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Sam Kinison

Comedy history · 15 facts, each from at least two of 13 independent sources · last reviewed 2026-10-17

Sam Kinison was a comedian whose career took off after a 1984 HBO special.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 He died in 1992 as the result of a car accident.5,6,8

Early Life

He was born Samuel Burl Kinison in Yakima, Washington.8,9,10 He left high school without graduating.8,11 Before he turned to comedy, he worked as an evangelist and preacher in the Pentecostal tradition.9,12,13,14

Comedy Career

The HBO program that launched him was a Young Comedians special, with Rodney Dangerfield serving as host.6,7 His first comedy album, Louder Than Hell, came out in 1986.9,11 In 1988, Warner Bros. issued his release Have You Seen Me Lately?10,11,14,15 Steven Tyler and Billy Idol both appeared on his cover of "Wild Thing."5,8 Bill, his brother, acted as his manager.13,14

Death and Legacy

The crash that killed him took place near Needles, California.5,6,8,13,16 Rich Wilkes wrote the script for a biographical film about Kinison.6,12

Sources

  1. Jury Deadlocks in Kinison Bodyguard's Rape Trial - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
  2. Charges Dropped Against Kinison's Former Bodyguard (apnews.com) · archived copy
  3. Kinison Widow Sues Brother-in-Law Over Book (sfgate.com)
  4. Sam Kinison's Widow Cries Fraud (tmz.com)
  5. Kinison fathered lovechild, pal says | Celebrities | Entertainment | Toronto Sun (torontosun.com) · archived copy
  6. HBO's Sam Kinison Biopic Now Heading for the Big Screen - TheWrap (thewrap.com)
  7. 'Brother Sam' set for HBO (variety.com)
  8. Sam Kinison: A tribute to a true Wild Thing | British GQ | British GQ (gq-magazine.co.uk)
  9. Sam Kinison Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards | TV Guide (tvguide.com) · archived copy
  10. Sam Kinison - Movies, Wild Thing & Wife (biography.com)
  11. The Devil and Sam Kinison (rollingstone.com)
  12. Josh Gad to Headline Kinison - ComingSoon.net (comingsoon.net) · archived copy
  13. Kinison album, concert vid planned (variety.com)
  14. Friends Shocked by Violent Death of Mellower Kinison : Entertainer: The shock comedian was sobering up, associates say. A teen-ager is held in the collision. - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
  15. Gold & Platinum - RIAA (riaa.com)
  16. Motorist, 17, Arrested In Death Of Sam Kinison | The Seattle Times (seattletimes.com)

Updated November 12, 2026.

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