George Kennedy
Born
February 18, 1925
Died
February 28, 2016 (91 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
George Kennedy (February 18, 1925 — February 28, 2016) was an American actor. 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.
Known For

The Gambler
Ed
2014

Another Happy Day
Joe Baker
2011

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
(archive footage)
2010

A Natural Born World-Shaker: The Making of 'Cool Hand Luke'
Self
2008

The Man Who Came Back
Judge Duke
2008

The Boneyard Collection
Professor Zebediah Jones (segment "The Devil's Due at Midnight")
2008

Sands of Oblivion
John Tevis
2007

Armed and Deadly: The Making of 'The Dirty Dozen'
Self
2006

Don't Come Knocking
Director
2005

Three Bad Men
Ed Fiske
2005

Truce
Dr. Peter Gannon
2005

Monster Makers
Dexter Brisbane
2003

View from the Top
Passenger Requesting Vodka (uncredited)
2003

Men in White
Army
1998

Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!
Mr. Johnson
1998

Small Soldiers
Brick Bazooka (voice)
1998

Dallas: War of The Ewings
Carter McKay
1998

Hollyweird
George Kennedy
1998

Cats Don't Dance
L.B. Mammoth (voice)
1997

Bayou Ghost
Officer Lowe
1997

Dallas: J.R. Returns
Carter McKay
1996

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
General Axton (voice) · (1 episode)
1996

Santo Bugito
Ralph (voice) · (1 episode)
1995

WWE SummerSlam 1994
Himself
1994

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Ed Hocken
1994

Duckman
Movie Director (voice) · (1 episode)
1994

Distant Justice
Tom Bradfield
1992

Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story
Father Dave Hagan
1992

Intensive Care
Dr. Bruckner
1991

The Commish
Al Scali · (1 episode)
1991

The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Ed Hocken
1991

Driving Me Crazy
John McCready
1991

Hangfire
Warden Barles
1991

The Cops Are Robbers
1990

Mayumi: Virgin Terrorist
Bahraini Investigator
1990

Hired to Kill
Thomas
1990

Wings
George Kennedy · (1 episode)
1990

Brain Dead
Vance
1990

Ministry of Vengeance
Rev. Hughes
1989

Esmeralda Bay
Wilson
1989

The Terror Within
Hal
1989

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Ed Hocken
1988

Uninvited
Mike Harvey
1988

Top Line
Heinrich Holzmann
1988

Nightmare at Noon
Sherrif Hanks
1988

Private Road: No Trespassing
Sam Milshaw
1988

Demonwarp
Bill Crafton
1988

Counterforce
Vince Colby
1988

Born to Race
Vincent Duplain
1988

What Price Victory
Big Buck Brayton
1988

The Gambler: The Legend Continues
General Nelson Miles
1987

Creepshow 2
Ray Spruce
1987

The Gunfighters
Deke Turner
1987

Radioactive Dreams
Spade Chandler
1986

Liberty
Seamus Reilly
1986

The Delta Force
Father O'Malley
1986

Savage Dawn
Tick Rand
1985

International Airport
Rudy Van Leuven
1985

Rigged
Ben
1985

Half Nelson
Parsons
1985

Rare Breed
1984

Bolero
Cotton
1984

The Jesse Owens Story
Charles 'Charley' Riley
1984

Chattanooga Choo Choo
Bert
1984

The Jupiter Menace
Himself
1982

Wacko
Mr. Doctor Graves
1982

Just Before Dawn
Roy McLean
1981

The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire
Brakus
1981

Modern Romance
George Kennedy / Zeron
1981

Hotwire
Farley & Harley Fontenot
1980

Virus
Admiral Conway
1980

Death Ship
Captain Ashland
1980

Steel
Big Lew Cassidy
1979

The Concorde... Airport '79
Joe Patroni
1979

Search and Destroy
Anthony Fusqua
1979

The Double McGuffin
Chief Talasek
1979

Backstairs at the White House
Pres. Warren G. Harding · (4 episodes)
1979

Brass Target
Gen. George S. Patton
1978

Death on the Nile
Andrew Pennington
1978

Dallas
Carter McKay · (52 episodes)
1978

Mean Dog Blues
Captain Omar Kinsman
1978

Proof of the Man
Ken Shuftan
1977

Airport '77
Joe Patroni
1977

The Human Factor
John Kinsdale
1975

Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1975

The Eiger Sanction
Ben Bowman
1975

The Blue Knight
Bumper Morgan
1975

The Blue Knight
Officer Bumper Morgan · (24 episodes)
1975
The Lion Roars Again
Self
1975

Earthquake
Sgt. Lew Slade
1974

Airport 1975
Joe Patroni
1974

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Red Leary
1974

A Cry in the Wilderness
Sam Hadley
1974

Sonic Boom
Ben Dover
1974

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self · (1 episode)
1973

Deliver Us from Evil
Walter 'Cowboy' McAdams
1973

Cahill: United States Marshal
Abe Fraser
1973

Lost Horizon
Sam Cornelius
1973
A Great American Tragedy
Brad Wilkes
1972

The Bull of the West
'Bear' Suchette
1972

Sarge
Father Samuel Cavanaugh · (14 episodes)
1971

The Priest Killer
Father Samuel Cavanaugh
1971

Fools' Parade
Dallas 'Doc' Council
1971

Sarge: The Badge or the Cross
Sarge Swanson
1971

Dirty Dingus Magee
Herkimer 'Hoke' Birdsill
1970

Zig Zag
Paul R. Cameron
1970

Airport
Joe Patroni
1970

Tick... Tick... Tick...
John Little
1970

Gaily, Gaily
Axel P. Johanson
1969

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys
McKay
1969

Guns of the Magnificent Seven
Chris
1969

The Pink Jungle
Sammy Ryderbeit
1968

The Boston Strangler
Det. Phil DiNatale
1968

The Legend of Lylah Clare
Matt Burke
1968

Bandolero!
Sheriff July Johnson
1968

The Ballad of Josie
Arch Ogden
1968

Cool Hand Luke
Dragline
1967

The Dirty Dozen
Major Max Armbruster
1967

Ironside
Father Samuel Cavanaugh · (1 episode)
1967

Hurry Sundown
Sheriff Coombs
1967

Tarzan
(1 episode)
1966

The Flight of the Phoenix
Bellamy
1965

Mirage
Willard
1965

Laredo
(1 episode)
1965

The Big Valley
Thatcher · (1 episode)
1965

The Legend of Jesse James
Blodgett · (1 episode)
1965

The Sons of Katie Elder
Curley
1965

Shenandoah
Col. Fairchild
1965

In Harm's Way
Colonel Gregory
1965

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Foreman
1964

See How They Run
Rudy
1964

Daniel Boone
Zach Morgan · (1 episode)
1964

The Rogues
Major Vyx · (1 episode)
1964

Island of the Blue Dolphins
Aleut Captain
1964

McHale's Navy
Henri Le Clerc
1964

Strait-Jacket
Leo Krause
1964

Charade
Herman Scobie
1963
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Der · (1 episode)
1963

The Great Adventure
Sergeant Muldaney · (1 episode)
1963
Grindl
(1 episode)
1963

The Man from the Diners' Club
George
1963

Going My Way
(1 episode)
1962

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
George Martin · (1 episode)
1962

The Virginian
Jack Marshman · (1 episode)
1962

The Virginian
Tom 'Bear' Suchette · (1 episode)
1962

The Virginian
Huck Harkness · (1 episode)
1962

Lonely are the Brave
Deputy Sheriff Gutierrez
1962

The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (1 episode)
1961

Gunfight at Black Horses Canyon
Hawk
1961

Dr. Kildare
Joe Cramer · (2 episodes)
1961

Dr. Kildare
Sergeant Hensley · (2 episodes)
1961

Kraft Mystery Theatre
(1 episode)
1961

The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
Nathan Dillon
1961

The Asphalt Jungle
(2 episodes)
1961

Route 66
(1 episode)
1960

Surfside 6
(1 episode)
1960

The Andy Griffith Show
State Police Detective · (1 episode)
1960

Outlaws
(1 episode)
1960

Thriller
John Paterson · (1 episode)
1960

The Tall Man
(2 episodes)
1960

Riverboat
Gunner Slagle · (1 episode)
1959

Bonanza
Waldo Watson · (1 episode)
1959

Bonanza
Peter Long · (1 episode)
1959

Rawhide
George Wales · (1 episode)
1959

77 Sunset Strip
(1 episode)
1958

Bat Masterson
Sheriff Zeke Armitage · (1 episode)
1958

Lawman
(1 episode)
1958

Peter Gunn
(1 episode)
1958

Maverick
(1 episode)
1957

Perry Mason
George Spangler · (1 episode)
1957

Sugarfoot
Ross Kuhn · (1 episode)
1957

Have Gun, Will Travel
(4 episodes)
1957

Have Gun, Will Travel
Deke - Killer · (1 episode)
1957

Have Gun, Will Travel
Big Jim · (1 episode)
1957

Have Gun, Will Travel
Sam Tarnitzer · (1 episode)
1957

Cheyenne
Lee Nelson · (1 episode)
1955

The Phil Silvers Show
MP Sgt. Kennedy (uncredited) · (2 episodes)
1955

Gunsmoke
Emil · (1 episode)
1955

Gunsmoke
Swarner · (1 episode)
1955

Gunsmoke
Bayloe · (1 episode)
1955

Gunsmoke
Hug · (1 episode)
1955

Gunsmoke
Stark · (1 episode)
1955

Gunsmoke
Cyrus · (1 episode)
1955

Gunsmoke
Ben Payson · (1 episode)
1955

The Oscars
Self · (3 episodes)
1953