Edgar Kennedy

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.

Acting

2024

Laurel & Hardy: Year Two
Movie

(archive footage) (uncredited)

1994

The Our Gang Story
Movie

Officer (archive footage)

1981

The Muppets Go to the Movies
Movie

Keystone Kop (archive footage) (uncredited)

1976

Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Movie

Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)

1968

The Best of Laurel and Hardy
Movie

Officer Kennedy (archive footage)

1960

When Comedy Was King
Movie

(archive footage) (uncredited)

1949

1948

Variety Time
Movie

Edgar Kennedy (footage from 'I'll Build It Myself') (archive footage)

1947

1945

Anchors Aweigh
Movie

Police Captain

1945

It's Your Move
Movie

Edgar Kennedy

1945

It's Your Move
Movie

Edgar Kennedy

1945

1944

1943

Hitler's Madman
Movie

Nepomuk - the Hermit

1943

1943

1942

Hillbilly Blitzkrieg
Movie

Sgt. Homer Gatling

1942

1942

1940

Li'l Abner
Movie

Cornelius Cornpone

1940

The Bride Wore Crutches
Movie

Police Captain McGuire

1940

Margie
Movie

Chauncey

1939

1938

1938

The Black Doll
Movie

Sheriff Renick

1937

1936

Three Men on a Horse
Movie

Harry, the Bartender

1936

1935

$1,000 a Minute
Movie

Police Officer McCarthy

1935

In Love at 40
Movie

Edgar Kennedy

1935

1934

Kid Millions
Movie

Herman Wilson

1934

We're Rich Again
Movie

Healy, Process Server

1934

1934

Twentieth Century
Movie

Oscar McGonigle

1933

Duck Soup
Movie

Street Vendor

1933

1933

Diplomaniacs
Movie

Chairman - Peace Conference

1933

1932

1932

Rockabye
Movie

Water Wagon Driver (uncredited)

1932

1931

Quick Millions
Movie

Cop (uncredited)

1930

Ladies Last
Movie

Man in Phone Booth

1930

Looser Than Loose
Movie

Night Club Patron

1930

Bigger and Better
Movie

Uncle Ed Sutton

1930

Dollar Dizzy
Movie

Quimby the Lawyer

1930

Doctor's Orders
Movie

Mary's Father / Gertie's Uncle

1930

Girl Shock
Movie

Fiancee's Father

1930

1930

All Teed Up
Movie

Thelma's Father (uncredited)

1930

The Real McCoy
Movie

Cicero the Cop

1930

The Head Guy
Movie

Station Master Kennedy (uncredited)

1930

1930

Night Owls
Movie

Officer Kennedy

1929

1929

Moan & Groan, Inc.
Movie

Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)

1929

Bacon Grabbers
Movie

Collis P. Kennedy

1929

Welcome Danger
Movie

SFPD Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

1929

1929

Perfect Day
Movie

Uncle Edgar

1929

1929

Trent's Last Case
Movie

Inspector Murch

1929

A Pair of Tights
Movie

Marion's Boyfriend's Boss

1928

1928

1928

The Finishing Touch
Movie

Cop (as Ed Kennedy)

1927

1927

Finger Prints
Movie

O.K. McDuff (as Ed Kennedy)

1926

The Better 'Ole
Movie

Corporal Austin

1925

The Trouble With Wives
Movie

Detective (as Edward Kennedy)

1924

The Battling Fool
Movie

Dan O'Leary (as Ed Kennedy)

1921

1921

1918

Watch Your Neighbor
Movie

An Innocent Bystander

1917

Whose Baby?
Movie

The Detective

1916

The Stolen Triumph
Movie

Edwin Rowley, Jr.

1916

Bombs!
Movie

Tony Peanutty - Italian Ward Leader

1916

His Bitter Pill
Movie

Diamond Dan - Jim's Rival

1915

Fatty’s Plucky Pup
Movie

Shell Game Operator

1915

That Little Band Of Gold
Movie

Diner / Man in Audience (uncredited)

1915

Fatty's New Role
Movie

Handout-Giver (uncredited)

1915

Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition
Movie

1st Street Crowd Participant (uncredited)

1915

Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day
Movie

The cafe waiter (uncredited)

1914

Tillie's Punctured Romance
Movie

Restaurant Owner / Banks' Butler (uncredited)

1914

1914

Getting Acquainted
Movie

Policeman (uncredited)

1914

1914

The Rounders
Movie

(uncredited)

1914

Mabel's Busy Day
Movie

Tough Hot Dog Customer (uncredited)

1914

The Knockout
Movie

Cyclone Flynn (uncredited)

1914

Caught in a Cabaret
Movie

Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)

1914

Mabel at the Wheel
Movie

Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)

1914

The Star Boarder
Movie

Landlady's Husband (uncredited)

1914

1914

Tango Tangles
Movie

Dance Hall Manager (uncredited)

1914

A Film Johnnie
Movie

Director (uncredited)

1914

A Thief Catcher
Movie

Crook (uncredited)

1914

Making a Living
Movie

Wreck Bystander (uncredited)

1913

The Gusher
Movie

Cop (uncredited)

1913

A Muddy Romance
Movie

Water Policeman

1913

The Speed Kings
Movie

Laughing Spectator

1913

The Bowling Match
Movie

Bowling Alley Operator

1913

Mabel's Dramatic Career
Movie

Audience Member / Cop in Movie

1913

Directing

Infos

Full Name
Edgar Kennedy
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
4/25/1890
Date of Death
11/9/1948
Also Known As

E. Livingston Kennedy

Ed. Kennedy

Edward Kennedy

Ed Kennedy