Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. He is is perhaps best known for his roles as Jack Burton in the 1986 martial arts comedy film, Big Trouble in Little China, R.J. MacReady in the 1982 sci-fi horror film, The Thing, and Snake Plissken in the 1981 sci-fi action film, Escape from New York and its 1996 sequel, Escape from L.A.. More recently, he played Santa Claus in the Netflix family comedy film, The Christmas Chronicles.
He had multiple Disney roles. As a child, he portrayed Dexter Rilley in The Strongest Man in the World, Now You See Him, Now You Don't, and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, and Edward "Whitey" White, Jr. in Follow Me, Boys!. As a teenager, he played Sidney Bower in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. As an adult, he voiced Adult Copper in the 1981 animated film, The Fox and the Hound, and portrayed the titular character in Captain Ron, Steven Post in The Barefoot Executive, Ray Ferris in Charley and the Angel, Ronnie Gardner in The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit, Bart in Superdad, Coach Herb Brooks in the 2004 biographical sports film, Miracle, The Commander in the 2005 superhero film, Sky High, and Ego the Living Planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and What If...?.
Disney Roles[]
(Follow Me, Boys!)
(The Barefoot Executive)
(The Strongest Man in the World, Now You See Him, Now You Don't, and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes)
(Captain Ron)
(Miracle)
(Charley and the Angel)
(The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit)
(Superdad)
Trivia[]
- Russell originally auditioned for the role of Han Solo in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. However, Harrison Ford was cast at the end.[1] Years later, he was originally considered for the role of Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace along with several other actors. However, Liam Neeson was cast at the end.[2]
- Russell was also considered along Jack Davenport and Tommy Lee Jones to voice Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke in Atlantis: The Lost Empire, but James Garner was cast at the end.
- Russell was close to Walt Disney himself and he credits him for making his career. Disney's last words he wrote were in fact 'Kurt Russell' which, to this day, has not been verified as to why. Russell himself does not know the significance of it either stating "I don't know what it's connected to".[3]
