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George Kennedy
New York City, New York, USA
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…
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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
Movies and shows, newest first
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2025
Airports
Movie
-
2014
The Gambler
Movie Ed
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2011
Another Happy Day
Movie Joe Baker
-
2010
Six Days in Paradise
Movie Monty Crenshaw
-
2010
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
Movie (archive footage)
- 2008
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2008
The Man Who Came Back
Movie Judge Duke
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2008
The Boneyard Collection
Movie Professor Zebediah Jones (segment "The Devil's Due at Midnight")
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2007
Sands of Oblivion
Movie John Tevis
- 2006
-
2005
Don't Come Knocking
Movie Director
-
2005
Three Bad Men
Movie Ed Fiske
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2005
Truce
Movie Dr. Peter Gannon
-
2003
Monster Makers
Movie Dexter Brisbane
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2003
View from the Top
Movie Passenger Requesting Vodka (uncredited)
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1998
Men in White
Movie Army
More credits
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1998
Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!
Movie Mr. Johnson
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1998
Small Soldiers
Movie Brick Bazooka (voice)
-
1998
Dallas: War of The Ewings
Movie Carter McKay
-
1998
Hollyweird
Movie George Kennedy
-
1997
Cats Don't Dance
Movie L.B. Mammoth (voice)
-
1997
Bayou Ghost
Movie Officer Lowe
-
1996
Dallas: J.R. Returns
Movie Carter McKay
-
1996
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
TV show General Axton (voice)
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1995
Santo Bugito
TV show Ralph (voice)
-
1994
WWE SummerSlam 1994
Movie Himself
-
1994
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Movie Ed Hocken
-
1994
Duckman
TV show Movie Director (voice)
-
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV show Self - Guest
-
1992
Distant Justice
Movie Tom Bradfield
-
1992
Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story
Movie Father Dave Hagan
-
1991
Intensive Care
Movie Dr. Bruckner
-
1991
The Commish
TV show Al Scali
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1991
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Movie Ed Hocken
-
1991
Driving Me Crazy
Movie John McCready
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1991
Hangfire
Movie Warden Barles
-
1990
Good Cops, Bad Cops
Movie
-
1990
Mayumi: Virgin Terrorist
Movie Bahraini Investigator
-
1990
Hired to Kill
Movie Thomas
-
1990
Wings
TV show George Kennedy
