuated by sudden high-pitched screams and taboo observations about marriage, dating, and society. Throughout the 1980s, Kinison became a massive cultural icon. He was a frequent guest on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and Late Night with David Letterman. He also broke into mainstream pop culture by starring in the 1986 comedy film Back to School and by earning a 1988 Grammy nomination for his rock cover single "Wild Thing".
Personal Struggles and Sudden Death:
Behind the wild, hedonistic stage persona, Kinison struggled for years with substance abuse and alcohol, though he had reportedly begun cleaning up his life in the early 1990s. On April 5, 1992, he married Malika Marie Souiri. Tragically, just days later on April 10, 1992, while driving to a sold-out show in Laughlin, Nevada, Kinison’s Pontiac Trans Am was struck head-on by a pickup truck driven by a 17-year-old who had been drinking. Kinison died at the scene at the age of 38.
Legacy and Impact:
Kinison left a massive mark on the world of stand-up comedy, with his raw delivery paving the way for later generations of alternative and high-energy comedians. He won a posthumous Grammy Award in 1994 for Best Spoken Comedy Album for Live From Hell.Ü.Ù9.Nø