GK
Photo of George Kennedy

George Kennedy

Actor
Born February 18, 1925Died February 28, 2016 (91 years)
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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
  • Charade
  • Death on the Nile
  • Creepshow 2
  • Bonanza
  • Just Before Dawn
  • Brain Dead
  • Virus: Day of Resurrection
  • Uninvited
  • The Commish
  • The Terror Within
  • Cheyenne
  • Route 66
  • Death Valley Days
  • Savage Dawn
  • The Man Who Came Back
  • The 'Human' Factor
  • The Jesse Owens Story
  • Three Bad Men
Known For
  • Cool Hand Luke
  • The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
  • The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
  • Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult
  • Charade
  • The Gambler
  • Creepshow 2
  • The Eiger Sanction
  • Just Before Dawn
  • Earthquake
  • Death Ship
  • Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
  • Death on the Nile
  • Airport 1975
  • Airport
  • Cahill U.S. Marshal
  • The Boston Strangler
  • Guns of the Magnificent Seven
  • The Delta Force
  • Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!
  • The Terror Within
  • The Flight of the Phoenix
  • The Sons of Katie Elder
  • Bandolero!

Filmography

2014
The Gambler · as Ed
2011
Another Happy Day · as Joe Baker
2010
2010
Six Days in Paradise · as Monty Crenshaw
2008
2008
The Boneyard Collection · as Professor Zebediah Jones (segment "the Devil's Due At Midnight")
2007
Sands of Oblivion · as John Tevis
2005
Don't Come Knocking · as Director
2005
Three Bad Men · as Ed Fiske
2005
Truce · as Dr. Peter Gannon
2003
Monster Makers · as Dexter Brisbane
2003
View from the Top · as Passenger Requesting Vodka (uncredited)
1998
Men in White · as Army
1998
1998
Small Soldiers · as Brick Bazooka (voice)
1998
Dallas: War of the Ewings · as Carter Mckay
1997
Cats Don't Dance · as L.b. Mammoth (voice)
1997
Bayou Ghost · as Officer Lowe
1996
Dallas: J.R. Returns · as Carter Mckay
1996
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (TV Series) · as General Axton (voice)
1995
Santo Bugito (TV Series) · as Ralph (voice)
1994
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (TV Series) · as Bones Duvalier
1994
Lonesome Dove: The Series (TV Series) · as Judge J.t. 'rope' Calder
1994
1994
Duckman (TV Series) · as Movie Director
1992
Distant Justice · as Tom Bradfield
1992
Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story · as Father Dave Hagan
1991
Intensive Care · as Dr. Bruckner
1991
The Commish (TV Series) · as Al Scali
1991
1991
Driving Me Crazy · as John Mccready
1991
Hangfire · as Warden Barles
1990
1990
Hired to Kill · as Thomas
1990
1990
1989
Ministry of Vengeance · as Rev. Hughes
1989
1988
1988
Uninvited · as Mike Harvey
1988
Top Line · as Heinrich Holzmann
1988
Nightmare at Noon · as Sherrif Hanks
1988
1988
Counterforce · as Vince Colby
1988
Demonwarp · as Bill Crafton
1988
Born to Race · as Vincent Duplain
1987
1987
The Gunfighters · as Deke Turner
1987
Creepshow 2 · as Ray Spruce
1986
Liberty · as Seamus Reilly
1986
The Delta Force · as Father O'malley
1986
Rigged · as Ben
1985
International Airport · as Rudy Van Leuven
1985
Half Nelson · as Parsons
1985
Savage Dawn · as Tick Rand
1984
Radioactive Dreams · as Spade Chandler
1984
1984
Bolero · as Cotton
1984
The Jesse Owens Story · as Charles 'charley' Riley
1984
1982
Wacko · as Mr. Doctor Graves
1981
Just Before Dawn · as Roy Mclean
1981
1981
Modern Romance · as George Kennedy / Zeron
1980
Hotwire · as Farley & Harley Fontenot
1980
1980
Death Ship · as Captain Ashland
1979
Search and Destroy · as Anthony Fusqua
1979
The Concorde... Airport '79 · as Joe Patroni
1979
Steel · as Big Lew Cassidy
1979
The Double McGuffin · as Chief Talasek
1979
Backstairs at the White House (TV Series) · as Pres. Warren G. Harding
1978
Brass Target · as Gen. George S. Patton
1978
Death on the Nile · as Andrew Pennington
1978
Dallas (TV Series) · as Carter Mckay
1978
Mean Dog Blues · as Captain Omar Kinsman
1977
Proof of the Man · as Ken Shuftan
1977
The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Erik Larsen
1977
Airport '77 · as Joe Patroni
1977
Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Adam Cobb
1975
The 'Human' Factor · as John Kinsdale
1975
The Eiger Sanction · as Ben Bowman
1975
The Blue Knight (TV Series) · as Officer Bumper Morgan
1975
Sonic Boom · as Ben Dover
1974
Earthquake · as Sgt. Lew Slade
1974
Airport 1975 · as Joe Patroni
1974
1974
A Cry in the Wilderness · as Sam Hadley
1973
Deliver Us from Evil · as Walter 'cowboy' Mcadams
1973
Cahill U.S. Marshal · as Abe Fraser
1973
The Young and the Restless (TV Series) · as Albert Miller
1973
Lost Horizon · as Sam Cornelius
1972
The Bull of the West · as 'bear' Suchette
1972
A Great American Tragedy · as Brad Wilkes
1971
Fools' Parade · as Dallas 'doc' Council
1971
Sarge (TV Series) · as Father Samuel Cavanaugh
1970
Dirty Dingus Magee · as Herkimer 'hoke' Birdsill
1970
Zig Zag · as Paul R. Cameron
1970
Airport · as Joe Patroni
1970
Tick, Tick, Tick · as John Little
1969
Gaily, Gaily · as Axel P. Johanson
1969
1969
1968
The Legend of Lylah Clare · as Matt Burke
1968
The Pink Jungle · as Sammy Ryderbeit
1968
The Boston Strangler · as Det. Phil Dinatale
1968
Bandolero! · as Sheriff July Johnson
1967
Cool Hand Luke · as Dragline
1967
Ironside (TV Series) · as Father Samuel Cavanaugh
1967
The Dirty Dozen · as Major Max Armbruster
1967
Hurry Sundown · as Sheriff Coombs
1967
The Ballad of Josie · as Arch Ogden
1966
The Jean Arthur Show (TV Series) · as Riggs
1966
Tarzan (1966) (TV Series)
1965
1965
Mirage · as Willard
1965
Laredo (TV Series)
1965
The Big Valley (TV Series) · as Thatcher
1965
A Man Called Shenandoah (TV Series) · as Mitchell Canady
1965
The Legend of Jesse James (TV Series) · as Blodgett
1965
1965
Shenandoah · as Col. Fairchild
1965
In Harm's Way · as Colonel Gregory
1964
1964
See How They Run · as Rudy
1964
Daniel Boone (TV Series) · as Zach Morgan
1964
The Rogues (TV Series) · as Major Vyx
1964
Island of the Blue Dolphins · as Aleut Captain
1964
McHale's Navy · as Henri Le Clerc
1964
Strait-Jacket · as Leo Krause
1963
Charade · as Herman Scobie
1963
1963
The Great Adventure (TV Series) · as Sergeant Muldaney
1963
The Farmer's Daughter (TV Series) · as Olaf Bjornsen
1963
Grindl (TV Series)
1963
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV Series) · as Angus
1963
1962
McHale's Navy (TV Series) · as Big Frenchy
1962
Going My Way (TV Series)
1962
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV Series) · as George Martin
1962
The Virginian (TV Series) · as Tom 'bear' Suchette
1962
Lonely Are the Brave · as Deputy Sheriff Gutierrez
1961
Alcoa Premiere (TV Series) · as Jake
1961
1961
Dr. Kildare (TV Series) · as Sergeant Hensley
1961
1961
1961
The Asphalt Jungle (TV Series)
1961
Gunslinger (TV Series) · as Sheriff
1961
The Americans (TV Series) · as Hoon
1960
The Case of the Dangerous Robin (TV Series) · as Cast
1960
Klondike (TV Series) · as Ira Shallop
1960
Route 66 (TV Series)
1960
The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) · as State Police Detective
1960
SurfSide 6 (TV Series)
1960
Outlaws (TV Series)
1960
Thriller (TV Series) · as John Paterson
1960
The Tall Man (TV Series)
1959
Shotgun Slade (TV Series) · as Tex
1959
The Alaskans (TV Series) · as Anders
1959
Laramie (TV Series) · as Gene
1959
Riverboat (TV Series) · as Gunner Slagle
1959
Bonanza (TV Series) · as Waldo Watson
1959
The Deputy (TV Series) · as Tex
1959
The Untouchables (TV Series) · as Birdie
1959
Rawhide (TV Series) · as George Wales
1958
77 Sunset Strip (TV Series)
1958
Bat Masterson (TV Series) · as Sheriff Zeke Armitage
1958
Lawman (TV Series)
1958
Peter Gunn (TV Series)
1957
Colt .45 (TV Series) · as Hank
1957
Maverick (TV Series)
1957
Perry Mason (TV Series) · as George Spangler
1957
Sugarfoot (TV Series) · as Ross Kuhn
1957
Have Gun, Will Travel (TV Series) · as Deke - Killer
1957
Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) · as Hawk
1955
The Phil Silvers Show (TV Series) · as Mp Sgt. Kennedy (uncredited)
1955
Cheyenne (TV Series) · as Lee Nelson
1955
Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Ben Payson
1952
Death Valley Days (TV Series) · as Steamboat Sully
1951
The Red Skelton Show (TV Series) · as Ship's Purser

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