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 original title monster in the science fiction Predator franchise, appearing in the first 1987 film and its 1990 sequel. Hall also portrayed the eponymous Harry in the fantasy comedy film Harry and the Hendersons (1987), a role he reprised for the first season of NBC's television adaptation (1990–1991). His human roles included Dr. Elvin "El" Lincoln on the NBC science fiction series Misfits of Science (1985–1986) and Warren Merriwether on the sitcom 227 (1989–1990).
Kevin Peter Hall | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May 9, 1955 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | April 10, 1991 (aged 35) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1978–1991 |
| Known for | Predator |
| Height | 7 ft 2 in (218 cm) |
| Spouse | |
Early life
editHall was born in Pittsburgh, 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 at Penn Hills High School, he was a star basketball player. He subsequently attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he played for its basketball team and majored in Theatrical Arts.[3]
After graduation, Hall moved to Venezuela to play professional basketball.
Career
editDue to Hall's height, he was often cast in monster roles. He made his acting debut in the 1979 horror film Prophecy. He appeared as the alien in the 1980 horror film Without Warning and as Gorvil in the 1982 television movie Mazes and Monsters. In 1985, he co-starred in the short-lived series Misfits of Science. He guest-starred on the sitcom Night Court as a huge but gentle mental patient who humorously towered over bailiff Bull Shannon, played by Richard Moll, who is 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), and a fellow mental patient, played by James Cromwell, who is 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m). The next year, Hall portrayed yet another monster in the horror film Monster in the Closet, followed by the role of Harry, the Bigfoot, in Harry and the Hendersons.
In 1986, Hall was cast as the main antagonist and titular monster in Predator, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura. During its developmental stages, the Predator was going to be played by Jean-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 the 1990 sequel, this time opposite Danny Glover and Gary Busey.
Following his role in Predator, Hall appeared in the feature film Big Top Pee-wee (1988) and had a guest spot on Star Trek: The Next Generation; Hall had been one of the actors considered for the role of Geordi La Forge on the latter, before the role went to LeVar Burton.[4] From 1989 to 1990, he had a recurring role on the NBC sitcom 227. In 1990, Hall reprised his role as Harry in the television series Harry and the Hendersons, based on the 1987 film of the same name. He died during the series' first season.
Personal life and death
editHall met actress Alaina Reed while taping a guest role on the television show 227. The couple would marry both on the show and in real life.[5]
While working on the TV series Harry and the Hendersons, Hall announced that he had contracted HIV from a blood transfusion during surgery for injuries he sustained in a car accident.[6][7] He died from AIDS-related pneumonia on April 10, 1991, a month short of his 36th birthday.[8][9]
Honors
editHall 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
editReferences
edit- ^ Arnold Schwarzenegger (November 19, 2012). Min utrolige livshistorie. Vigmostad & Bjørke AS. ISBN 9788251680431.
- ^ Halliwell, Leslie; Walker, John (2003). Halliwell's Who's Who In the Movies (15th ed.). HarperCollins. p. 209. ISBN 0-06-053423-0.
Kevin Peter Hall.
- ^ Donnelley, Paul (November 1, 2005). Fade To Black: A Book Of Movie Obituaries (3rd ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 436. ISBN 1-84449-430-6.
- ^ "STAR TREK/Casting". Letters of Note. Retrieved March 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. ISSN 0021-5996.
- ^ Snauffer, Douglas; Thurm, Joel (2008). The Show Must Go on: How the Deaths of Lead Actors Have Affected Television. McFarland. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-7864-3295-0.
- ^ "Kevin Peter Hall, Actor, 35". The New York Times. April 19, 1991. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
- ^ "Kevin Peter Hall, Actor, 35". The New York Times. April 19, 1991. p. 11. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
- ^ "People Are Talking About..." Jet. Vol. 81, no. 14. January 27, 1992. p. 57. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
- ^ "Penn Hills Arts and Music Education". Phameonline.org. 2009. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
External links
edit
- Kevin Peter Hall at IMDb
- Kevin Hall – college basketball player statistics at Sports Reference