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George Kennedy‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1925-02-18

Popularity

star9.9

George Kennedy

New York City, New York, USA

George Kennedy

New York City, New York, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1925-02-18

Popularity

star9.9

Biography

Sandy-haired, tall and burly George Harris Kennedy, Jr. was born in New York City, to Helen A. (Kieselbach), a ballet dancer, and George Harris Kennedy, an orchestra leader and musician. He had German, Irish, and English ancestry. A World War II veteran, Kennedy at one stage in his career cornered the market at playing tough, no-nonsense characters who were either quite crooked or possessed hearts of gold. Kennedy notched up an impressive 200+ appearances in both TV and film, and was well respected within the Hollywood community. He started out in TV westerns in the late 1950s and early 1960s: Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Rawhide (1959), Maverick (1957), Colt .45 (1957), among others; before scoring minor roles in films including Lonely Are the Brave (1962), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) and The Flight of the Phoenix (1965). The late 1960s was a very busy period for Kennedy, and he was strongly in favor with casting agents, appearing in Hurry Sundown (1967), The Dirty Dozen (1967) and scoring an Oscar win as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cool Hand Luke (1967). The disaster film boom of the 1970s was kind to Kennedy, too, and his talents were in demand for Airport(1970) and the three subsequent sequels, as a grizzled cop in Earthquake (1974), plus the buddy/road film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) as vicious bank robber Red Leary. The 1980s saw Kennedy appear in a mishmash of roles, playing various characters; however, Kennedy and Leslie Nielsen surprised everyone with their comedic talents in the hugely successful The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), and the two screen veterans hammed it up again in, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991), plus Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994). Kennedy remained busy in Hollywood and lent his distinctive voice to the animated Cats Don't Dance (1997) and the children's action film Small Soldiers (1998). A Hollywood stalwart for nearly 50 years, he is one of the most enjoyable actors to watch on screen. His last role was in the film The Gambler (2014), as Mark Wahlberg's character's grandfather. George Kennedy died on February 28, 2016 in Middleton, Idaho.

Movie Credits

Cool Hand Luke

Cool Hand Luke‌
star7.7
calendar 1967

The Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen‌
star7.6
calendar 1967

The Flight of the Phoenix

The Flight of the Phoenix‌
star7.2
calendar 1965

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte‌
star7.2
calendar 1964

Airport

Airport‌
star6.4
calendar 1970

Death on the Nile

Death on the Nile‌
star7.2
calendar 1978

Charade

Charade‌
star7.7
calendar 1963

The Eiger Sanction

The Eiger Sanction‌
star6.1
calendar 1975

Earthquake

Earthquake‌
star6.1
calendar 1974

Shenandoah

Shenandoah‌
star6.8
calendar 1965

Bolero

Bolero‌
star3.4
calendar 1984

Brain Dead

Brain Dead‌
star5.7
calendar 1990

Cahill: United States Marshal

Cahill: United States Marshal‌
star6.1
calendar 1973

Small Soldiers

Small Soldiers‌
star6.5
calendar 1998

Sands of Oblivion

Sands of Oblivion‌
star4.6
calendar 2007

Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette

Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette‌
star6.3
calendar 1978

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot‌
star6.7
calendar 1974

Airport '77

Airport '77‌
star5.6
calendar 1977

The Human Factor

The Human Factor‌
star5.6
calendar 1975

Armed and Deadly: The Making of 'The Dirty Dozen'

Armed and Deadly: The Making of 'The Dirty Dozen'‌
star6.0
calendar 2006

Death Ship

Death Ship‌
star5.2
calendar 1980

Guns of the Magnificent Seven

Guns of the Magnificent Seven‌
star5.2
calendar 1969

The Boston Strangler

The Boston Strangler‌
star6.8
calendar 1968

Airport 1975

Airport 1975‌
star5.7
calendar 1974

Don't Come Knocking

Don't Come Knocking‌
star6.2
calendar 2005

Demonwarp

Demonwarp‌
star4.2
calendar 1988

The Terror Within

The Terror Within‌
star4.3
calendar 1989

The Concorde... Airport '79

The Concorde... Airport '79‌
star4.7
calendar 1979

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult‌
star6.5
calendar 1994

Strait-Jacket

Strait-Jacket‌
star6.6
calendar 1964

Bandolero!

Bandolero!‌
star6.5
calendar 1968

Virus

Virus‌
star6.3
calendar 1980

Another Happy Day

Another Happy Day‌
star5.6
calendar 2011

Lonely are the Brave

Lonely are the Brave‌
star7.3
calendar 1962

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!‌
star7.3
calendar 1988

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear‌
star6.8
calendar 1991

The Delta Force

The Delta Force‌
star5.9
calendar 1986

The Sons of Katie Elder

The Sons of Katie Elder‌
star7.0
calendar 1965

Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!

Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!‌
star5.4
calendar 1998

Creepshow 2

Creepshow 2‌
star6.3
calendar 1987

Uninvited

Uninvited‌
star4.9
calendar 1988

The Man Who Came Back

The Man Who Came Back‌
star5.0
calendar 2008

Radioactive Dreams

Radioactive Dreams‌
star5.2
calendar 1986

Fools' Parade

Fools' Parade‌
star6.8
calendar 1971

Just Before Dawn

Just Before Dawn‌
star6.0
calendar 1981

Dirty Dingus Magee

Dirty Dingus Magee‌
star4.7
calendar 1970

Mirage

Mirage‌
star6.9
calendar 1965

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys‌
star5.4
calendar 1969

The Ballad of Josie

The Ballad of Josie‌
star5.7
calendar 1968

Nightmare at Noon

Nightmare at Noon‌
star4.7
calendar 1988

The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire

The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire‌
star5.5
calendar 1981

Brass Target

Brass Target‌
star5.6
calendar 1978

Zig Zag

Zig Zag‌
star7.5
calendar 1970

Search and Destroy

Search and Destroy‌
star6.8
calendar 1979

Wacko

Wacko‌
star5.0
calendar 1982

Tick... Tick... Tick...

Tick... Tick... Tick...‌
star6.5
calendar 1970

The Gunfighters

The Gunfighters‌
star4.0
calendar 1987

Savage Dawn

Savage Dawn‌
star4.4
calendar 1986

A Natural Born World-Shaker: The Making of 'Cool Hand Luke'

A Natural Born World-Shaker: The Making of 'Cool Hand Luke'‌
star0.0
calendar 2008

Hired to Kill

Hired to Kill‌
star4.8
calendar 1990

The Double McGuffin

The Double McGuffin‌
star5.3
calendar 1979

Lost Horizon

Lost Horizon‌
star5.4
calendar 1973

Steel

Steel‌
star5.2
calendar 1979

Born to Race

Born to Race‌
star4.9
calendar 1988

The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come

The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come‌
star4.0
calendar 1961

Monster Makers

Monster Makers‌
star2.5
calendar 2003

Top Line

Top Line‌
star3.9
calendar 1988

The Bull of the West

The Bull of the West‌
star5.3
calendar 1972

Gaily, Gaily

Gaily, Gaily‌
star4.0
calendar 1969

Intensive Care

Intensive Care‌
star2.0
calendar 1991

Hurry Sundown

Hurry Sundown‌
star6.5
calendar 1967

Mean Dog Blues

Mean Dog Blues‌
star4.9
calendar 1978

The Man from the Diners' Club

The Man from the Diners' Club‌
star5.5
calendar 1963

Hotwire

Hotwire‌
star5.0
calendar 1980

Private Road: No Trespassing

Private Road: No Trespassing‌
star4.5
calendar 1988

Deliver Us from Evil

Deliver Us from Evil‌
star7.3
calendar 1973

The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues

The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues‌
star5.9
calendar 1987

Ministry of Vengeance

Ministry of Vengeance‌
star3.0
calendar 1989

The Jupiter Menace

The Jupiter Menace‌
star5.5
calendar 1982

A Cry in the Wilderness

A Cry in the Wilderness‌
star6.0
calendar 1974

Dallas - War of The Ewings

Dallas - War of The Ewings‌
star5.3
calendar 1998

Liberty

Liberty‌
star0.0
calendar 1986

The Pink Jungle

The Pink Jungle‌
star6.1
calendar 1968

A Great American Tragedy

A Great American Tragedy‌
star7.0
calendar 1972

See How They Run

See How They Run‌
star7.0
calendar 1964

Counterforce

Counterforce‌
star4.7
calendar 1988

Esmeralda Bay

Esmeralda Bay‌
star4.4
calendar 1989

Sarge: The Badge or the Cross

Sarge: The Badge or the Cross‌
star0.0
calendar 1971

In Harm's Way

In Harm's Way‌
star6.6
calendar 1965

The Legend of Lylah Clare

The Legend of Lylah Clare‌
star6.1
calendar 1968

The Jesse Owens Story

The Jesse Owens Story‌
star7.9
calendar 1984

Hangfire

Hangfire‌
star4.2
calendar 1991

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Island of the Blue Dolphins‌
star6.2
calendar 1964

Proof of the Man

Proof of the Man‌
star7.4
calendar 1977

The Blue Knight

The Blue Knight‌
star0.0
calendar 1975

International Airport

International Airport‌
star5.0
calendar 1985

The Gambler

The Gambler‌
star6.0
calendar 2014

Hollyweird

Hollyweird‌
star4.5
calendar 1998

Half Nelson

Half Nelson‌
star0.0
calendar 1985

Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story

Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story‌
star0.0
calendar 1992

Dallas: J.R. Returns

Dallas: J.R. Returns‌
star5.4
calendar 1996

Modern Romance

Modern Romance‌
star6.8
calendar 1981

Truce

Truce‌
star3.7
calendar 2005

McHale's Navy

McHale's Navy‌
star4.9
calendar 1964

What Price Victory

What Price Victory‌
star0.0
calendar 1988

Three Bad Men

Three Bad Men‌
star1.0
calendar 2005

View from the Top

View from the Top‌
star5.5
calendar 2003

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift‌
star6.6
calendar 2010

Distant Justice

Distant Justice‌
star5.0
calendar 1992

Driving Me Crazy

Driving Me Crazy‌
star3.7
calendar 1991

Chattanooga Choo Choo

Chattanooga Choo Choo‌
star5.0
calendar 1984

Men in White

Men in White‌
star3.6
calendar 1998

Mayumi: Virgin Terrorist

Mayumi: Virgin Terrorist‌
star5.0
calendar 1990

Rigged

Rigged‌
star9.7
calendar 1985

Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon

Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon‌
star5.6
calendar 1961

The Cops Are Robbers

The Cops Are Robbers‌
star4.0
calendar 1990

Cats Don't Dance

Cats Don't Dance‌
star7.2
calendar 1997

Rare Breed

Rare Breed‌
star0.0
calendar 1984

Sonic Boom

Sonic Boom‌
star4.5
calendar 1974

The Boneyard Collection

The Boneyard Collection‌
star5.4
calendar 2008

WWE SummerSlam 1994

WWE SummerSlam 1994‌
star8.0
calendar 1994

The Lion Roars Again

The Lion Roars Again‌
star0.0
calendar 1975

Tv Credits

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show‌
star7.6
calendar 1960

The Great Adventure

The Great Adventure‌
star0.0
calendar 1963

77 Sunset Strip

77 Sunset Strip‌
star6.7
calendar 1958

Cheyenne

Cheyenne‌
star5.8
calendar 1955

Route 66

Route 66‌
star6.4
calendar 1960

Wings

Wings‌
star6.9
calendar 1990

Surfside 6

Surfside 6‌
star5.0
calendar 1960

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Perry Mason

Perry Mason‌
star7.6
calendar 1957

The Rogues

The Rogues‌
star7.5
calendar 1964

The Tall Man

The Tall Man‌
star6.3
calendar 1960

Laredo

Laredo‌
star6.3
calendar 1965

Going My Way

Going My Way‌
star5.0
calendar 1962

Outlaws

Outlaws‌
star6.2
calendar 1960

Rawhide

Rawhide‌
star7.0
calendar 1959

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel‌
star7.4
calendar 1957

Daniel Boone

Daniel Boone‌
star6.9
calendar 1964

The Virginian

The Virginian‌
star6.4
calendar 1962

Sarge

Sarge‌
star5.0
calendar 1971

Thriller

Thriller‌
star6.2
calendar 1960

Peter Gunn

Peter Gunn‌
star6.5
calendar 1958

The Big Valley

The Big Valley‌
star6.0
calendar 1965

Tarzan

Tarzan‌
star6.7
calendar 1966

Grindl

Grindl‌
star5.5
calendar 1963

Bat Masterson

Bat Masterson‌
star6.3
calendar 1958

Lawman

Lawman‌
star5.4
calendar 1958

Riverboat

Riverboat‌
star6.3
calendar 1959

The Legend of Jesse James

The Legend of Jesse James‌
star4.8
calendar 1965

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare‌
star5.4
calendar 1961

The Oscars

The Oscars‌
star7.0
calendar 1953

The Asphalt Jungle

The Asphalt Jungle‌
star5.0
calendar 1961

Kraft Mystery Theatre

Kraft Mystery Theatre‌
star6.0
calendar 1961

Maverick

Maverick‌
star6.8
calendar 1957

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live‌
star6.9
calendar 1975

The Blue Knight

The Blue Knight‌
star2.0
calendar 1975

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare‌
star5.4
calendar 1961

The Virginian

The Virginian‌
star6.4
calendar 1962

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

The Virginian

The Virginian‌
star6.4
calendar 1962

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke‌
star6.5
calendar 1955

Santo Bugito

Santo Bugito‌
star0.0
calendar 1995

Bonanza

Bonanza‌
star7.5
calendar 1959

Bonanza

Bonanza‌
star7.5
calendar 1959

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest‌
star7.2
calendar 1996

Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel‌
star7.4
calendar 1957

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre‌
star5.2
calendar 1963

The Phil Silvers Show

The Phil Silvers Show‌
star6.6
calendar 1955

The Commish

The Commish‌
star7.2
calendar 1991

Dallas

Dallas‌
star6.7
calendar 1978

Ironside

Ironside‌
star6.9
calendar 1967

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts‌
star5.3
calendar 1973

Backstairs at the White House

Backstairs at the White House‌
star5.9
calendar 1979

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour‌
star7.8
calendar 1962

Sugarfoot

Sugarfoot‌
star4.2
calendar 1957