Edgar Kennedy
Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Edgar Livingston Kennedy (April 26, 1890 – November 9, 1948) was an American comedic film character actor, known as "Slow Burn". A slow burn is an exasperated facial expression, performed very deliberately; Kennedy embellished this by rubbing his hand over his bald head and across his face, in an attempt to hold his temper. Kennedy is best known for a small role as a lemonade vendor in the Marx Brothers film Duck Soup, as well as the many Hal Roach films he appeared in. Kennedy became so identified with frustration that practically every studio hired him to play hotheads. He often played dumb cops, detectives, and even a prison warden; sometimes he was a grouchy moving man, truck driver, or blue-collar workman. His character usually lost his temper at least once. In Diplomaniacs, Kennedy presides over an international tribunal, where Wheeler & Woolsey want to do something about world peace. "Well, ya can't do anything about it here", yells Kennedy, "this is a peace conference!" Kennedy, established as the poster boy for frustration, even starred in an instructional film titled The Other Fellow, in which loudmouthed roadhog Edgar always vents his anger on other drivers (each one played by Kennedy as well), little realizing that, to them, he is "the other fellow." Perhaps his most unusual roles were as a puppeteer in the detective mystery The Falcon Strikes Back and as a philosophical bartender inspired to create exotic cocktails in Harold Lloyd's last film, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947). He also played comical detectives opposite two titans of acting: John Barrymore in Twentieth Century (1934) and Rex Harrison in Unfaithfully Yours (1948); in the latter, he tells conductor Harrison that "Nobody handles Handel like you handle Handel." Kennedy died of throat cancer at the Motion Picture Hospital, San Fernando Valley on 9 November 1948. His body was interred at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, Los Angeles County, California.
Born: April 25, 1890
Place of Birth: Monterey, California, USA
Known For
Laurel & Hardy: Year Two
Following their initial pairing in early 1927, Laurel and Hardy ended their first year on top. Their success moving into 1928 galvanized the efforts of everyone at Hal Roach Studios (including famed director Leo McCarey), who proudly upped their game in support of the winning comedy duo. Whether wreaking accidental havoc as a two-man band, doing battle against one another as millionaire and butler, or even becoming grave robbers for a mad scientist, Laurel and Hardy prove in their second year that they have what it takes to not only win over audiences in the twilight of the silent era, but generate enough momentum to make a successful transition to “talkies” in 1929.
Son of the Border
An honest rancher, after killing his best friend who's turned outlaw, takes his pal's orphaned younger brother into his own home. The boy, however, isn't aware he's now living with the man responsible for his brother's death. This 1933 RKO B-western, directed by Lloyd Nosler, stars Tom Keene, Lon Chaney Jr., David Durand, Julie Haydon, Edgar Kennedy, Charles King and Al Bridge.
Doctor's Orders
Alabam is lovesick. He tells Mickey how he can't get close to the girl of his dreams; he's overheard by Dave, a smooth operator, who insists that Alabam leave everything to him. He contrives to have Alabam and Mickey wreck Alabam's car in the girl's front yard, then he arrives, posing as a doctor, asking the residents of the house if they'll let the injured boy come inside while the doctor examines him. Meanwhile, Mickey gets a look at the girl's cousin and feigns injury so that now both lads are in beds upstairs while Dave, the doctor, conjures foul-tasting treatments. The fly in the ointment is the girl's crusty uncle, who may stand between the lads and their true loves.
Safe in Jail
Safe in jail is a 1913 movie starring Ford Sterling and Edgar Kennedy.
Tillie and Gus
Tillie and Augustus Winterbottom are thought to be missionaries when they arrive to find Phineas Pratt trying cheat the Sheridans out of her father's inheritance, including a ferry franchise and a boat. The only way to keep the franchise is to win a race against Pratt's boat.
A Pair of Tights
Two girls are invited by one of the girls boyfriend's tight boss for dinner. On the way they stop for a cheap ice cream. But swinging doors, ventilators, cops and a brat make it nearly impossible to get the ice cream even close to the car where the rest is waiting.
Night Owls
Policeman Edgar Kennedy is told by his chief he better stop a string of burglaries that have been happening on his watch or else he will get the sack. He persuades vagrants Stan and Ollie to rob the chief's house so he can regain his reputation by catching them. The policeman promises to later get the boys off. Things do not go as planned.
Blondie in Society
Dagwood brings home a pedigreed Great Dane which an important company client wants and which Blondie enters in the big dog show.
Duck Soup
Rufus T. Firefly is named president/dictator of bankrupt Freedonia and declares war on neighboring Sylvania over the love of wealthy Mrs. Teasdale.
There's One Born Every Minute
A nine-year-old Elizabeth Taylor made her film debut in this lively comedy. She plays the spoiled-brat daughter of a pudding manufacturer who has been entered into the town's mayoral race by some of the local businessmen. They have chosen him because they think he is easy to manipulate. As a sales gimmick, the pudding magnate advertises that his product contains the highly nutritious "Vitamin Z." He suddenly begins selling pudding like crazy and soon his political campaign is well-funded. Unfortunately, there is no "Vitamin Z" and when this is discovered, the town fathers try to dump him and show that he is a fake.
Filmography
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
as Officer (archive footage)
as edited from 'A Pair of Tights' (archive footage)
as archive footage
as Uncle Charlie
as Sweeney
as Edgar Kennedy (footage from 'I'll Build It Myself') (archive footage)
as Judd
as Jake the Bartender
as Edgar
as Edgar
as Captain Bullwinkle
as Edgar Kennedy
as Edgar
as Police Captain
as Bosun Higgins
as Insp. Mulrooney
as Edgar
as Judge
as Doc Hogan, Fight Promoter
as Nepomuk - the Hermit
as Joe Bledsoe
as Smiley Dugan
as Police Chief Murphy
as Mayor Moe Carson
as Kegs McKeever
as Warden Bingham
as Sgt. Ed Cooper
as Edgar
as Dr. Glenn
as Edgar Kennedy
as George Browning
as Cornelius Cornpone
as Fire Chief Galvin
as Sheriff Gregory
as Pops
as Chauncey
as George Browning
as Edgar
as Officer Rafferty
as Inspector Dailey
as Paper Hanger
as Joe Barton
as Lieutenant Miller
as Edgar
as Arthur Bailey
as Bugs Leary
as Daniel Webster Smith
as Sheriff Renick
as Callaghan
as Darsey
as Spike
as Police Lt. Garrison
as Pop Randall
as Mr. Basscombe
as Four Roles
as Harry, the Bartender
as Donovan
as Bicarbonate
as Edgar
as Sheriff
as Rudolf Hochstetter
as Captain Mack
as Sheriff Judd
as Edgar Kennedy
as Henry
as Police Officer McCarthy
as Onderdonk
as Sweeney
as Edgar Kennedy
as Willy 'Persimmon' Bates
as Counterman
as Mahoney
as O'Brien
as Jimmie Pierson
as Sgt. Buck Martin
as Edgar Kennedy
as Herman Wilson
as Officer Thurston
as Happy Moran
as Healy, Process Server
as Detective Donahue
as Herbert Green
as Oscar McGonigle
as Herbert - the Husband
as Guard (uncredited)
as Cop
as Street Vendor
as Edgar
as Judge
as Kelsey
as Ed Wimpy
as Windy
as Chairman - Peace Conference
as Edgar
as Sam Gilroy
as Officer Donovan
as Water Wagon Driver (uncredited)
as Daddy Warbucks
as Warden Elmer Jones
as Elmer
as Baldy
as Buffington-Doorman
as Cop (uncredited)
as Thelma's Last Rescuer
as Cop
as Howard J. Green
as Man in Phone Booth
as Night Club Patron
as Quimby the Lawyer
as Mary's Father / Gertie's Uncle
as Fiancee's Father
as Officer Kennedy
as Thelma's Father (uncredited)
as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
as Detective
as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
as Cicero the Cop
as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
as Station Master Kennedy (uncredited)
as Officer Kennedy
as 2nd Sailor
as Landlord
as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
as Diner's Owner
as Collis P. Kennedy
as SFPD Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
as Ed Eggers (uncredited)
as Policeman
as Uncle Edgar
as Orchestra Leader
as Officer Ed Kennedy
as Officer Kennedy
as Inspector Murch
as Marion's Boyfriend's Boss
as The Cop
as Motorist
as Golfer (uncredited)
as The Husband, Mr Glenders
as Cop (as Ed Kennedy)
as A Photographer
as The Cop
as Cop
as Maydorf
as Trayguard
as Chauffeur
as O.K. McDuff (as Ed Kennedy)
as Detective
as Corporal Austin
as Cpl. Ryan
as Bill Sproat
as Eric Johnson
as Gloomy Gus
as Gewilliker Hay
as Detective (as Edward Kennedy)
as Detective (uncredited)
as The Crook
as Tom Grady
as Dan O'Leary (as Ed Kennedy)
as Ptomaine Tommy
as Hank Hall
as Pete
as German Prison Guard (uncredited)
as Art Gallery Operator
as The Detective
as Edwin Rowley, Jr.
as Tony Peanutty - Italian Ward Leader
as Peter X. Bush - Streetcar Superintendent
as A City Chap
as Diamond Dan - Jim's Rival
as Edgar
as Shell Game Operator
as Suitor
as Fatty's Pal
as Cop
as Diner / Man in Audience (uncredited)
as Neighbor
as Handout-Giver (uncredited)
as 1st Street Crowd Participant (uncredited)
as The cafe waiter (uncredited)
as Restaurant Owner / Banks' Butler (uncredited)
as Café Proprietor
as Policeman (uncredited)
as The Slicker's Chauffeur
as Police Chief
as Policeman
as Striking Baker
as (uncredited)
as Tough Hot Dog Customer (uncredited)
as Cyclone Flynn (uncredited)
as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)
as Lover
as Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)
as Landlady's Husband (uncredited)
as Butler
as Tough Guy in Bar
as Dance Hall Manager (uncredited)
as Director (uncredited)
as Crook (uncredited)
as Wreck Bystander (uncredited)
as Rajah
as Cop (uncredited)
as Mustached Man
as Jealous Cop
as Water Policeman
as Laughing Spectator
as Audience Member / Cop in Movie
as Cop
as Cop
as 1st Cop
as 1st Crook
as The Cop
as Henchman
as 3rd Deputy
as Cop