Chris Isaak

Singer • Host • Musician • Actor
Birth Name: Christopher Joseph Isaak
Birth Date: June 26, 1956
Age: 69 years old
Birth Place: Stockton, California
A blue-eyed, retro-hip crooner who has crossed over into acting, Chris Isaak has lent his smooth mournful guitar and lilting vocals to several feature soundtracks. The son of a blue-collar California family, Isaak studied in Japan in the 1970s, then began his music career with the band Silvertone in the mid-'80s.
He first came to filmgoers' attention with songs in David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" (1986) and "Wild at Heart" (1990), notably the hit "Wicked Game." He has also been heard on the soundtracks of "Modern Girls" (1986), "North Shore" (1987), "Shag" and "Married to the Mob" (both 1988).
Between record releases and tours, Isaak has recorded for such latter-day films as Edward Zwick's "Leaving Normal" (1992), Clint Eastwood's "A Perfect World" (1993) and Ron Shelton's "Tin Cup" (1996). Isaak's good looks and soft-spoken manner also earned him several small film roles, beginning as a fast-food clown in Jonathan Demme's "Married to the Mob" (1988) and a SWAT commander in Demme's "Silence of the Lambs" (1991).
Isaak also appeared in the rockumentary "Let's Get Lost" (1988) and played an FBI agent in David Lynch's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" (1992). But his acting career was pretty much a lark until 1994, when Bernardo Bertolucci cast him as the father of a child who may be the "Little Buddha." More supporting roles followed in the music-related films "Grace of My Heart," directed by Alison Anders, and "That Thing You Do!" (both 1996), which marked Tom Hanks' directorial debut.
Also in 1996, Isaak made his TV acting debut as a children's library worker on the highly-hyped post-Super Bowl episode of NBC's hit sitcom "Friends."
Expand Bio▼Credits

Montreux Jazz Festival

CBS Saturday Morning

GMA3: What You Need to Know

25th Friends

ACL Hall of Fame New Year's Special

ACL Hall of Fame New Year's Eve

Chris Isaak: Live at the Cellar

Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces

OnSTAGE

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Chris Isaak Live! Beyond the Sun

Buddy Holly: Listen to Me

Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years

ConanStream

Overheard With Evan Smith

George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight

Something for the Weekend

Hot in ClevelandStream

Adventure TimeStream

The Cleveland ShowStream

The Project

The Chris Isaak Hour

The Chris Isaak Hour

The Informers

The Wendy Williams ShowStream

Rachael Ray Show

Chris Isaak: Let Me Down Easy

In Dreams

The X Factor

American DadStream

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Tavis Smiley

A Dirty ShameStream

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

American IdolStream

American Dreams

Chris Isaak Show

Ed

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

End of Innocence

From the Earth to the MoonStream

Chris Isaak: Please

Chris Isaak: Think of Tomorrow

Grace of My Heart

That Thing You Do!Stream

Chris Isaak - MTV Unplugged

Chris Isaak: Graduation Day

Chris Isaak: Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing

FriendsStream

MTV Unplugged

Chris Isaak: Can't Do a Thing (To Stop Me)

Chris Isaak: Can't Do a Thing (To Stop Me)

Little Buddha

Melrose PlaceStream

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With MeStream

El Misterio de Twin Peaks

Chris Isaak: Wicked Game

The Preppie Murder

CBS News Sunday Morning

Saturday Night LiveStream

Great PerformancesStream
