From slapping Arnold Schwarzenneger around to starring as everyone's favorite sasquatch,
Kevin Peter Hall was a towering talent who passed away far too soon.
The original Predator was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before.
The alien stood at an otherworldly height, was armed with technological weapons beyond
our wildest dreams, and had a face that would inspire nightmares for decades.
"You're one ugly motherf—--"
The original choice to play the beast was an at-the-time unknown Jean-Claude Van Damme,
who exited the project during the early stages of production when the Predator costume was
still a laughable mess and impossible to work in.
Following a complete character redesign, Van Damme was replaced by the 7' 2" Kevin Peter
Hall, who would reprise the role in "Predator 2."
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the gargantuan Hall was born into a very tall
family, with his father, brothers, and even his mother all surpassing six feet in height.
Naturally, his tall stature pushed him toward a career in athletics, playing basketball
for both Penn Hills High School and George Washington University where he studied theatrical arts.
Shortly after obtaining his degree, Hall moved to Venezuela to play professional basketball
for a time, before heading back to the states to pursue his true dream of becoming an actor.
Hall's first role came in 1979 in the horror film "Prophecy," where he played the deformed
grizzly bear Katahdin, paving the way for a successful career in monster suits.
Hall's follow-up performance was as an alien in the 1980 sci-fi horror film "Without Warning,"
and he made his non-creature suit debut in the Tom McLoughlin teen horror film "One Dark
Night" two years later.
That same year, Hall stepped into a creature character role once again as Gorvil, the Dungeons
& Dragons-esque antagonist of the television movie "Mazes and Monsters," which is also
the film where Tom Hanks made his leading performance debut.
Hall would pop up in random guest spots on TV from time to time, before landing a starring
role as Dr. Elvin "El" Lincoln on the short-lived superhero fantasy sci-fi drama, "Misfits of Science."
After the embarrassing results of the first Predator suit, legendary creature designer
Stan Winston was brought in to craft the look of the new alien.
He specifically designed the suit with the intention of casting the tallest actor they
could find, which made Kevin Peter Hall's 7' 2" frame the perfect fit.
"I am Predator – master of the universe."
The year prior to "Predator," Hall was cast to play the titular role in "Monster in the
Closet," which required him to perform in a hulking suit that depended on body language
to effectively scare audiences.
Around the same time, Hall would don the lovable sasquatch suit for "Harry and the Hendersons,"
another role that could only work with dedicated physical acting.
Hall was more than capable of playing the Predator, and his history as an athlete only
worked to his benefit.
Considering the world was not designed with such height in mind, tall individuals often
have difficulty with their mobility.
This was not the case with Hall, who could effortlessly terrorize the cast and audiences
alike with his body language.
Hall's background in theater studies provided him with dance and mime training, which is
why the Predator is able to stalk its prey with ease.
He was quoted as saying:
"Even though the role was totally non-verbal and totally physical, I saw some great acting
possibilities that would encompass pronounced gestures and what I call silent acting."
Hall delivers one of the all-time great creature performances as the Predator, able to emote
the character's thoughts and feelings to the audience without ever having to say a word.
Unfortunately, Kevin Peter Hall's story does not have a happy ending.
He would return to play the alien creature in "Predator 2" as well as reprise his titular
role in the "Harry and the Hendersons" TV series.
He also played Warren Merriweather on the sitcom "227," where he met co-star and eventual
wife Alaina Reed Hall.
Tragically, Kevin Peter Hall contracted HIV following a blood transfusion, and passed
away of AIDS-related complications in 1991, just a year following the release of "Predator 2."
Hall was a remarkable talent lost too soon, but will be remembered forever for his immeasurable
contribution to the world of physical acting as the Predator.