Photo: The World Famous Comedy Store / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
The Scream · Peoria, Illinois
Sam Kinison
Stand-up comedian · Former preacher · Back to School
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Who is Sam Kinison?
Sam Kinison (Samuel Burl Kinison, December 8, 1953 – April 10, 1992) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. A former Pentecostal preacher, comedian Sam Kinison brought a fire-and-brimstone delivery to stand-up, famous for his sudden scream. He broke out on HBO’s Rodney Dangerfield’s Young Comedians Special in 1985, played the screaming history professor in Back to School (1986), and released albums including Louder Than Hell and Have You Seen Me Lately? He died in a car crash near Needles, California, at 38.
Career timeline
- 1953Born December 8 in Yakima, Washington; grows up in Peoria, Illinois
- 1970sPentecostal preacher, like his father
- 1978Starts stand-up in Houston with the Outlaw Comics
- 1985HBO’s Rodney Dangerfield’s Young Comedians Special
- 1986Back to School; album Louder Than Hell
- 1988Have You Seen Me Lately?
- 1992Dies April 10 in a car crash near Needles, California
Podcast & show guest appearances
0 verified Sam Kinison guest appearances on other shows. His career predates podcasts, so none are listed yet.
MyShowNotes ✓ full episode notes exist on MyShowNotes · Request show notes tap to ask us to write notes for that episode
Sam Kinison albums
Comedy albums
Louder Than Hell (1986), Have You Seen Me Lately? (1988), Leader of the Banned (1990).
Specials
Breaking the Rules (HBO, 1987) and Family Entertainment Hour (1991).
Sam Kinison movies and TV shows
- Back to School (1986), Professor Terguson
- Rodney Dangerfield’s Young Comedians Special (1985), HBO
- Breaking the Rules (1987), HBO
- Charlie Hoover (1991), Fox
Full credits on IMDb.
People
- Rodney Dangerfield, who put him on HBO and in Back to School
- Bill Hicks, fellow Houston Outlaw Comic
- Joe Rogan, who talked about him with Yakov Smirnoff on JRE #2557
Places
- Yakima, Washington (born)
- Peoria, Illinois (raised)
- Houston, Texas (started stand-up)
- Needles, California (died)
Products
- Albums: Louder Than Hell, Have You Seen Me Lately?, Leader of the Banned
- Louder Than Hell: Amazon
- Have You Seen Me Lately?: Amazon
- Leader of the Banned: Amazon
- Breaking the Rules: Amazon
- Family Entertainment Hour: Amazon
Sam Kinison FAQ
Who was Sam Kinison?
A former preacher turned stand-up comedian, famous for his scream, his HBO specials and his role in Back to School.
Is Sam Kinison still alive?
No. Sam Kinison was born December 8, 1953 and died April 10, 1992, at 38, in a car crash.
Was Sam Kinison a preacher?
Yes. He was a Pentecostal preacher before he started stand-up in Houston.
Was Sam Kinison in Back to School?
Yes, as the screaming history professor (1986).
Find Sam Kinison on
On My Show Notes
Episodes that mention Sam Kinison:
Spot something missing?
Know a credit, guest spot, or tour date we missed? Tell us and we’ll check it.
Request show notes
Official links
Disclaimer: Editorial opinions and lists about comedians only. This is not an endorsement of illegal content. Spoilers for specials may appear where marked. We do not fabricate quotes. Support performers via official channels.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Profiles and lists are not paid placements. Read our full disclosure.