The police have not yet released the cause of death however they have said there were no signs of foul play. The LA Coroner's office is investigating.
Penn's family has not commented on the loss of Chris other than to have a spokesperson issue a statement requesting the media respect the family's privacy during this difficult time.
Chris Penn was the brother of actor Sean Penn and musician Michael Penn. Chris Penn's acting career began with co-starring roles in "Rumble Fish," "All the Right Moves," and alongside Kevin Bacon in "Footloose." Penn most memorable role was playing Nice Guy Eddie in the Quentin Tarantino film, "Reservoir Dogs."
Although Chris Penn's career never took off like his brother Sean's, Chris worked fairly steady up until his death. His latest films include the 2004 comedy "Starsky & Hutch" and the not-yet-released indie film, "The Darwin Awards," which is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this week.
Updated Jan 26, 2006 - According to The Hollywood Reporter, the medical examiners have determined Penn's death wasn't a suicide and are saying it appears he died of natural causes.
