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