Kurt Russell’s career has spanned seven decades and began in 1962 when he was just 11 years old.
You know him from such popular films as “Tombstone,” “Backdraft,” “The Hateful Eight,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Executive Decision,” “Miracle,” and “The Christmas Chronicles” film series.
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Russell, who turned 75 years old on March 17, 2026, served in the California Air National Guard in the 146th Tactical Airlift Wing from 1969 to 1975. He comes from a family of actors. His father Bing Russell acted and appeared in several western TV shows, including “Bonanza” and “Gunsmoke.” Kurt grew up around the industry and loved baseball, just like his dad.
Starting Young
The younger Russell’s first credit was “Dennis the Menace” in 1962. By the late 1960s, he starred in Disney projects and signed a 10-year contract with the studio.
While Russell continued his acting career during the 1970s, he also played minor-league baseball for the then-California Angels. A serious shoulder injury, though, ended his playing career, precipitating his return to acting full time.
His role as Elvis Presley in the 1979 television movie “Elvis” marked his transition to adult stardom. The biopic received three Primetime Emmy nominations, including one for Russell for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Special. (Trivia question: Who played Presley’s father in “Elvis”? Russell’s own dad, Bing.)
Presley collaborated with director John Carpenter on several movies in the 1980s, including “Escape from New York,” “The Thing,” and “Big Trouble in Little China.” He went on to appear in star-focused films such as “Tequila Sunrise,” “Tango & Cash,” “Backdraft,” and “Tombstone.”
Working with Hollywood Heavyweights
During this century, Russell continued to appear in several high-profile projects. He was part of the star-studded cast for the 2001 movie “Vanilla Sky,” which also featured Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, and Cameron Diaz. Russell played coach Herb Brooks in the Disney film “Miracle” about the United States men’s hockey team’s upset of the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York.
Russell collaborated with Quentin Tarantino in “Death Proof,” “The Hateful Eight,” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
Despite his busy schedule, Russell appeared in a documentary about his father’s ownership of the Portland Mavericks, an independent league franchise, in Oregon. “The Battered Bastards of Baseball” was released in 2014.
Russell remains active as an actor. He appears in “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” which is currently in its second season on Apple TV+, with Wyatt Russell—his son with longtime partner Goldie Hawn. Russell also stars in the Paramount+ series “The Madison” alongside Michelle Pfeiffer.
