Kris Kristofferson (right) with record producer Fred Foster at Monument Records in April 1970, the month his debut album was released.
Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Making his film debut in Cisco Pike (1971) with Karen Black.
Photograph: John Springer Collection/Corbis/Getty Images
Kristoffsen with James Coburn in the western Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid in 1973.
Photograph: MGM/Allstar
A scene from Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) with Diane Ladd.
Photograph: Bettmann/Getty Images
Kristofferson and his wife Rita Coolidge performing at the Victoria Apollo, London.
Photograph: Tom Sheehan/Sony Music Archive/Getty Images
The iconic movie poster for A Star Is Born with Barbra Streisand (1976).
Photograph: SNAP/Rex Features
Starring as Rubber Duck in Convoy (1978).
Photograph: EMI Films/Studiocanal/Allstar
In the epic western Heaven’s Gate with Isabelle Huppert (1978).
Photograph: UA/Everett/Rex Features
In the 1984 film Songwriter, which received an Oscar nomination for best original score.
Photograph: Tristar/Moviestore/Shutterstock
Country music royalty: Kristofferson with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings in the made-for-TV film Stagecoach.
Photograph: AF archive/Alamy
Posing for a portrait in Nashville, Tennessee in 1995.
Photograph: Mark Humphrey/AP
Kristofferson’s presence was on show as sheriff Charlie Wade in Lone Star (1996), directed by John Sayles.
Photograph: Columbia/Allstar
Kristofferson in the 2001 film Planet of the Apes, directed by Tim Burton.
Photograph: 20th Century Fox/Allstar
At the 38th annual Country Music awards in 2003 with Willie Nelson, Faith Hill and Randy Travis.
Photograph: Brian Zak/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
Kristofferson played the vampire hunter Abraham Whistler in the Blade film series.
Photograph: New Line/Allstar
In the 2010 drama film Bloodworth, based on the novel Provinces of Night.
Photograph: Sony Pictures/Allstar
As Reed Haskett in the 3D family film Dolphin Tale (2011).
Photograph: Jon Farmer/Warner Bros./Allstar
Kristofferson in the 2012 film Deadfall with Sissy Spacek.
Photograph: Jonathan Wenk/Studiocanal/Allstar
On stage at the 2014 Grammy awards in Los Angeles, where he received the lifetime achievement award.
Photograph: Kevin Winter/WireImage
Kristofferson performs at Glastonbury festival in Somerset, England in 2017.
Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
English (US)