10 Things You Didn’t Know About Kurt Russell

By Corey Atad. 16 Mar 2021 3:27 PM

Kurt Russell turns 70 on March 17, and to celebrate we’re taking a deep dive into some facts you may not know about the Hollywood legend.

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Kurt & Goldie's Muskoka Summers
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When they're not busy working, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn like to spend time at their gorgeous cottage at the edge of Lake Rosseau in the Muskoka region of Ontario.
Kurt Russell, Airplane Pilot
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On top of being an actor, Russell is also an FAA-licensed private pilot, able to play single and multi-engine planes.

He is also an Honorary Board Member of the humanitarian aviation organization Wings of Hope.
Kurt Solo?
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Before Harrison Ford landed the now-iconic role of Han Solo in "Star Wars", Russell auditioned for the part, but went on to shoot western series "The Quest" for ABC instead.
Kurt & Goldie's Longtime Partnership
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Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn first started dating in 1983, and they've been together ever since.

But the couple also have a working relationship that stretches back even longer. Russell and Hawn first appeared together in the 1968 film "The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band". They have since worked together on four more films: "Swing Shift", "Overboard" and the two "Christmas Chronicles" films.
The Sound Of Russell
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If history had been a little different, Kurt Russell might have been best known for his role in "The Sound of Music".

Russell auditioned for the role of Friedrich Von Trapp in the classic musical, but the part ultimately went to actor Nicholas Hammond.
Baseball Star
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After years as a successful child star, Kurt Russell turned his attention to sports, becoming a professional minor league baseball player in the early 1970s.

After sustaining a shoulder injury in 1973, Russell was forced to retire, setting the stage for his big Hollywood comeback.

In 1997, the actor got his game back on, joining the minor league Vancouver Canadians for practice.
Ted Nugent's Groomsman
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Kurt Russell has been close friends with rock star Ted Nugent, standing by the musician's side as groomsman at his 1989 wedding to Shemane Jezowski.
Russell's Legacy
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Goldie Hawn's daughter Kate Hudson honoured Russell, who she has long considered her father, by naming her son Ryder Russell Robinson after the actor.
Lethal Russell?
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Before Mel Gibson was cast as Martin Riggs in the hit buddy cop comedy "Lethal Weapon", Kurt Russell was one of the actors considered for the role opposite Danny Glover.
Russell And Carpenter
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Kurt Russell has had a long working relationship with director John Carpenter, starring in five of the director's films and creating some of his most iconic roles.

The two first worked together on the 1979 film "Elvis", and followed that up with "Escape from New York", "The Thing", "Big Trouble in Little China" and "Escape from L.A.".

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Kurt Russell

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