Variety:

Kris Kristofferson, Country Music Legend and ‘A Star Is Born’ Leading Man, Dies at 88

Kris Kristofferson, who attained success as both a groundbreaking country music singer-songwriter and a Hollywood film and TV star, died Saturday at home in Maui, Hawaii. No cause of death was given, but he was described as passing away peacefully while surrounded by family. He was 88.

Through the ‘70s, he enjoyed a rising movie profile, playing the romantic lead opposite Susan Anspach in Paul Mazursky’s “Blume in Love” (1973) and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn in Martin Scorsese’s “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” (1974). In 1977, co-billed with Barbra Streisand, he won a Golden Globe Award as a dissolute rock star in the third version of “A Star is Born.”

However, he hit hard bumps in Hollywood in a couple of legendarily troubled productions. He co-starred with James Coburn in Sam Peckinpah’s ambitious 1973 Western “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,” appearing as the notorious outlaw; the film became a notorious cause célebre after it was taken out of the director’s hands and recut by MGM. (Kristofferson went on to star in Peckinpah’s “Convoy” (1978), based on C.W. McCall’s CB radio-themed hit; while the film made money, the actor’s notices were dismal.)

Kristofferson’s acting career never completely recovered after he starred in Michael Cimino’s 1980 Western epic “Heaven’s Gate.” Dogged by pre-release chatter about cost overruns and Cimino’s on-set perfectionism, the film received devastating reviews, and was almost immediately withdrawn from release and drastically re-edited; United Artists – which was sold to MGM by Transamerica in the wake of the debacle — wrote off the picture’s entire $44 million cost a week after its premiere. Its title became virtually synonymous with Tinseltown excess and hubris.

During the ‘80s, he slowly regained his career footing. With Willie Nelson – who recorded a bestselling album of Kristofferson’s songs in 1979 – he co-starred in Alan Rudolph’s 1984 feature “Songwriter”; their collaborative song score received an Academy Award nomination.

His film career continued apace, albeit in smaller roles; he ultimately tallied more than 100 movie and TV acting appearances. In 1996, he garnered strong reviews as a sadistic Texas lawman in John Sayles’ “Lone Star.” In 1998, he made the first of three appearances as vampire hunter Abraham Whistler opposite Wesley Snipes in the popular comic book franchise “Blade.”

He was great in Lone Star. Also liked him in Flashpoint.

One of the greats in both the music and film industries. Just an incredible career. I'll remember him for his performance on Elvis Costello: Spectacle as part of the 'Guitar Pull' episode in Season 1. His rendition of Sunday Morning Coming Down was hauntingly beautiful. It begins at 16:10 (though this entire segment is well worth watching) ...


RIP to a legend.

I loved Convoy and makes the upcoming UK set I have coming all the more meaningful. Never heard his music, but I loved that Sam Pecinpah movie, that I believe got panned, but I love it.

Just looked at IMDB and he hasn't acted in about 6 years. So we don't know if he was retired or was slowing down and later dealing with health issues.

Either way, he had a pretty long and great career.,

This one hurts. I took my mom to go see him play in Madison in 2019. He was obviously aged, but man that was a great show. She always thought he was a hunk.
I loved his music and his acting.

Never even guessed he was 88. The man seemed to excel at whatever he did. Will be sorely missed.

A modern day renaissance man. Graduated summa cum laude from Pomona. Rhodes Scholar. Army Ranger. Helicopter pilot. Asked to teach literature at West Point. Incredible songwriter, actor, singer (ok, maybe not incredible singer ). And don't forget, he was the one who comforted/consoled Sinead O'Connor when she got booed off the stage at the Dylan concert, even though she was ultimately proved correct.

RIP.

I told my wife he died yesterday, and our son said, "Who is that?" When I told him what all he was known for, he just shrugged his shoulders.

Then I said, he was the old man in Blade. His eyes lit up. When I reminded him that Blade came out in the late 90's, he was stunned and couldn't believe he was even still around. He said, "He was old in that 25 years ago!"

I had actually thought he was already dead for some reason.

I looked at his IMDb and can't say that I have seen much of what he was in, even his 70's stuff.

Wasn't a fan of his singing, but liked him as an actor in..."Lone Star" and "Alice Doesn't Live here Anymore".

I was fortunate to enjoy the following Kristofferson films in theaters, all but CISCO PIKE in their original releases:

CISCO PIKE

PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID

ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE

THE SAILOR WHO FELL FROM GRACE WITH THE SEA

A STAR IS BORN

SEMI-TOUGH

CONVOY

BIG TOP PEE-WEE

FIRE DOWN BELOW

A SOLDIER’S DAUGHTER NEVER CRIES

Harry Dean Stanton's in three of them: CISCO PIKE, PAT GARRETT, FIRE DOWN BELOW.

Stanton and Kris in CISCO PIKE:



The two onstage together decades later (2013):

He wasn't much of a singer, but an incredible songwriter.

RIP I knew him as a singer before as an actor. My parents (Dad especially) listened to him a lot when I was a kid. Favorite film roles were Pat Garrett, Convoy, Millennium and the Blade series.

Leaves just Willie as the last Highwayman.

I remember seeing CISCO PIKE at the drive-in. 1974 I think. Was double billed with JOE where Peter Boyle shoots all the hippies. I remember Gene Hackman as the dirty cop.

I was always aware of the 3-4 really big songs he'd written in late 60s/early 70s but nothing beyond that. The Ken Burns documentary Country Music spent a decent amount of time on him. Hadn't realized before what a influential big deal he had been in that period. When the various country music awards come around again I expect they'll make a big deal over his passing. Maybe the Grammys too. Oscars not so much. It's the music where he left his mark.

RIP. Loved the acting, singing and songwriting.

Convoy is definitely worth a watch. Saw that in theaters a few years back, fun time.

My godmother had an affair with him.

RIP

As a kid I watched Convoy a lot, since it was my best friend's favorite movie and my father always told us, that Kris Kristofferson is acutally a musician and not an actor. I never really seeked out his movies, although I watched a few. I mostly knew him as an supporting actor in movies like Blade, Payback or Fire Down Below. I do like Heaven's Gate a lot and his performance in Lone Star was chilling.

What hasn't been mentioned yet, was his great gesture towards Sinead O'Connor when she was booed after telling the truth on SNL.