Edgar Kennedy

Biography

Edgar Kennedy was an American actor known for comedic character parts, with credits in at least 500 films from the silent era through the sound era. Born in Monterey County, California, he took up boxing before singing in vaudeville, musical comedy and light opera, then made his film debut in 1911. He was one of the original Keystone Cops and worked with comics including Roscoe Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, Charley Chase and Our Gang. In the 1920s he played supporting parts for producer Hal Roach and directed several two-reel comedies. In 1930 RKO-Pathe featured him in short comedies, then built its Average Man series around his short-tempered everyman, which he made for 17 years. Known for his slow burn, he often played hotheads, detectives and authority figures. His films included Duck Soup (1933), Twentieth Century (1934) and Unfaithfully Yours (1948). He died in 1948.

58years old at death

Born April 26, 1890Monterey County
Died November 9, 1948Woodland Hills
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
Also credited as Edgar Livingston Kennedy and E.L. Kennedy

Movie Career

Films: 18
Career span: 28 years1929 to 1957

Genres

Comedy83%, 15 films
Romance50%, 9 films
Drama17%, 3 films
Crime11%, 2 films
Fantasy11%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
Kennedy made six "Average Man" shorts a year for 17 years, pioneering the domestic situation comedy later familiar on television.
A change of course
After he had been a boxer, Kennedy earned a living as a singer, performing in vaudeville, in musical comedy and in light opera.
Getting ready for a role
Kennedy, known for frustration, starred in an instructional film called The Other Fellow. He played a loudmouthed roadhog who vented at other drivers, with each driver also played by Kennedy.

Edgar Kennedy movies on Netflix

The Golden Age of Comedy1957IMDb rating 7.1as archive footage
My Dream Is Yours1949IMDb rating 6.6as Uncle Charlie
Unfaithfully Yours1948IMDb rating 7.4as Sweeney
Anchors Aweigh1945IMDb rating 7.0as Police Captain
It Happened Tomorrow1944IMDb rating 7.0as Inspector Mulrooney
In Old California1942IMDb rating 6.3as Kegs McKeever
Private Snuffy Smith1942IMDb rating 4.6as Sgt. Ed Cooper
There's One Born Every Minute1942IMDb rating 5.6as Mayor Moe Carson
It's a Wonderful World1939IMDb rating 6.8as Lieutenant Miller
A Star Is Born1937IMDb rating 7.3as Pop Randall
Double Wedding1937IMDb rating 6.9as Spike
True Confession1937IMDb rating 6.6as Darsey
San Francisco1936IMDb rating 7.1as Sheriff
Twentieth Century1934IMDb rating 7.2as Oscar McGonigle
Duck Soup1933IMDb rating 7.7as Lemonade Vendor
Night Owls1930IMDb rating 7.4as Officer Kennedy
Unaccustomed as We Are1929IMDb rating 7.0as Officer Kennedy
Welcome Danger1929IMDb rating 5.9as SFPD Desk Sergeant

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Duck Soup1933 Comedy, Musical, Waras Lemonade Vendor
IMDb rating 7.764K votes
It Happened Tomorrow1944 Comedy, Fantasyas Inspector Mulrooney
IMDb rating 7.03.4K votes
Night Owls1930as Officer Kennedy
IMDb rating 7.42.0K votes
A Star Is Born1937as Pop Randall
IMDb rating 7.312K votes
It's a Wonderful World1939as Lieutenant Miller
IMDb rating 6.83.8K votes
Unaccustomed as We Are1929as Officer Kennedy
IMDb rating 7.01.5K votes
Unfaithfully Yours1948as Sweeney
IMDb rating 7.46.3K votes
Twentieth Century1934as Oscar McGonigle
IMDb rating 7.27.9K votes

Most often with

W.S. Van Dyke directed two of these films. Five actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Charles Halton

Oliver Hardy

Stan Laurel

Grady Sutton

Carole Lombard

Bess FlowersW.S. Van DykeDirector, 2 films

Films together

Charles Halton3 films together, 1942 to 1944
Charles Halton's page
- It Happened Tomorrow1944IMDb rating 7.0Kennedy as Inspector MulrooneyHalton as Doctor
- In Old California1942IMDb rating 6.3Kennedy as Kegs McKeeverHalton as Mr. Hayes
- There's One Born Every Minute1942IMDb rating 5.6Kennedy as Mayor Moe CarsonHalton as Trumbull
Oliver Hardy3 films together, 1929 to 1957
Oliver Hardy's page
- The Golden Age of Comedy1957IMDb rating 7.1Kennedy as archive footageHardy as Ollie(Hardy)
- Night Owls1930IMDb rating 7.4Kennedy as Officer KennedyHardy as Mr. Hardy
- Unaccustomed as We Are1929IMDb rating 7.0Kennedy as Officer KennedyHardy as Oliver Hardy
Stan Laurel3 films together, 1929 to 1957
Stan Laurel's page
- The Golden Age of Comedy1957IMDb rating 7.1Kennedy as archive footageLaurel as Stan(Laurel)
- Night Owls1930IMDb rating 7.4Kennedy as Officer KennedyLaurel as Mr. Laurel
- Unaccustomed as We Are1929IMDb rating 7.0Kennedy as Officer KennedyLaurel as Stan
Grady Sutton3 films together, 1929 to 1945
Grady Sutton's page
- Anchors Aweigh1945IMDb rating 7.0Kennedy as Police CaptainSutton as Bertram Kraler
- It's a Wonderful World1939IMDb rating 6.8Kennedy as Lieutenant MillerSutton as Lupton Peabody
- Welcome Danger1929IMDb rating 5.9Kennedy as SFPD Desk SergeantSutton as Man at Party (silent version) (scenes deleted)
Carole Lombard3 films together, 1934 to 1957
Carole Lombard's page
- The Golden Age of Comedy1957IMDb rating 7.1Kennedy as archive footageLombard as archive footage
- True Confession1937IMDb rating 6.6Kennedy as DarseyLombard as Helen Bartlett
- Twentieth Century1934IMDb rating 7.2Kennedy as Oscar McGonigleLombard as Lily Garland aka Mildred Plotka
Bess Flowers2 films together, 1942 to 1957
Bess Flowers's page
- The Golden Age of Comedy1957IMDb rating 7.1Kennedy as archive footageFlowers as Laurel and Hardy clip
- There's One Born Every Minute1942IMDb rating 5.6Kennedy as Mayor Moe CarsonFlowers as Luncheon Attendee
W.S. Van DykeDirector, 2 films, 1936 to 1939
All films by W.S. Van Dyke
- It's a Wonderful World1939IMDb rating 6.8Kennedy as Lieutenant Miller
- San Francisco1936IMDb rating 7.1Kennedy as Sheriff
Also two films together12 more actors
- Irving BaconA Star Is Born (1937) and True Confession (1937)
- James BurkeAnchors Aweigh (1945) and Twentieth Century (1934)
- Guy KibbeeThere's One Born Every Minute (1942) and It's a Wonderful World (1939)
- Adolphe MenjouMy Dream Is Yours (1949) and A Star Is Born (1937)
- John BarrymoreTrue Confession (1937) and Twentieth Century (1934)
- Lionel StanderUnfaithfully Yours (1948) and A Star Is Born (1937)
- Charles MiddletonDuck Soup (1933) and Welcome Danger (1929)
- Linda DarnellUnfaithfully Yours (1948) and It Happened Tomorrow (1944)
- Jessie RalphDouble Wedding (1937) and San Francisco (1936)
- Richard CarleIt's a Wonderful World (1939) and True Confession (1937)
- Andy ClydeThe Golden Age of Comedy (1957) and It's a Wonderful World (1939)
- Bert RoachDouble Wedding (1937) and San Francisco (1936)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

One award and honor.

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Edgar Kennedy's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Other honors
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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