Edgar Kennedy Photo

Edgar Kennedy

Acting

1.2 Popularity Apr 25, 1890 (58 years old) Monterey, California, USA

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 hi...

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.

Filmography 324

2024
1994
The Our Gang Story Movie

as Officer (archive footage)

1968
The Best of Laurel and Hardy Movie

as Officer Kennedy (archive footage)

1960
When Comedy Was King Movie

as edited from 'A Pair of Tights' (archive footage)

1957
The Golden Age of Comedy Movie

as archive footage

1949
My Dream Is Yours Movie

as Uncle Charlie

1948
Unfaithfully Yours Movie

as Sweeney

1948
Contest Crazy Movie

as Edgar

1948
Variety Time Movie

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

1948
Dig That Gold Movie

as Edgar Kennedy

1948
Brother Knows Best Movie

as Edgar Kennedy

1947
Heaven Only Knows Movie

as Judd

1947
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock Movie

as Jake the Bartender

1947
Do or Diet Movie

as Edgar

1946
I'll Build It Myself Movie

as Edgar

1946
Motor Maniacs Movie

as Edgar Kennedy

1946
Trouble or Nothing Movie

as Edgar

1945
Captain Tugboat Annie Movie

as Captain Bullwinkle

1945
The Big Beef Movie

as Edgar Kennedy

Photos 3

Edgar Kennedy Photo
Edgar Kennedy Photo
Edgar Kennedy Photo

Personal Details

Known For Acting
Gender Not specified
Birthday April 25, 1890 (58 years old)
Died November 09, 1948
Place of Birth Monterey, California, USA
Also Known As E. Livingston Kennedy, Ed. Kennedy, Edward Kennedy and 1 more
Years Active 1913 - 2024
Popularity 1.2
Career Stats
324 Total Credits
313 Movie Roles
3 Photos