Kevin Bacon (b. 1958)

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Biography

Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American actor. Known for various roles, including leading man characters, Bacon has received numerous accolades such as a Golden Globe Award and a Actor Award.

Timeline

The story of Kevin Bacon, told in moments.

1984 Event

Starred in Footloose. A city kid who teaches a small town to dance. The film grossed $80 million. He hated being typecast as a teen idol. He was 25.

Was being typecast as a teen idol after Footloose frustrating? Did hating the label push you toward darker roles? Was 25 too old to play a rebellious teenager?

1994 Life

Three college students invented "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," a parlor game connecting any actor to Bacon through six or fewer film links. It became a cultural phenomenon. He found it embarrassing, then embraced it.

How did you go from embarrassment to embracing Six Degrees? Does being the center of a parlor game feel surreal? Is universal connectedness your real legacy?

2003 Event

Starred in Mystic River for Clint Eastwood. Decades of character work in films like A Few Good Men, Apollo 13, JFK, and Sleepers had made him one of the most prolific actors in Hollywood.

Was decades of character work more satisfying than stardom? Did Mystic River represent what you always wanted to do? Are you one of Hollywood's most underrated actors?

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Explore what happened on the days that shaped Kevin Bacon's life. Today In History connects historical figures with the events, births, and deaths that defined their era. Browse all historical figures or explore today's events.