Arthur Kennedy
Biography
Arthur Kennedy was an American actor whose range showed in the supporting parts he played in films, and he earned five Academy Award nominations, four for supporting actor and one for lead. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, he trained at the Carnegie Institute of Technology and earned a B.A. in 1934. After moving to New York, he joined the Group Theatre and made his Broadway debut in 1937. His first screen part, in City for Conquest (1940), was followed by Westerns and police dramas, and he won a 1949 Tony for Death of a Salesman. He also created roles in Arthur Miller's All My Sons, The Crucible, and The Price. His films included High Sierra (1941), Champion (1949), The Glass Menagerie (1950), Peyton Place (1957), Elmer Gantry (1960), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and Fantastic Voyage (1966). He was especially remembered for playing sympathetic villains opposite James Stewart in Bend of the River (1952) and The Man from Laramie (1955).
75years old at death
- Born Worcester
- Died Branford
- Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
- Also credited as John Arthur Kennedy
Movie Career
- Films
- 38
- Career span
- 38 years1940 to 1978
Genres
First and latest
Photos
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Behind the award
Kennedy had a distinguished stage career and won a Tony Award for playing Biff Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman in 1949. In other Miller plays he inaugurated Chris Keller in All My Sons, John Proctor in The Crucible and Walter Franz in The Price.
First role
Kennedy's first Broadway appearance came in September 1937, when he played Bushy in Maurice Evans' production of Richard II at the St. James Theatre.
Arthur Kennedy movies on Netflix
Cycloneas Padre Ronald
The Sentinelas Monsignor Franchino
Let Sleeping Corpses Lieas The Inspector
The Antichristas Bishop Ascanio Oderisi
Sharkas Doc
Anzioas Maj. Gen. Jack Lesley
Day of the Evil Gunas Owen Forbes
A Minute to Pray, a Second to Dieas Tuscosa Marshal Roy W. Colby
Fantastic Voyageas Dr. Peter Duval
Nevada Smithas Bill Bowdre
Murietaas Capt. Love
Cheyenne Autumnas Doc Holliday
Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Manas Dr. Henry Adams
Lawrence of Arabiaas Jackson Bentley
Barabbasas Pontius Pilate
Murder She Saidas Paul Quimper
Elmer Gantryas Jim Lefferts
A Summer Placeas Bart Hunter
Some Came Runningas Frank Hirsh
Peyton Placeas Lucas Cross
Crashoutas Joe Quinn
The Desperate Hoursas Deputy Sheriff Jesse Bard
The Man From Laramieas Vic Hansbro
Bend of the Riveras Emerson Cole
Rancho Notoriousas Vern Haskell
The Lusty Menas Wes Merritt
Red Mountainas Lane Waldron
The Glass Menagerieas Tom Wingfield
Championas Connie Kelly
The Walking Hillsas Chalk
The Windowas Ed Woodry
Too Late for Tearsas Alan Palmer
Boomerang!as John Waldron
Air Forceas Bombardier
Desperate Journeyas Flight Officer Jed Forrest
High Sierraas 'Red'
They Died with Their Boots Onas Ned Sharp
City for Conquestas Eddie Kenny
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Raoul Walsh directed three of these films, Richard Fleischer two and Anthony Mann two. Two actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.









Films together
Anthony Quinn4 films together, 1940 to 1962
Anthony Quinn's page Lawrence of Arabia1962IMDb rating 8.3Kennedy as Jackson BentleyQuinn as Auda Abu Tayi
Barabbas1961IMDb rating 6.9Kennedy as Pontius PilateQuinn as Barabbas
They Died with Their Boots On1941IMDb rating 7.2Kennedy as Ned SharpQuinn as Crazy Horse
City for Conquest1940IMDb rating 7.2Kennedy as Eddie KennyQuinn as Murray Burns
Bert Freed4 films together, 1947 to 1966
Bert Freed's page Nevada Smith1966IMDb rating 6.9Kennedy as Bill BowdreFreed as Quince
The Desperate Hours1955IMDb rating 7.5Kennedy as Deputy Sheriff Jesse BardFreed as Tom Winston
Red Mountain1951IMDb rating 6.1Kennedy as Lane WaldronFreed as Sgt. Randall
Boomerang!1947IMDb rating 7.2Kennedy as John WaldronFreed as Herron, a Man in Alley Mob
James Stewart3 films together, 1952 to 1964
James Stewart's page Cheyenne Autumn1964IMDb rating 6.7Kennedy as Doc HollidayStewart as Wyatt Earp
The Man From Laramie1955IMDb rating 7.3Kennedy as Vic HansbroStewart as Will Lockhart
Bend of the River1952IMDb rating 7.2Kennedy as Emerson ColeStewart as Glyn McLyntock
Karl Malden3 films together, 1947 to 1966
Karl Malden's page Nevada Smith1966IMDb rating 6.9Kennedy as Bill BowdreMalden as Tom Fitch
Cheyenne Autumn1964IMDb rating 6.7Kennedy as Doc HollidayMalden as Capt. Wessels
Boomerang!1947IMDb rating 7.2Kennedy as John WaldronMalden as Det. Lt. White
John Carradine2 films together, 1964 to 1977
John Carradine's page The Sentinel1977IMDb rating 6.3Kennedy as Monsignor FranchinoCarradine as Fr. Francis Matthew Halloran
Cheyenne Autumn1964IMDb rating 6.7Kennedy as Doc HollidayCarradine as Jeff Blair
Robert Mitchum2 films together, 1952 to 1968
Robert Mitchum's page Anzio1968IMDb rating 6.0Kennedy as Maj. Gen. Jack LesleyMitchum as Dick Ennis (war correspondent, International Press)
The Lusty Men1952IMDb rating 7.3Kennedy as Wes MerrittMitchum as Jeff McCloud
Raoul WalshDirector, 3 films, 1941 to 1942
All films by Raoul Walsh Desperate Journey1942IMDb rating 6.9Kennedy as Flight Officer Jed Forrest
High Sierra1941IMDb rating 7.5Kennedy as 'Red'
They Died with Their Boots On1941IMDb rating 7.2Kennedy as Ned Sharp
Richard FleischerDirector, 2 films, 1961 to 1966
All films by Richard Fleischer Fantastic Voyage1966IMDb rating 6.8Kennedy as Dr. Peter Duval
Barabbas1961IMDb rating 6.9Kennedy as Pontius Pilate
Anthony MannDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1955
All films by Anthony Mann The Man From Laramie1955IMDb rating 7.3Kennedy as Vic Hansbro
Bend of the River1952IMDb rating 7.2Kennedy as Emerson Cole
Also two films together35 more actors
- Humphrey BogartThe Desperate Hours (1955) and High Sierra (1941)
- Kirk DouglasThe Glass Menagerie (1950) and Champion (1949)
- Paul FixDay of the Evil Gun (1968) and Nevada Smith (1966)
- Eli WallachThe Sentinel (1977) and Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
- Whit BissellThe Desperate Hours (1955) and Red Mountain (1951)
- Robert RyanAnzio (1968) and A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die (1967)
- Jack ElamThe Man From Laramie (1955) and Rancho Notorious (1952)
- Royal DanoDay of the Evil Gun (1968) and Bend of the River (1952)
- Donald CrispThe Man From Laramie (1955) and City for Conquest (1940)
- Ann DoranA Summer Place (1959) and The Desperate Hours (1955)
- Brian KeithNevada Smith (1966) and Boomerang! (1947)
- Jerome CowanHigh Sierra (1941) and City for Conquest (1940)
- John IrelandRed Mountain (1951) and The Walking Hills (1949)
- Frank FergusonBend of the River (1952) and Rancho Notorious (1952)
- John DoucetteNevada Smith (1966) and Rancho Notorious (1952)
- Lane ChandlerRancho Notorious (1952) and The Lusty Men (1952)
- Errol FlynnDesperate Journey (1942) and They Died with Their Boots On (1941)
- Gene EvansNevada Smith (1966) and Crashout (1955)
- Dean JaggerDay of the Evil Gun (1968) and Elmer Gantry (1960)
- Paul StewartChampion (1949) and The Window (1949)
- José FerrerThe Sentinel (1977) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- George TobiasAir Force (1943) and City for Conquest (1940)
- Gig YoungThe Desperate Hours (1955) and Air Force (1943)
- Mel FerrerThe Antichrist (1974) and Rancho Notorious (1952)
- Barry KelleyElmer Gantry (1960) and Too Late for Tears (1949)
- Francis McDonaldRancho Notorious (1952) and Red Mountain (1951)
- Ricardo MontalbanCheyenne Autumn (1964) and Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
- Stanley RidgesAir Force (1943) and They Died with Their Boots On (1941)
- Carroll BakerCyclone (1978) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
- Ruth RomanChampion (1949) and The Window (1949)
- Lizabeth ScottRed Mountain (1951) and Too Late for Tears (1949)
- Ralph SanfordThe Glass Menagerie (1950) and Champion (1949)
- James NolanThe Window (1949) and Too Late for Tears (1949)
- Barry CoeFantastic Voyage (1966) and Peyton Place (1957)
- Anthony RossThe Window (1949) and Boomerang! (1947)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Arthur Kennedy's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$118 million
12 of the 38 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 38 films: 12 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 23 figure not found.
- 12Worldwide figure
- 3US gross only
- 23Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 95% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$70M59.4% of the total
- 2$12M10.2% of the total
- 3$10M8.8% of the total
- 4$5.8M4.9% of the total
- 5$4.0M3.4% of the total
- 6$4.0M3.4% of the total
- 7$3.0M2.5% of the total
- 8$2.5M2.1% of the total
Awards
Four awards and honors from 1949 to 1956, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | |||
| 1956 | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Trial | Won |
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1949 | Best Featured Actor in a Play | Death of a Salesman | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| Donaldson Awards | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.













