Kurt Russell Playlist

The Thing is a 1982 American science-fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell. It is a critically acclaimed cult classic renowned for its intense atmosphere of paranoia, groundbreaking practical special effects, and bleak themes of isolation and survival. Set in a remote U.S. research station in Antarctica, a 12-man team encounters a parasitic extraterrestrial lifeform that is capable of assimilating and perfectly imitating any living organism it touches. The alien is inadvertently brought into the camp after the American crew takes in a sled dog that escaped a destroyed Norwegian research station nearby. As the alien begins to infect members of the team, the crew is consumed by a deepening paranoia, as no one can be trusted and anyone could be "the Thing" in disguise. Helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) leads the desperate effort to identify and destroy the creature before it escapes the outpost and infects the rest of the world. Director: John Carpenter Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Dysart, and Donald Moffat Source Material: The film is a loose remake of the 1951 film The Thing from Another World, and is more faithful to the original 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. novella Who Goes There? Special Effects: The film is famous for the revolutionary and grotesque practical creature effects created by special makeup effects designer Rob Bottin. Initial Reception vs. Legacy: Upon its initial release, the film was a critical and commercial failure, overshadowed by the more optimistic alien film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial released around the same time. However, it gained a significant cult following on home video and is now widely regarded as one of the greatest horror and science-fiction films ever made. Themes: The film explores themes of fear, mistrust, isolation, and the fragility of the human psyche when faced with an unknowable enemy.

Escape from New York is a cult classic 1981 American science fiction action film co-written and directed by John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell as the iconic anti-hero Snake Plissken. Set in a dystopian 1997, the United States has converted the entire island of Manhattan into a maximum-security prison due to a 400% rise in crime rates. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the walled-off borough, the President of the United States (Donald Pleasence) is taken hostage by the inmates led by the "Duke of New York" (Isaac Hayes). Former Special Forces soldier and convicted bank robber Snake Plissken is given a deal by Police Commissioner Hauk (Lee Van Cleef): rescue the President and the important cassette tape he carries within 24 hours, and receive a full pardon. To ensure his cooperation, tiny explosive capsules are injected into his neck, which will kill him if he fails. Snake must navigate the lawless city, encountering various characters like the Cabbie (Ernest Borgnine) and Brain (Harry Dean Stanton), to complete his mission and save his own life. Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken Lee Van Cleef as Bob Hauk Ernest Borgnine as Cabbie Donald Pleasence as the President of the United States Isaac Hayes as the Duke of New York Harry Dean Stanton as Harold "Brain" Hellman Adrienne Barbeau as Maggie The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $50 million worldwide on a $6 million budget. It is celebrated for its unique high-concept premise, gritty atmosphere, and John Carpenter's memorable synth score (co-composed with Alan Howarth). It established Snake Plissken as one of cinema's most legendary antiheroes and remains a significant influence on the sci-fi and action genres. A sequel, Escape from L.A., was released in 1996, with Carpenter and Russell returning. A new sequel is currently in development.

The Quest TV Series 1976 TV-PG Kurt Russell and Tim Matheson in The Quest (1976) Two brothers and a sister separated by Indians when the younger brother and sister were taken by them. The brothers finally reunite and decide to go on a quest to find their sister. Creator: Tracy Keenan Wynn Stars: Kurt Russell, Tim Matheson, Frank Salsedo Made for TV Movie: The Quest TV Movie 1976 PG Kurt Russell and Tim Matheson in The Quest (1976) Two brothers search the west for their sister, who was kidnapped as a child and is now living with a tribe of Indians. Director: Lee H. Katzin Writer: Tracy Keenan Wynn Stars: Kurt Russell, Tim Matheson, Brian Keith

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes 1969 Rated G Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero, Alexander Clarke, Joe Flynn, Alan Hewitt, Debbie Paine, William Schallert, and Frank Welker in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) At Medfield College, an accident with a donated computer gives Dexter Riley the ability to remember any knowledge learned instantly and perfectly. Director: Robert Butler Writer: Joseph L. McEveety Stars: Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero, Joe Flynn

The Fugitive TV Series 1963–1967 TV-PG David Janssen in The Fugitive (1963) Doctor Richard Kimble is wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his wife, a murder he didn't commit. He manages to escape on route to be executed and must stay ahead of the police to find the real killer. Creator: Roy Huggins Stars: David Janssen, William Conrad, Barry Morse S2.E5 Nemesis Episode aired Oct 13, 1964 TV-PG Kurt Russell in The Fugitive (1963) Kimble escapes from a sheriff by stealing his station wagon, unaware that Lt. Gerard's son is hiding in the back seat. Director: Jerry Hopper Writer: Harry Kronman Stars: David Janssen, Kurt Russell, John Doucette

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novel by Robert Lewis Taylor, first published in 1958, which was later adapted into a Western television series in the 1960s. The novel was the basis for a one-season, 26-episode Western TV series that aired on ABC from September 1963 to March 1964. Stars: The series starred a young Kurt Russell as Jaimie McPheeters and Dan O'Herlihy as his father, "Doc" McPheeters. Charles Bronson joined the cast as the character Linc Murdock later in the season. The Osmond Brothers also appeared in nine episodes as the singing sons of the Kissel family. Plot: Similar to the book, the series followed Jaimie and his father on their westward journey via wagon train. The episodes were known for being surprisingly serious and often violent, a contrast to the competing family-friendly shows in the same time slot like Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters TV Series 1963–1964 The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" Kurt Russell, Jean Engstrom 1963 MGM Twelve-year-old Jamie McPheeters, along with his ne'er-do-well father and a ragtag group of pioneers, travel westward from Paducah, Kentucky to the California gold fields in 1849. Stars: Dan O'Herlihy, Kurt Russell, Mark Allen S1.E1 The Day of Leaving Episode aired Sep 15, 1963 Sandy Kenyon, James Westerfield, and Jena Engstrom in The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963) Dr. McPheeters decides to move west with his son Jaimie. But Jaimie falls overboard from the riverboat they are traveling on and is presumed drowned. Actually, he comes ashore, and is taken by three scoundrels who plan to sell him, along with a young woman who they have also kidnapped. Director: Boris Sagal Writers: John Gay, Robert Lewis Taylor Stars: Dan O'Herlihy, Kurt Russell, James Westerfield

In 1979 I was 15 years old and remember watching a big movie event, ELVIS on the ABC Sunday Night Movie...Starring one of my favorite actors, Kurt Russell. I even wrote a term paper about what a versatile actor Kurt Russell was, about the different characters he played in 1979 Elvis, 1980 Used Cars and 1982 John Carpenter's The Thing. Without further ado, here is ELVIS, the 1979 ABC Sunday Night Movie: Elvis is a 1979 American made-for-television biographical film aired on ABC. It is directed by John Carpenter and stars Kurt Russell as Elvis Presley, and marked the first collaboration between Carpenter and Russell. After its success on television in the United States, a shorter re-edited version of Elvis was released theatrically throughout Europe and Australia. It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Made for Television, and for three Primetime Emmy Awards (including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for Russell) Elvis is notable in Carpenter's career for two reasons. It was made after Halloween (1978) had wrapped, so it offered him an avenue to try his hand at a film away from the horror genre. It was also the first time Carpenter had worked with Kurt Russell, who became a frequent collaborator of Carpenter's. Russell subsequently starred in Escape from New York (1981), The Thing (1982), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), and Escape from L.A. (1996). Russell married co-star Season Hubley on March 17, 1979, and they divorced in 1983. Bing Russell, who played Vernon Presley, is Kurt Russell's real father. For several years Bing played Deputy Clem Poster in the TV series Bonanza. Biographical movie about the famous rock singer Elvis Presley. Director: John Carpenter Writer: Anthony Lawrence Stars: Kurt Russell, Shelley Winters, Bing Russell, Season Hubley, Pat Hingle, Ed Begley, Jr.