Born: February 17, 1914 – Died: January 5, 1990
Arthur Kennedy, an esteemed character actor in American cinema from the late 1940s through the early 1960s, left an indelible mark on the film industry. Born to a dentist and his wife in Worcester, Massachusetts, Kennedy, known as "Johnny" among friends, showed early promise in drama. His educational journey in drama began at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. Kennedy's first foray into professional acting was with the Globe Theatre Company, touring the Midwest with Shakespearian plays.
Early Life and Career
His career trajectory took a significant turn when he joined a repertory company and appeared in Broadway's production of "Richard II" in 1937. Kennedy's Broadway debut in "Everywhere I Roam" in 1938 coincided with his marriage to Mary Cheffey. His talent shone in other Broadway productions like "Life and Death of an American" (1939) and "An International Incident" (1940).
Kennedy's film career gained momentum post-1949, with him garnering one Best Actor and four Best Supporting Academy Award nominations between 1949 and 1959. His portrayal of Biff in Elia Kazan's production of "Death of a Salesman" is particularly notable. Despite not reprising this role on screen, he remained a highly respected figure in Hollywood.
Kennedy's career was briefly interrupted by his service in World War Two. Post-war, he returned to Broadway, gaining acclaim in plays like "All My Sons" and "The Crucible." He distinguished himself in film with roles in "Bright Victory" (1951), for which he won the New York Film Critics Circle award, and Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
In his personal life, Kennedy was devoted to his wife, Mary, until her death in 1975, and they had two children.
Kennedy's influence on Hollywood is profound. His ability to bring depth and nuance to a wide range of characters earned him the reputation of an actor's actor. His legacy endures, not just in the characters he portrayed but in the integrity and skill he brought to his craft, making him a true icon in the entertainment industry.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Grandpa | Unknown |
| 1989 | I figli del vento (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1989 | Signs of Life | Owen Coughlin |
| 1979 | The Humanoid | Dr. Kraspin |
| 1978 | Covert Action | Maxwell |
| 1978 | Dirty World | Senator Merelli |
| 1978 | Cyclone | The Priest |
| 1978 | Cave of the Sharks | Mr. Jackson |
| 1978 | Gli ultimi angeli | Il nonno |
| 1977 | Nine Guests for a Crime | Uberto |
| 1977 | The Sentinel | Monsignor Franchino |
| 1976 | Emmanuelle on Taboo Island | Antonio |
| 1976 | As of Tomorrow | Mike Jannacone |
| 1976 | The Tough Ones | Vice-Commissioner Ruini |
| 1975 | La polizia ha le mani legate | Armando Di Federico |
| 1974 | Nakia (TV Series) | Sheriff Sam Jericho |
| 1974 | The Antichrist | Bishop Ascanio Oderisi |
| 1974 | Let Sleeping Corpses Lie | The Inspector |
| 1974 | The Man from Independence (TV Movie) | Tom Pendergast |
| 1973 | The President's Plane Is Missing (TV Movie) | Gunther Damon |
| 1973 | Ricco | Don Vito |
| 1973 | Baciamo le mani | Don Angelino Ferrante |
| 1972 | Crawlspace (TV Movie) | Albert Graves |
| 1971 | A Death of Innocence (TV Movie) | Mark Hirsch |
| 1971 | My Old Man's Place | Walter Pell |
| 1970 | The Movie Murderer (TV Movie) | Angus MacGregor |
| 1969 | Shark | Doc |
| 1969 | CBS Playhouse (TV Series) | Rome |
| 1969 | Hail, Hero! | Albert Dixon |
| 1968 | Anzio | Maj. Gen. Jack Lesley |
| 1968 | Day of the Evil Gun | Owen Forbes |
| 1967 | A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die | Tuscosa Marshal Roy W. Colby |
| 1967 | Monday's Child | Peter Richardson |
| 1966 | ABC Stage 67 (TV Series) | Narrator | Lieutenant Hammond |
| 1966 | Fantastic Voyage | Dr. Duval |
| 1966 | Nevada Smith | Bill Bowdre |
| 1965 | Joy in the Morning | Patrick Brown |
| 1965 | Murieta! | Capt. Love |
| 1964 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV Series) | Keith Hollands |
| 1964 | Cheyenne Autumn | Doc Holliday |
| 1964 | Italiani brava gente | Ferro Maria Ferri |
| 1962–1964 | The DuPont Show of the Week (TV Series) | Colin Ryan | Hans Maasdijk |
| 1964 | Suspense (TV Series) | Sgt. Mike Kenny |
| 1964 | Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) | Dr. Walter Meade Taylor |
| 1963 | Espionage (TV Series) | Ed Pierce |
| 1962 | *Lawrence of Arabia* | Jackson Bentley |
| 1962 | Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man | Dr. Henry Adams |
| 1961 | Barabbas | Pontius Pilate |
| 1961 | Alcoa Premiere (TV Series) | Dr. Harry A. Wilmer |
| 1961 | Murder She Said | Dr. Quimper |
| 1961 | Claudelle Inglish | Clyde Inglish |
| 1959–1960 | Our American Heritage (TV Series) | Alexander Hamilton |
| 1960 | Sunday Showcase (TV Series) | Alexander Hamilton |
| 1960 | Elmer Gantry | Jim Lefferts |
| 1960 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) | Paul Heller |
| 1960 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) | Whitney Barton |
| 1959 | A Summer Place | Bart Hunter |
| 1959 | Home Is the Hero | Willie O'Reilly |
| 1959 | The Ten Commandments (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1959 | Zane Grey Theatre (TV Series) | Sam Carter |
| 1958 | Rendezvous (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1958 | Some Came Running | Frank Hirsh |
| 1958 | Twilight for the Gods | First Mate Ramsay |
| 1957 | Peyton Place | Lucas Cross |
| 1956 | Ethel Barrymore Theater (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1956 | The Rawhide Years | Rick Harper |
| 1955 | Trial | Barney |
| 1955 | The Desperate Hours | Deputy Sheriff Jesse Bard |
| 1955 | The Naked Dawn | Santiago |
| 1955 | The Man from Laramie | Vic Hansbro |
| 1955 | Crashout | Joe Quinn |
| 1954 | Impulse | Alan Curtis |
| 1954 | The Ford Television Theatre (TV Series) | Larry Morton |
| 1952 | The Lusty Men | Wes Merritt |
| 1952 | The Girl in White | Dr. Ben Barringer |
| 1952 | Rancho Notorious | Vern Haskell |
| 1952 | Bend of the River | Emerson Cole |
| 1951 | Red Mountain | Lane Waldron |
| 1951 | Bright Victory | Larry Nevins |
| 1950 | The Glass Menagerie | Tom Wingfield |
| 1949 | Chicago Deadline | Tommy Ditman |
| 1949 | Too Late for Tears | Alan Palmer |
| 1949 | The Window | Ed Woodry |
| 1949 | Champion | Connie Kelly |
| 1949 | The Walking Hills | Chalk |
| 1947 | Cheyenne | The Sundance Kid |
| 1947 | Boomerang! | John Waldron |
| 1946 | It's Your America (Short) | Soldier | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1946 | Devotion | Branwell Brontë |
| 1945 | Target - Invisible (Short) | AIr Force Officer | Narrator (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Time to Kill (Short) | Narrator (voice, uncredited) |
| 1944 | Ditch and Live (Short) | Captain Scott H. Reynolds (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Resisting Enemy Interrogation | Sgt. Alfred Mason (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Reconnaissance Pilot (Short) | Decoration Announcer (voice, uncredited) |
| 1943 | Air Force | Lieut. Tommy McMartin - 'Mary Ann' Bombardier |
| 1942 | Desperate Journey | Flying Officer Jed Forrest |
| 1941 | They Died with Their Boots On | Ned Sharp |
| 1941 | Highway West | George Foster |
| 1941 | Bad Men of Missouri | Jim Younger |
| 1941 | Strange Alibi | Joe Geary |
| 1941 | Knockout | Johnny Rocket |
| 1940 | High Sierra | 'Red' Hattery |
| 1940 | City for Conquest | Eddie Kenny |