Edgar Kennedy
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.
Known For
Credits
- 1994 · The Our Gang Story as Officer (archive footage)
- 1968 · The Best of Laurel and Hardy as Officer Kennedy (archive footage)
- 1960 · When Comedy Was King as edited from 'A Pair of Tights' (archive footage)
- 1957 · The Golden Age of Comedy as archive footage
- 1949 · My Dream Is Yours as Uncle Charlie
- 1948 · Unfaithfully Yours as Sweeney
- 1948 · Contest Crazy as Edgar
- 1948 · Variety Time as Edgar Kennedy (footage from 'I'll Build It Myself') (archive footage)
- 1948 · Dig That Gold as Edgar Kennedy
- 1948 · Brother Knows Best as Edgar Kennedy
- 1947 · Heaven Only Knows as Judd
- 1947 · The Sin of Harold Diddlebock as Jake the Bartender
- 1947 · Do or Diet as Edgar
- 1946 · I'll Build It Myself as Edgar
- 1946 · Motor Maniacs as Edgar Kennedy
- 1946 · Trouble or Nothing as Edgar
- 1945 · Captain Tugboat Annie as Captain Bullwinkle
- 1945 · The Big Beef as Edgar Kennedy
- 1945 · You Drive Me Crazy as Edgar
- 1945 · Anchors Aweigh as Police Captain
- 1945 · It's Your Move as Edgar Kennedy
- 1945 · What, No Cigarettes as Edgar Kennedy
- 1944 · Feather Your Nest as Edgar
- 1944 · The Great Alaskan Mystery as Bosun Higgins
- 1944 · It Happened Tomorrow as Insp. Mulrooney
- 1944 · Radio Rampage as Edgar
- 1944 · Prunes and Politics as Edgar
- 1943 · Crazy House as Judge
- 1943 · The Girl from Monterrey as Doc Hogan, Fight Promoter
- 1943 · Hitler's Madman as Nepomuk - the Hermit
- 1943 · Hot Foot as Edgar
- 1943 · Inferior Decorator as Edgar
- 1943 · Air Raid Wardens as Joe Bledsoe
- 1943 · The Falcon Strikes Back as Smiley Dugan
- 1943 · Hold Your Temper as Edgar
- 1943 · Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher as Police Chief Murphy
- 1942 · Duck Soup as Edgar
- 1942 · Hillbilly Blitzkrieg as Sgt. Homer Gatling
- 1942 · There's One Born Every Minute as Mayor Moe Carson
- 1942 · Cooks and Crooks as Edgar
- 1942 · In Old California as Kegs McKeever
- 1942 · Pardon My Stripes as Warden Bingham
- 1942 · Private Snuffy Smith as Sgt. Ed Cooper
- 1942 · Rough on Rents as Edgar Kennedy
- 1941 · A Quiet Fourth as Edgar
- 1941 · Gangs Of The City as Biff
- 1941 · I'll Fix It as Edgar
- 1941 · Westward Ho-Hum as Edgar
- 1941 · Blondie in Society as Dr. Glenn
- 1941 · An Apple in His Eye as Edgar Kennedy
- 1940 · Drafted in the Depot as Edgar Kennedy
- 1940 · Remedy for Riches as George Browning
- 1940 · Li'l Abner as Cornelius Cornpone
- 1940 · Sandy Gets Her Man as Fire Chief Galvin
- 1940 · Who Killed Aunt Maggie? as Sheriff Gregory
- 1940 · A Trailer Tragedy as Edgar Kennedy
- 1940 · The Quarterback as Pops
- 1940 · Margie as Chauncey
- 1940 · Sunk by the Census as Edgar
- 1940 · Dr. Christian Meets the Women as George Browning
- 1940 · 'Taint Legal as Edgar
- 1940 · Sandy Is a Lady as Officer Rafferty
- 1940 · Mutiny in the County as Edgar Kennedy
- 1939 · Charlie McCarthy, Detective as Inspector Dailey
- 1939 · Kennedy the Great as Edgar Kennedy
- 1939 · Laugh It Off as Judge John J. McGuinnis
- 1939 · Little Accident as Paper Hanger
- 1939 · Everything's on Ice as Joe Barton
- 1939 · Maid to Order as Edgar
- 1939 · It's a Wonderful World as Lieutenant Miller
- 1939 · Baby Daze as Edgar Kennedy
- 1939 · Clock Wise as Edgar
- 1938 · Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus as Arthur Bailey
- 1938 · A Clean Sweep as Edgar
- 1938 · Beaux and Errors as Edgar Kennedy
- 1938 · Hey! Hey! USA as Bugs Leary
- 1938 · Scandal Street as Daniel Webster Smith
- 1938 · The Black Doll as Sheriff Renick
- 1938 · Ears of Experience as Edgar
- 1938 · Hollywood Hotel as Callaghan
- 1937 · True Confession as Darsey
- 1937 · Edgar & Goliath as Edgar
- 1937 · Double Wedding as Spike
- 1937 · Tramp Trouble as Edgar
- 1937 · Super-Sleuth as Police Lt. Garrison
- 1937 · Dumb's the Word as Edgar Kennedy
- 1937 · A Star Is Born as Pop Randall
- 1937 · Bad Housekeeping as Edgar
- 1937 · When's Your Birthday? as Mr. Basscombe
- 1937 · The Other Fellow as Four Roles
- 1936 · Three Men on a Horse as Harry, the Bartender
- 1936 · Mad Holiday as Donovan
- 1936 · Vocalizing as Edgar Kennedy
- 1936 · Yours for the Asking as Bicarbonate
- 1936 · Dummy Ache as Edgar
- 1936 · San Francisco as Sheriff
- 1936 · Fatal Lady as Rudolf Hochstetter
- 1936 · Small Town Girl as Captain Mack
- 1936 · Robin Hood of El Dorado as Sheriff Judd
- 1936 · Will Power as Edgar Kennedy
- 1936 · Gasoloons as Edgar Kennedy
- 1935 · The Bride Comes Home as Henry
- 1935 · $1,000 a Minute as Police Officer McCarthy
- 1935 · Little Big Shot as Onderdonk
- 1935 · In Love at 40 as Edgar Kennedy
- 1935 · Woman Wanted as Sweeney
- 1935 · Edgar Hamlet as Edgar
- 1935 · A Night at the Biltmore Bowl as Edgar Kennedy
- 1935 · The Cowboy Millionaire as Willy 'Persimmon' Bates
- 1935 · Living on Velvet as Counterman
- 1935 · Rendezvous at Midnight as Mahoney
- 1935 · Brick-a-Brac as Edgar
- 1934 · The Silver Streak as O'Brien
- 1934 · Flirting with Danger as Jimmie Pierson
- 1934 · The Marines Are Coming as Sgt. Buck Martin
- 1934 · Poisoned Ivory as Edgar Kennedy
- 1934 · Kid Millions as Herman Wilson
- 1934 · Gridiron Flash as Officer Thurston
- 1934 · King Kelly of the U.S.A. as Happy Moran
- 1934 · A Blasted Event as
- 1934 · We're Rich Again as Healy, Process Server
- 1934 · Murder on the Blackboard as Detective Donahue
- 1934 · Money Means Nothing as Herbert Green
- 1934 · Wrong Direction as Edgar, Movie Director
- 1934 · Twentieth Century as Oscar McGonigle
- 1934 · Love on a Ladder as Edgar
- 1934 · Heat Lightning as Herbert - the Husband
- 1934 · All of Me as Guard (uncredited)
- 1933 · King for a Night as Cop
- 1933 · Duck Soup as Street Vendor
- 1933 · What Fur as Edgar
- 1933 · Tillie and Gus as Judge
- 1933 · Quiet Please! as Edgar Kennedy
- 1933 · Good Housewrecking as
- 1933 · Professional Sweetheart as Tim Kelsey
- 1933 · Cross Fire as Ed Wimpy
- 1933 · Son of the Border as Windy
- 1933 · Diplomaniacs as Chairman - Peace Conference
- 1933 · A Merchant of Menace as Edgar
- 1933 · Scarlet River as Sam Gilroy
- 1933 · Art in the Raw as
- 1932 · Fish Feathers as Edgar Kennedy
- 1932 · Penguin Pool Murder as Officer Donovan
- 1932 · Rockabye as Water Wagon Driver (uncredited)
- 1932 · Little Orphan Annie as Daddy Warbucks
- 1932 · Hold 'Em Jail as Warden Elmer Jones
- 1932 · Giggle Water as Edgar
- 1932 · Now's the Time as
- 1932 · Westward Passage as Elmer
- 1932 · He's a Honey as
- 1932 · Carnival Boat as Baldy
- 1931 · Bad Company as Buffington-Doorman
- 1931 · Quick Millions as Cop (uncredited)
- 1931 · Love Fever as Thelma's Last Rescuer
- 1931 · High Gear as Cop
- 1931 · Next Door Neighbors as Howard J. Green
- 1931 · Help Wanted, Female as
- 1930 · Ladies Last as Man in Phone Booth
- 1930 · Looser Than Loose as Night Club Patron
- 1930 · Moonlight and Monkey Business as Detective
- 1930 · Bigger and Better as Uncle Ed Sutton
- 1930 · Dollar Dizzy as Quimby the Lawyer
- 1930 · Doctor's Orders as Mary's Father / Gertie's Uncle
- 1930 · Girl Shock as Fiancee's Father
- 1930 · Fifty Million Husbands as Officer Kennedy
- 1930 · All Teed Up as Thelma's Father
- 1930 · When the Wind Blows as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
- 1930 · The Ghosts as Kennedy
- 1930 · The Big Kick as Detective
- 1930 · The Gas Station as Detective
- 1930 · The First Seven Years as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
- 1930 · The Real McCoy as Cicero the Cop
- 1930 · Shivering Shakespeare as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
- 1930 · The Head Guy as Station Master Kennedy (uncredited)
- 1930 · Thieves as
- 1930 · Night Owls as Officer Kennedy
- 1929 · Great Gobs! as 2nd Sailor
- 1929 · Angora Love as Landlord
- 1929 · Moan & Groan, Inc. as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
- 1929 · Stepping Out as Diner's Owner
- 1929 · Bacon Grabbers as Collis P. Kennedy
- 1929 · Welcome Danger as SFPD Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
- 1929 · They Had to See Paris as Ed Eggers
- 1929 · Crazy Feet as Policeman
- 1929 · Hotter Than Hot as
- 1929 · Perfect Day as Uncle Edgar
- 1929 · Dad's Day as Michael Kennedy
- 1929 · Madame Q as Judge Kennedy
- 1929 · The Big Squawk as Orchestra Leader
- 1929 · Hurdy Gurdy as Officer Ed Kennedy
- 1929 · Unaccustomed as We Are as Officer Kennedy
- 1929 · Trent's Last Case as Inspector Murch
- 1929 · Why Is a Plumber? as
- 1929 · Off to Buffalo as
- 1929 · A Pair of Tights as Marion's Boyfriend's Boss
- 1929 · Going Ga-Ga as Cop
- 1928 · Chasing Husbands as
- 1928 · Feed 'em and Weep as
- 1928 · The Booster as
- 1928 · The Boy Friend as The Cop
- 1928 · Two Tars as Motorist
- 1928 · All Parts as
- 1928 · Is Everybody Happy? as
- 1928 · Should Married Men Go Home? as Golfer (uncredited)
- 1928 · Imagine My Embarrassment as
- 1928 · The Fight Pest as
- 1928 · Limousine Love as The Husband, Mr Glenders
- 1928 · The Finishing Touch as Cop (as Ed Kennedy)
- 1928 · The Family Group as A Photographer
- 1928 · Dumb Daddies as The Cop
- 1928 · Leave 'Em Laughing as Cop
- 1927 · The Chinese Parrot as Maydorf
- 1927 · The Wrong Mr. Wright as Trayguard
- 1927 · Finger Prints as O.K. McDuff (as Ed Kennedy)
- 1926 · Going Crooked as Detective
- 1926 · The Better 'Ole as Corporal Austin
- 1926 · Across the Pacific as Cpl. Ryan
- 1926 · My Old Dutch as Bill Sproat
- 1926 · Oh! What a Nurse! as Eric Johnson
- 1925 · The Golden Princess as Gewilliker Hay
- 1925 · The Trouble With Wives as Detective (as Edward Kennedy)
- 1925 · Paths to Paradise as Detective (uncredited)
- 1924 · Wall Street Blues as The Crook
- 1924 · Racing for Life as Tom Grady
- 1924 · The Battling Fool as Dan O'Leary (as Ed Kennedy)
- 1923 · Something for Nothing as Ptomaine Tommy
- 1923 · The Wandering Two as
- 1923 · The Little Girl Next Door as Hank Hall
- 1922 · High and Dry as
- 1921 · The Guide as An American Tourist
- 1921 · Puppets of Fate as Mike Reynolds
- 1920 · The Adventures of Daredevil Jack as
- 1920 · Four Times Foiled as
- 1919 · Hearts and Flowers as Pete
- 1919 · Yankee Doodle in Berlin as German Prison Guard (uncredited)
- 1918 · She Loved Him Plenty as
- 1917 · The Late Lamented as Art Gallery Operator
- 1917 · Whose Baby? as The Detective
- 1916 · Bombs! as Tony Peanutty - Italian Ward Leader
- 1916 · A Scoundrel's Toll as Peter X. Bush - Streetcar Superintendent
- 1916 · Madcap Ambrose as A City Chap
- 1916 · His Bitter Pill as Diamond Dan - Jim's Rival
- 1915 · Fatty's Tintype Tangle as Edgar
- 1915 · Fatty’s Plucky Pup as Shell Game Operator
- 1915 · Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers as Suitor
- 1915 · Mabel’s Wilful Way as Fatty's Pal
- 1915 · Wished on Mabel as Cop
- 1915 · His Luckless Love as The Maid's Boyfriend
- 1915 · That Little Band Of Gold as Diner / Man in Audience (uncredited)
- 1915 · Fatty’s Reckless Fling as Neighbor
- 1915 · Fatty's New Role as Handout-Giver (uncredited)
- 1915 · Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition as 1st Street Crowd Participant (uncredited)
- 1915 · Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day as The cafe waiter (uncredited)
- 1915 · The Great Vacuum Robbery as 2nd Thief
- 1914 · Tillie's Punctured Romance as Restaurant Owner / Banks' Butler (uncredited)
- 1914 · Ambrose's First Falsehood as Café Proprietor
- 1914 · Getting Acquainted as Policeman (uncredited)
- 1914 · Leading Lizzie Astray as The Slicker's Chauffeur
- 1914 · The Noise of Bombs as Police Chief
- 1914 · An Incompetent Hero as Fatty's Neighbor
- 1914 · 'Curses!' They Remarked as Ethel's Former Boyfriend
- 1914 · Gentlemen of Nerve as Policeman
- 1914 · Dough and Dynamite as Striking Baker
- 1914 · The Love Thief as The Rival
- 1914 · He Loved the Ladies as The Wife's Brother
- 1914 · The Rounders as (uncredited)
- 1914 · The Sky Pirate as The Sky Pirate
- 1914 · Love and Bullets as The Trouble Mender
- 1914 · Mabel's Busy Day as Tough Hot Dog Customer (uncredited)
- 1914 · The Knockout as Cyclone Flynn (uncredited)
- 1914 · Caught in a Cabaret as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)
- 1914 · Twenty Minutes of Love as Lover
- 1914 · Mabel at the Wheel as Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)
- 1914 · A Bath House Beauty as Jealous Boyfriend
- 1914 · The Star Boarder as Landlady's Husband (uncredited)
- 1914 · Cruel, Cruel Love as Butler
- 1914 · His Favorite Pastime as Tough Guy in Bar
- 1914 · Tango Tangles as Dance Hall Manager (uncredited)
- 1914 · A Film Johnnie as Director (uncredited)
- 1914 · A Thief Catcher as Crook (uncredited)
- 1914 · Making a Living as Wreck Bystander (uncredited)
- 1914 · Little Billy's Triumph as
- 1914 · Rebecca's Wedding Day as The Groom
- 1914 · In the Clutches of the Gang as Cop
- 1914 · A Flirt's Mistake as Rajah
- 1913 · Zuzu, the Band Leader as Caesar - Zuzu's Rival
- 1913 · The Gusher as Cop (uncredited)
- 1913 · A Ride for a Bride as Mustached Man
- 1913 · Fatty Joins the Force as Jealous Cop
- 1913 · A Muddy Romance as Water Policeman
- 1913 · The Speed Kings as Laughing Spectator
- 1913 · A Quiet Little Wedding as Wedding Guest
- 1913 · The Bowling Match as Bowling Alley Operator
- 1913 · Mother's Boy as Mug
- 1913 · Mabel's Dramatic Career as Audience Member / Cop in Movie
- 1913 · Mabel's New Hero as Cop
- 1913 · The Riot as Cop
- 1913 · A Noise from the Deep as
- 1913 · Love and Rubbish as 1st Cop
- 1913 · Safe in Jail as 1st Crook
- 1913 · Rastus and the Game Cock as Spectator
- 1913 · Peeping Pete as The Cop
- 1913 · The Gangsters as Henchman
- 1913 · Their First Execution as
- 1913 · Mabel’s Awful Mistakes as
- 1913 · Algy on the Force as Cop
- 1913 · Bangville Police as 3rd Deputy
- 1913 · The Rural Third Degree as Cop