Kevin Peter Hall (May 9, 1955 – April 10, 1991) was an American actor. Standing over seven feet tall, Hall frequently played monster characters during his career. He made his acting debut in the 1979 horror film Prophecy. He appeared as the alien in the 1980 horror film Without Warning and as Gorvil in the 1982 television movie Mazes and Monsters. He was the original title character in the science fiction Predator franchise, appearing in the first 1987 film and its 1990 sequel. Hall also portrayed the eponymous Harry in the fantasy comedy film Harry and the Hendersons (1987), a role he reprised for the first season of NBC’s television adaptation (1990–1991). His human roles included Dr. Elvin “El” Lincoln on the NBC science fiction series Misfits of Science (1985–1986) and Warren Merriwether on the sitcom 227 (1989–1990).
He guest-starred on the sitcom Night Court as a huge but gentle mental patient who humorously towered over bailiff Bull Shannon, played by Richard Moll, who is 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), and a fellow mental patient, played by James Cromwell, who is 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m).
Hall was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents were of above-average stature; his father, Charles Hall, was 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) and his mother, Sylvia Hall, was 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m). At 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) tall, he was the tallest of seven brothers, all over 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m).
During his high school years at Penn Hills High School, he was a star basketball player. He subsequently attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he played for its basketball team and majored in Theatrical Arts. After graduation, Hall moved to Venezuela to play professional basketball.
Hall met actress Alaina Reed while taping a guest role on the television show 227. The couple got married both on the show and in real life.
While working on the TV series Harry and the Hendersons, Hall announced that he had contracted HIV from a blood transfusion during surgery for injuries he sustained in a car accident. He died on April 10, 1991 from pneumonia, a month short of his 36th birthday.
HONORS
Hall was posthumously inducted into the Penn Hills Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class on May 8, 2009.
FILM & TELEVISION
1979 Prophecy (Mutant bear) Uncredited
1980 Without Warning (The Alien) Credited as Kevin Hall
1982 One Dark Night (Eddie)
1982 Mazes and Monsters (Gorvil) Television Movie
1984 The Wild Life (Bouncer) Credited as Kevin Hall
1984 E/R (Donald Haines) Episode: “Mr. Fix-It”
1985 Night Court (Wendell Martin) Episode: “Nuts About Harry”
1985 The Dukes of Hazzard (Floyd Malone) Episode: “Opening Night at the Boar’s Nest”
1985–1986 Misfits of Science (Dr. Elvin “El” Lincoln) 16 episodes
1986 Monster in the Closet (Monster)
1987 Harry and the Hendersons (Harry) Film
1987 Predator (The Predator and Helicopter pilot) Double role
1988 Big Top Pee-wee (Big John )
1989 Rodney Dangerfield: Opening Night at Rodney’s Place (Richard Small) Television special
1989 Shannon’s Deal (Harry) Television movie
1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation (Leyor) Episode: “The Price”
1989–1990 227 Warren Merriwether 11 episodes
1990 Predator 2 (The Predator and Elder Predator) Double role
1990–1991 Harry and the Hendersons (Harry) TV series Main role
1992 Highway to Hell (Charon) Final film role
