Sam Kinison

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kinison was born in Yakima, Washington, on December 8, 1953, the son of a Pentecostal preacher. At age three, he was hit by a truck, which left him with brain damage and epilepsy. He and his brothers emulated their father by becoming Pentecostal preachers. Kinison preached from age 17 to 24, using a 'fire and brimstone' style punctuated with shouts similar to the ones he would later use in his stand-up routines. After his first divorce, he abandoned preaching and took up comedy. He began his career in Houston, performing in small clubs as part of the Texas Outlaw Comics group that included Bill Hicks. Moving to Los Angeles in 1980, he worked as a doorman at The Comedy Store and developed a cocaine and alcohol addiction, quickly progressing to freebasing cocaine. His big break came in August 1985 on HBO's Rodney Dangerfield's Ninth Annual Young Comedians Special. Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote that Kinison 'specializes in a grotesque animalist howl that might be described as the primal scream of the married man.' On his debut Late Night with David Letterman appearance, Letterman warned the audience, 'Brace yourselves. I'm not kidding. Please welcome Sam Kinison.'

Kinison's personal life included two marriages, to Patricia Adkins (1975–1980) and Terry Marze (1981–1989), and a relationship with dancer Malika Souiri, whom he married on April 4, 1992, six days before his death. His youngest brother Kevin died by suicide in May 1988 at age 28. Kinison died on April 10, 1992, when a pickup truck driven by an intoxicated juvenile crossed the center line and struck his Pontiac Turbo Trans Am head-on. He was not wearing his seat belt and died from multiple traumatic injuries, including a torn aorta. His last words reportedly included 'I don't wanna die' before he said 'okay, okay, okay' and relaxed.

Reader's Guide

Sam Kinison's significance lies in his raw, confrontational comedy that broke boundaries in the 1980s. As a former Pentecostal preacher, he used his pulpit-trained voice to deliver satirical, sacrilegious material that challenged religious and social norms. His 'primal scream' became his trademark, influencing comedians like Bill Hicks, who cited Kinison as a major influence, noting, 'He was the first guy I ever saw to go on stage and not in any way ask the audience to like him.' Kinison's legacy includes a Grammy nomination in 1988 for the single 'Wild Thing' from his Have You Seen Me Lately? album, and a posthumous win in 1994 for Best Spoken Comedy Album, Live from Hell. His life and death, marked by addiction, personal tragedy, and a fatal car crash, underscore the volatility of his career and the lasting impact of his uncompromising style. Comedian George Carlin's eighth HBO special, Jammin' in New York, was dedicated to Kinison's memory, with the words 'This show is for SAM' appearing on screen.

Did You Know?

• At age three, Kinison was hit by a truck, which left him with brain damage and epilepsy.
• Kinison's personalized license plate on his 1986 Corvette read 'EX REV'.
• In May 1988, Kinison's youngest brother Kevin died by suicide at age 28.
• Kinison married Malika Souiri on April 4, 1992, just six days before his death.
• The pickup truck driver who killed Kinison was sentenced to one year of probation and 300 hours of community service.