Let's here it for the boy...

Almost one month ago, on the 24th of January, actor Chris Penn died of a massive heart attack. The autopsy revealed not much at all, other than a weird cocktail of medication and an enlarged heart that just didn't beat anymore.

I didn't know about this until last night while watching the BAFTAS - his name and face appeared briefly on a screen flashing the faces of those we have lost. I was stunned. How could I have missed this? Why didn't anyone tell me? And why am I sad?

We all know who the talented ones in the family are. Chris was overshadowed by his famous siblings. "the finest actor of our generation" - Sean - and much feted musician/songwriter Michael. You know Chris, he was the fat one.

He was also the kid who Kevin Bacon taught to dance in Footloose, he was Tom Cruise's buddy in 'all the right moves, He was the determined detective in Tony Scotts True Romance, he was nice guy Eddie in Tarantino's masterpiece Reservoir Dogs.

He had in fact appeared in over 80 films. On the day he died his latest film, ('The Darwin Awards') was premiering at Sundance. Chris wasn't there. He was at one of Sean's many properties building sets for the Vietnam epic he'd been working on for twenty years - yes, building his own sets.

His funeral was attended by Jack Nicholson, Tim Robbins, James Gandolfini. Actor Mark Ruffalo and brother Sean attacked a photographer who snuck into the gated cemetery. I think Chris would have liked that - a bit of biffo at the final party.

Chris wasn't pretty, he wasn't charismatic, he weighed in at nearly 300 pounds and he sure as hell was never going to be a guest on The Actors Studio. But you know what?

I thought Chris Penn was cool, really cool.

If I'd had my way I would have cast him as Bud in LA Confidential to really see him fly and to see the Bud I had always imagined - a wonderful, complex,intense hulk of a man just trying for redemption.