Penn was found dead in his condominium on January 24, 2006, at the age of 40. An autopsy revealed the primary cause for his death was "nonspecific cardiomyopathy" (heart disease).\n', '

Penn was born in Los Angeles, California, the youngest of three boys born to Leo Penn, an actor and director, and Eileen Ryan (née Annucci), an actress. His paternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants from Lithuania and Russia, and his mother was a Roman Catholic of Italian and Irish descent. His brothers are actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn.\n', '

Penn started acting at the age of 12 at the Loft Studio and made his film debut in 1979\'s Charlie and the Talking Buzzard, starring Christopher Hanks. In 1983, he was featured in Francis Ford Coppola\'s youth drama Rumble Fish and appeared in the high school football drama All the Right Moves as the best friend of Tom Cruise\'s character. He also appeared in the hit dance movie Footloose in 1984 as the best friend of Kevin Bacon\'s character; played a villain in the Clint Eastwood western Pale Rider (1985); and co-starred with his brother Sean Penn and mother Eileen Ryan in At Close Range (1986).\n', '

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