George Kennedy
Acting • Born 1925-02-18 – Died 2016-02-28
Biography
George Kennedy (February 18, 1925 — February 28, 2016) was a European-American businessman, entrepreneur, A World War II veteran, actor, adviser, radio dj, and author. 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.
Filmography
191 credits
Cool Hand Luke
Movie • 1967
Dragline
The Dirty Dozen
Movie • 1967
Major Max Armbruster
The Flight of the Phoenix
Movie • 1965
Bellamy
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Movie • 1964
Foreman
Airport
Movie • 1970
Joe Patroni
Death on the Nile
Movie • 1978
Andrew Pennington
Charade
Movie • 1963
Herman Scobie
The Eiger Sanction
Movie • 1975
Ben Bowman
Earthquake
Movie • 1974
Sgt. Lew Slade
Shenandoah
Movie • 1965
Col. Fairchild
Bolero
Movie • 1984
Cotton
Brain Dead
Movie • 1990
Vance
Cahill: United States Marshal
Movie • 1973
Abe Fraser
Small Soldiers
Movie • 1998
Brick Bazooka (voice)
Sands of Oblivion
Movie • 2007
John Tevis
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Movie • 1974
Red Leary
Airport '77
Movie • 1977
Joe Patroni
The Human Factor
Movie • 1975
John Kinsdale
Armed and Deadly: The Making of 'The Dirty Dozen'
Movie • 2006
Self
Death Ship
Movie • 1980
Captain Ashland
Guns of the Magnificent Seven
Movie • 1969
Chris
The Boston Strangler
Movie • 1968
Det. Phil DiNatale
Airport 1975
Movie • 1974
Joe Patroni
Don't Come Knocking
Movie • 2005
Director
Demonwarp
Movie • 1988
Bill Crafton
The Terror Within
Movie • 1989
Hal
The Concorde... Airport '79
Movie • 1979
Joe Patroni
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Movie • 1994
Ed Hocken
Strait-Jacket
Movie • 1964
Leo Krause
Bandolero!
Movie • 1968
Sheriff July Johnson
Virus
Movie • 1980
Admiral Conway
Another Happy Day
Movie • 2011
Joe Baker
Lonely are the Brave
Movie • 1962
Deputy Sheriff Gutierrez
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Movie • 1988
Ed Hocken
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Movie • 1991
Ed Hocken
The Delta Force
Movie • 1986
Father O'Malley
The Sons of Katie Elder
Movie • 1965
Curley
Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!
Movie • 1998
Mr. Johnson
Creepshow 2
Movie • 1987
Ray Spruce
Uninvited
Movie • 1988
Mike Harvey
The Man Who Came Back
Movie • 2008
Judge Duke
Radioactive Dreams
Movie • 1986
Spade Chandler
Fools' Parade
Movie • 1971
Dallas 'Doc' Council
Just Before Dawn
Movie • 1981
Roy McLean
Dirty Dingus Magee
Movie • 1970
Herkimer 'Hoke' Birdsill
Mirage
Movie • 1965
Willard
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys
Movie • 1969
McKay
The Ballad of Josie
Movie • 1968
Arch Ogden
Nightmare at Noon
Movie • 1988
Sherrif Hanks
The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire
Movie • 1981
Brakus
Brass Target
Movie • 1978
Gen. George S. Patton
Zig Zag
Movie • 1970
Paul R. Cameron
Search and Destroy
Movie • 1979
Anthony Fusqua
Wacko
Movie • 1982
Mr. Doctor Graves
… tick… tick… tick…
Movie • 1970
John Little
The Gunfighters
Movie • 1987
Deke Turner
Savage Dawn
Movie • 1985
Tick Rand
A Natural Born World-Shaker: The Making of 'Cool Hand Luke'
Movie • 2008
Self
Hired to Kill
Movie • 1990
Thomas
The Double McGuffin
Movie • 1979
Chief Talasek
Lost Horizon
Movie • 1973
Sam Cornelius
Steel
Movie • 1979
Big Lew Cassidy
Born to Race
Movie • 1988
Vincent Duplain
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
Movie • 1961
Nathan Dillon
Monster Makers
Movie • 2003
Dexter Brisbane
Top Line
Movie • 1988
Heinrich Holzmann
The Bull of the West
Movie • 1972
'Bear' Suchette
Gaily, Gaily
Movie • 1969
Axel P. Johanson
Intensive Care
Movie • 1991
Dr. Bruckner
Hurry Sundown
Movie • 1967
Sheriff Coombs
Mean Dog Blues
Movie • 1978
Captain Omar Kinsman
The Man from the Diners' Club
Movie • 1963
George
Hotwire
Movie • 1980
Farley & Harley Fontenot
Private Road: No Trespassing
Movie • 1988
Sam Milshaw
Deliver Us from Evil
Movie • 1973
Walter 'Cowboy' McAdams
The Gambler: The Legend Continues
Movie • 1987
General Nelson Miles
Ministry of Vengeance
Movie • 1989
Rev. Hughes
The Jupiter Menace
Movie • 1982
Himself
A Cry in the Wilderness
Movie • 1974
Sam Hadley
Dallas: War of The Ewings
Movie • 1998
Carter McKay
Liberty
Movie • 1986
Seamus Reilly
The Pink Jungle
Movie • 1968
Sammy Ryderbeit
A Great American Tragedy
Movie • 1972
Brad Wilkes
See How They Run
Movie • 1964
Rudy
Counterforce
Movie • 1988
Vince Colby
Esmeralda Bay
Movie • 1989
Wilson
Sarge: The Badge or the Cross
Movie • 1971
Sarge Swanson
In Harm's Way
Movie • 1965
Colonel Gregory
The Legend of Lylah Clare
Movie • 1968
Matt Burke
Hangfire
Movie • 1991
Warden Barles
The Jesse Owens Story
Movie • 1984
Charles 'Charley' Riley
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Movie • 1964
Aleut Captain
Proof of the Man
Movie • 1977
Ken Shuftan
The Blue Knight
Movie • 1975
Bumper Morgan
International Airport
Movie • 1985
Rudy Van Leuven
The Gambler
Movie • 2014
Ed
Hollyweird
Movie • 1998
George Kennedy
Half Nelson
Movie • 1985
Parsons
Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story
Movie • 1992
Father Dave Hagan
Dallas: J.R. Returns
Movie • 1996
Carter McKay
Modern Romance
Movie • 1981
George Kennedy / Zeron
Truce
Movie • 2005
Dr. Peter Gannon
McHale's Navy
Movie • 1964
Henri Le Clerc
What Price Victory
Movie • 1988
Big Buck Brayton
Three Bad Men
Movie • 2005
Ed Fiske
View from the Top
Movie • 2003
Passenger Requesting Vodka (uncredited)
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
Movie • 2010
(archive footage)
Distant Justice
Movie • 1992
Tom Bradfield
Driving Me Crazy
Movie • 1991
John McCready
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Movie • 1984
Bert
Men in White
Movie • 1998
Army
Mayumi: Virgin Terrorist
Movie • 1990
Bahraini Investigator
Rigged
Movie • 1985
Ben
Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon
Movie • 1961
Hawk
The Cops Are Robbers
Movie • 1990
Cats Don't Dance
Movie • 1997
L.B. Mammoth (voice)
Rare Breed
Movie • 1984
Sonic Boom
Movie • 1974
Ben Dover
The Boneyard Collection
Movie • 2008
Professor Zebediah Jones (segment "The Devil's Due at Midnight")
WWE SummerSlam 1994
Movie • 1994
Himself
The Lion Roars Again
Movie • 1975
Self
The Priest Killer
Movie • 1971
Father Samuel Cavanaugh
Bayou Ghost
Movie • 1997
Officer Lowe
Airports
Movie • 2025
Six Days in Paradise
Movie • 2010
Monty Crenshaw
The Andy Griffith Show
TV • 1960
State Police Detective
The Great Adventure
TV • 1963
Sergeant Muldaney
77 Sunset Strip
TV • 1958
Cheyenne
TV • 1955
Lee Nelson
Route 66
TV • 1960
Wings
TV • 1990
George Kennedy
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Emil
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
George Spangler
The Rogues
TV • 1964
Major Vyx
The Tall Man
TV • 1960
Laredo
TV • 1965
Going My Way
TV • 1962
Outlaws
TV • 1960
Rawhide
TV • 1959
George Wales
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Daniel Boone
TV • 1964
Zach Morgan
The Virginian
TV • 1962
Jack Marshman
Thriller
TV • 1960
John Paterson
Sarge
TV • 1971
Samuel Cavanaugh
Peter Gunn
TV • 1958
The Big Valley
TV • 1965
Thatcher
Tarzan
TV • 1966
Grindl
TV • 1963
Lawman
TV • 1958
Bat Masterson
TV • 1958
Sheriff Zeke Armitage
Riverboat
TV • 1959
Gunner Slagle
The Legend of Jesse James
TV • 1965
Blodgett
Dr. Kildare
TV • 1961
Joe Cramer
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
The Asphalt Jungle
TV • 1961
Kraft Mystery Theatre
TV • 1961
Maverick
TV • 1957
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Host
The Blue Knight
TV • 1975
Officer Bumper Morgan
Dr. Kildare
TV • 1961
Sergeant Hensley
The Virginian
TV • 1962
Tom 'Bear' Suchette
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Swarner
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Bayloe
The Virginian
TV • 1962
Huck Harkness
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Hug
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Stark
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Cyrus
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Ben Payson
Santo Bugito
TV • 1995
Ralph (voice)
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Waldo Watson
Bonanza
TV • 1959
Peter Long
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
TV • 1996
General Axton (voice)
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Deke - Killer
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
TV • 1963
Der
The Phil Silvers Show
TV • 1955
Kennedy (uncredited)
The Commish
TV • 1991
Al Scali
Dallas
TV • 1978
Carter McKay
Ironside
TV • 1967
Father Samuel Cavanaugh
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
TV • 1973
Self
Backstairs at the White House
TV • 1979
Pres. Warren G. Harding
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
TV • 1962
George Martin
Sugarfoot
TV • 1957
Ross Kuhn
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Big Jim
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Sam Tarnitzer
Duckman
TV • 1994
Movie Director (voice)
Surfside 6
TV • 1960
Gabe Buchanan
Sugarfoot
TV • 1957
Sykes
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
Gunslinger
TV • 1961
Sheriff
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV • 1993
Self - Guest