Edgar Kennedy
Edgar Kennedy
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.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
321
Gender
Male
Birthday
1890-04-25 (135 years old)
Place of Birth
Monterey, California, USA
Acting

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

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

1948

Brother Knows Best as Edgar Kennedy

1948

Dig That Gold as Edgar Kennedy

1948

Contest Crazy as Edgar

1947

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock as Jake the Bartender

1947

Heaven Only Knows as Judd

1947

Do or Diet as Edgar

1946

Trouble or Nothing as Edgar

1946

Motor Maniacs as Edgar Kennedy

1946

I'll Build It Myself as Edgar

1945

Anchors Aweigh as Police Captain

1945

Captain Tugboat Annie as Captain Bullwinkle

1945

The Big Beef as Edgar Kennedy

1945

It's Your Move as Edgar Kennedy

1945

You Drive Me Crazy as Edgar

1945

What, No Cigarettes as Edgar Kennedy

1944

It Happened Tomorrow as Insp. Mulrooney

1944

The Great Alaskan Mystery as Bosun Higgins

1944

Prunes and Politics as Edgar

1944

Feather Your Nest as Edgar

1944

Radio Rampage as Edgar

1943

Crazy House as Judge

1943

Hitler's Madman as Nepomuk - the Hermit

1943

The Falcon Strikes Back as Smiley Dugan

1943

Air Raid Wardens as Joe Bledsoe

1943

Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher as Police Chief Murphy

1943

The Girl from Monterrey as Doc Hogan, Fight Promoter

1943

Hot Foot as Edgar

1943

Hold Your Temper as Edgar

1943

Inferior Decorator as Edgar

1942

In Old California as Kegs McKeever

1942

Private Snuffy Smith as Sgt. Ed Cooper

1942

There's One Born Every Minute as Mayor Moe Carson

1942

Hillbilly Blitzkrieg as Sgt. Homer Gatling

1942

Pardon My Stripes as Warden Bingham

1942

Duck Soup as Edgar

1942

Cooks and Crooks as Edgar

1942

Rough on Rents as Edgar Kennedy

1941

Blondie in Society as Dr. Glenn

1941

I'll Fix It as Edgar

1941

Gangs Of The City as Biff

1941

An Apple in His Eye as Edgar Kennedy

1941

Westward Ho-Hum as Edgar

1941

A Quiet Fourth as Edgar

1940

Li'l Abner as Cornelius Cornpone

1940

Who Killed Aunt Maggie? as Sheriff Gregory

1940

Dr. Christian Meets the Women as George Browning

1940

The Quarterback as Pops

1940

Margie as Chauncey

1940

Sandy Gets Her Man as Fire Chief Galvin

1940

Remedy for Riches as George Browning

1940

Sunk by the Census as Edgar

1940

'Taint Legal as Edgar

1940

Sandy Is a Lady as Officer Rafferty

1940

Mutiny in the County as Edgar Kennedy

1940

Drafted in the Depot as Edgar Kennedy

1940

A Trailer Tragedy as Edgar Kennedy

1939

It's a Wonderful World as Lieutenant Miller

1939

Everything's on Ice as Joe Barton

1939

Charlie McCarthy, Detective as Inspector Dailey

1939

Laugh It Off as Judge John J. McGuinnis

1939

Little Accident as Paper Hanger

1939

Clock Wise as Edgar

1939

Baby Daze as Edgar Kennedy

1939

Kennedy the Great as Edgar Kennedy

1939

Maid to Order as Edgar

1938

Hollywood Hotel as Callaghan

1938

Scandal Street as Daniel Webster Smith

1938

Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus as Arthur Bailey

1938

Hey! Hey! USA as Bugs Leary

1938

The Black Doll as Sheriff Renick

1938

Ears of Experience as Edgar

1938

Beaux and Errors as Edgar Kennedy

1938

A Clean Sweep as Edgar

1937

A Star Is Born as Pop Randall

1937

True Confession as Darsey

1937

When's Your Birthday? as Mr. Basscombe

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

Edgar & Goliath as Edgar

1937

The Other Fellow as Four Roles

1937

Bad Housekeeping as Edgar

1936

San Francisco as Sheriff

1936

Yours for the Asking as Bicarbonate

1936

Small Town Girl as Captain Mack

1936

Robin Hood of El Dorado as Sheriff Judd

1936

Mad Holiday as Donovan

1936

Fatal Lady as Rudolf Hochstetter

1936

Dummy Ache as Edgar

1936

Three Men on a Horse as Harry, the Bartender

1936

Will Power as Edgar Kennedy

1936

Gasoloons as Edgar Kennedy

1936

Vocalizing as Edgar Kennedy

1935

Woman Wanted as Sweeney

1935

Little Big Shot as Onderdonk

1935

The Bride Comes Home as Henry

1935

$1,000 a Minute as Police Officer McCarthy

1935

Living on Velvet as Counterman

1935

Brick-a-Brac as Edgar

1935

A Night at the Biltmore Bowl as Edgar Kennedy

1935

The Cowboy Millionaire as Willy 'Persimmon' Bates

1935

In Love at 40 as Edgar Kennedy

1935

Rendezvous at Midnight as Mahoney

1935

Edgar Hamlet as Edgar

1934

Flirting with Danger as Jimmie Pierson

1934

Twentieth Century as Oscar McGonigle

1934

Kid Millions as Herman Wilson

1934

We're Rich Again as Healy, Process Server

1934

All of Me as Guard (uncredited)

1934

Heat Lightning as Herbert - the Husband

1934

Murder on the Blackboard as Detective Donahue

1934

The Marines Are Coming as Sgt. Buck Martin

1934

Money Means Nothing as Herbert Green

1934

King Kelly of the U.S.A. as Happy Moran

1934

The Silver Streak as O'Brien

1934

Gridiron Flash as Officer Thurston

1934

Love on a Ladder as Edgar

1934

Poisoned Ivory as Edgar Kennedy

1934

Wrong Direction as Edgar, Movie Director

1934

A Blasted Event as Not available

1933

Duck Soup as Street Vendor

1933

King for a Night as Cop

1933

Professional Sweetheart as Tim Kelsey

1933

Son of the Border as Windy

1933

Scarlet River as Sam Gilroy

1933

Diplomaniacs as Chairman - Peace Conference

1933

Cross Fire as Ed Wimpy

1933

Tillie and Gus as Judge

1933

What Fur as Edgar

1933

Quiet Please! as Edgar Kennedy

1933

Art in the Raw as Not available

1933

Good Housewrecking as Not available

1933

A Merchant of Menace as Edgar

1932

The Penguin Pool Murder as Officer Donovan

1932

Carnival Boat as Baldy

1932

Rockabye as Water Wagon Driver (uncredited)

1932

Hold 'Em Jail as Warden Elmer Jones

1932

Westward Passage as Elmer

1932

Little Orphan Annie as Daddy Warbucks

1932

Fish Feathers as Edgar Kennedy

1932

Giggle Water as Edgar

1932

He's a Honey as Not available

1932

Now's the Time as Not available

1931

Quick Millions as Cop (uncredited)

1931

Bad Company as Buffington-Doorman

1931

Love Fever as Thelma's Last Rescuer

1931

Next Door Neighbors as Howard J. Green

1931

High Gear as Cop

1931

Help Wanted, Female as Not available

1930

When the Wind Blows as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)

1930

Girl Shock as Fiancee's Father

1930

All Teed Up as Thelma's Father

1930

Dollar Dizzy as Quimby the Lawyer

1930

Night Owls as Officer Kennedy

1930

The First Seven Years as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)

1930

Shivering Shakespeare as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)

1930

Fifty Million Husbands as Officer Kennedy

1930

Thieves as Not available

1930

Doctor's Orders as Mary's Father / Gertie's Uncle

1930

Bigger and Better as Uncle Ed Sutton

1930

The Head Guy as Station Master Kennedy (uncredited)

1930

Ladies Last as Man in Phone Booth

1930

The Real McCoy as Cicero the Cop

1930

Looser Than Loose as Night Club Patron

1930

The Ghosts as Kennedy

1930

The Big Kick as Detective

1930

The Gas Station as Detective

1929

They Had to See Paris as Ed Eggers (uncredited)

1929

Welcome Danger as SFPD Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

1929

Trent's Last Case as Inspector Murch

1929

Unaccustomed as We Are as Officer Kennedy

1929

Perfect Day as Uncle Edgar

1929

Angora Love as Landlord

1929

Stepping Out as Diner's Owner

1929

Moan & Groan, Inc. as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)

1929

Crazy Feet as Policeman

1929

Bacon Grabbers as Collis P. Kennedy

1929

A Pair of Tights as Marion's Boyfriend's Boss

1929

Great Gobs! as 2nd Sailor

1929

Madame Q as Judge Kennedy

1929

The Big Squawk as Orchestra Leader

1929

Hurdy Gurdy as Officer Ed Kennedy

1929

Going Ga-Ga as Cop

1929

Why Is a Plumber? as Not available

1929

Hotter Than Hot as Not available

1929

Dad's Day as Michael Kennedy

1929

Off to Buffalo as Not available

1928

Two Tars as Motorist

1928

Should Married Men Go Home? as Golfer (uncredited)

1928

The Family Group as A Photographer

1928

The Fight Pest as Not available

1928

Chasing Husbands as Not available

1928

The Finishing Touch as Cop (as Ed Kennedy)

1928

The Booster as Not available

1928

Limousine Love as The Husband, Mr Glenders

1928

Dumb Daddies as The Cop

1928

Is Everybody Happy? as Not available

1928

All Parts as Not available

1928

The Boy Friend as The Cop

1928

Leave 'Em Laughing as Cop

1928

Feed 'em and Weep as Not available

1928

Imagine My Embarrassment as Not available

1927

Finger Prints as O.K. McDuff (as Ed Kennedy)

1927

The Chinese Parrot as Maydorf

1927

The Wrong Mr. Wright as Trayguard

1926

Across the Pacific as Cpl. Ryan

1926

The Better 'Ole as Corporal Austin

1926

My Old Dutch as Bill Sproat

1926

Going Crooked as Detective

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

All's Swell on the Ocean as Not available

1924

Racing for Life as Tom Grady

1924

Wall Street Blues as The Crook

1924

The Night Message as Lem Beeman

1924

The Battling Fool as Dan O'Leary (as Ed Kennedy)

1923

The Wandering Two as Not available

1923

Something for Nothing as Ptomaine Tommy

1923

The Little Girl Next Door as Hank Hall

1922

High and Dry as Not available

1921

Puppets of Fate as Mike Reynolds

1921

The Guide as An American Tourist

1920

The Adventures of Daredevil Jack as Not available

1920

Four Times Foiled as Not available

1919

Hearts and Flowers as Pete

1919

Yankee Doodle in Berlin as German Prison Guard (uncredited)

1918

She Loved Him Plenty as Not available

1917

Whose Baby? as The Detective

1917

The Late Lamented as Art Gallery Operator

1916

His Bitter Pill as Diamond Dan - Jim's Rival

1916

The Stolen Triumph as Edwin Rowley, Jr.

1916

Madcap Ambrose as A City Chap

1916

Bombs! as Tony Peanutty - Italian Ward Leader

1916

A Scoundrel's Toll as Peter X. Bush - Streetcar Superintendent

1915

Wished on Mabel as Cop

1915

Fatty's New Role as Handout-Giver (uncredited)

1915

Fatty’s Plucky Pup as Shell Game Operator

1915

That Little Band Of Gold as Diner / Man in Audience (uncredited)

1915

Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day as The cafe waiter (uncredited)

1915

Mabel’s Wilful Way as Fatty's Pal

1915

Fatty’s Reckless Fling as Neighbor

1915

The Great Vacuum Robbery as 2nd Thief

1915

Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition as 1st Street Crowd Participant (uncredited)

1915

His Luckless Love as The Maid's Boyfriend

1914

Tillie's Punctured Romance as Restaurant Owner / Banks' Butler (uncredited)

1914

Caught in a Cabaret as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)

1914

Tango Tangles as Dance Hall Manager (uncredited)

1914

Making a Living as Wreck Bystander (uncredited)

1914

Mabel at the Wheel as Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)

1914

A Film Johnnie as Director (uncredited)

1914

The Star Boarder as Landlady's Husband (uncredited)

1914

Getting Acquainted as Policeman (uncredited)

1914

His Favorite Pastime as Tough Guy in Bar

1914

The Knockout as Cyclone Flynn (uncredited)

1914

'Curses!' They Remarked as Ethel's Former Boyfriend

1914

Gentlemen of Nerve as Policeman

1914

A Thief Catcher as Crook (uncredited)

1914

Mabel's Busy Day as Tough Hot Dog Customer (uncredited)

1914

The Rounders as (uncredited)

1914

Leading Lizzie Astray as The Slicker's Chauffeur

1914

The Noise of Bombs as Police Chief

1914

Dough and Dynamite as Striking Baker

1914

Cruel, Cruel Love as Butler

1914

Ambrose's First Falsehood as Café Proprietor

1914

A Flirt's Mistake as Rajah

1914

A Bath House Beauty as Jealous Boyfriend

1914

Love and Bullets as The Trouble Mender

1914

He Loved the Ladies as The Wife's Brother

1914

The Love Thief as The Rival

1914

The Sky Pirate as The Sky Pirate

1914

Rebecca's Wedding Day as The Groom

1914

Little Billy's Triumph as Not available

1914

An Incompetent Hero as Fatty's Neighbor

1913

Safe in Jail as 1st Crook

1913

Bangville Police as 3rd Deputy

1913

The Speed Kings as Laughing Spectator

1913

Peeping Pete as The Cop

1913

Their First Execution as Not available

1913

A Muddy Romance as Water Policeman

1913

Rastus and the Game Cock as Spectator

1913

The Riot as Cop

1913

Fatty Joins the Force as Jealous Cop

1913

A Noise from the Deep as Not available

1913

Mabel's Dramatic Career as Audience Member / Cop in Movie

1913

Love and Rubbish as 1st Cop

1913

Mabel's New Hero as Cop

1913

The Gusher as Cop (uncredited)

1913

The Gangsters as Henchman

1913

A Quiet Little Wedding as Wedding Guest

1913

Mother's Boy as Mug

1913

Zuzu, the Band Leader as Caesar - Zuzu's Rival

1913

Mabel’s Awful Mistakes as Not available

1913

A Ride for a Bride as Mustached Man

1913

Algy on the Force as Cop

1913

The Bowling Match as Bowling Alley Operator
Crew

1930

Bigger and Better Director

1930

The golf player Director

1930

The golfer Director

1930

All Teed Up Director

1928

You're Darn Tootin' Director

1928

From Soup to Nuts Director

1925

The Marriage Circus Director

1924

Three Foolish Weeks Director

1922

Step Lively, Please Director