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
| Birth Location | Monterey, California, USA |
|---|---|
| Born | 1890-04-25 |
| Died | 1948-11-09 |
Movies
The Our Gang Story
as Officer (archive footage)
1994
When Comedy Was King
as edited from 'A Pair of Tights' (archive footage)
1960
The Golden Age of Comedy
as archive footage
1957
My Dream Is Yours
as Uncle Charlie
1949
Unfaithfully Yours
as Sweeney
1948
Contest Crazy
as Edgar
1948
Variety Time
as Edgar Kennedy (footage from 'I'll Build It Myself') (archive footage)
1948
Dig That Gold
as Edgar Kennedy
1948
Brother Knows Best
as Edgar Kennedy
1948
Heaven Only Knows
as Judd
1947
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
as Jake the Bartender
1947
Do or Diet
as Edgar
1947
I'll Build It Myself
as Edgar
1946
Motor Maniacs
as Edgar Kennedy
1946
Trouble or Nothing
as Edgar
1946
Captain Tugboat Annie
as Captain Bullwinkle
1945
The Big Beef
as Edgar Kennedy
1945
You Drive Me Crazy
as Edgar
1945
Anchors Aweigh
as Police Captain
1945
It's Your Move
as Edgar Kennedy
1945
What, No Cigarettes
as Edgar Kennedy
1945
Feather Your Nest
as Edgar
1944
The Great Alaskan Mystery
as Bosun Higgins
1944
It Happened Tomorrow
as Insp. Mulrooney
1944
Radio Rampage
as Edgar
1944
Prunes and Politics
as Edgar
1944
Crazy House
as Judge
1943
The Girl from Monterrey
as Doc Hogan, Fight Promoter
1943
Hitler's Madman
as Nepomuk - the Hermit
1943
Hot Foot
as Edgar
1943
Air Raid Wardens
as Joe Bledsoe
1943
The Falcon Strikes Back
as Smiley Dugan
1943
Hold Your Temper
as Edgar
1943
Cosmo Jones, Crime Smasher
as Police Chief Murphy
1943
Duck Soup
as Edgar
1942
Hillbilly Blitzkrieg
as Sgt. Homer Gatling
1942
There's One Born Every Minute
as Mayor Moe Carson
1942
Cooks and Crooks
as Edgar
1942
In Old California
as Kegs McKeever
1942
Pardon My Stripes
as Warden Bingham
1942
Private Snuffy Smith
as Sgt. Ed Cooper
1942
Rough on Rents
as Edgar Kennedy
1942
A Quiet Fourth
as Edgar
1941
Gangs Of The City
as Biff
1941
I'll Fix It
as Edgar
1941
Westward Ho-Hum
as Edgar
1941
Blondie in Society
as Dr. Glenn
1941
An Apple in His Eye
as Edgar Kennedy
1941
Drafted in the Depot
as Edgar Kennedy
1940
Remedy for Riches
as George Browning
1940
Li'l Abner
as Cornelius Cornpone
1940
Sandy Gets Her Man
as Fire Chief Galvin
1940
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
as Sheriff Gregory
1940
A Trailer Tragedy
as Edgar Kennedy
1940
The Quarterback
as Pops
1940
Margie
as Chauncey
1940
Sunk by the Census
as Edgar
1940
Dr. Christian Meets the Women
as George Browning
1940
'Taint Legal
as Edgar
1940
Sandy Is a Lady
as Officer Rafferty
1940
Mutiny in the County
as Edgar Kennedy
1940
Charlie McCarthy, Detective
as Inspector Dailey
1939
Kennedy the Great
as Edgar Kennedy
1939
Laugh It Off
as Judge John J. McGuinnis
1939
Little Accident
as Paper Hanger
1939
Everything's on Ice
as Joe Barton
1939
Maid to Order
as Edgar
1939
It's a Wonderful World
as Lieutenant Miller
1939
Baby Daze
as Edgar Kennedy
1939
Clock Wise
as Edgar
1939
A Clean Sweep
as Edgar
1938
Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus
as Arthur Bailey
1938
Beaux and Errors
as Edgar Kennedy
1938
Hey! Hey! USA
as Bugs Leary
1938
Scandal Street
as Daniel Webster Smith
1938
The Black Doll
as Sheriff Renick
1938
Ears of Experience
as Edgar
1938
Hollywood Hotel
as Callaghan
1938
True Confession
as Darsey
1937
Edgar & Goliath
as Edgar
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
A Star Is Born
as Pop Randall
1937
Bad Housekeeping
as Edgar
1937
When's Your Birthday?
as Mr. Basscombe
1937
The Other Fellow
as Four Roles
1937
Three Men on a Horse
as Harry, the Bartender
1936
Mad Holiday
as Donovan
1936
Vocalizing
as Edgar Kennedy
1936
Yours for the Asking
as Bicarbonate
1936
Dummy Ache
as Edgar
1936
San Francisco
as Sheriff
1936
Fatal Lady
as Rudolf Hochstetter
1936
Small Town Girl
as Captain Mack
1936
Robin Hood of El Dorado
as Sheriff Judd
1936
Will Power
as Edgar Kennedy
1936
Gasoloons
as Edgar Kennedy
1936
The Bride Comes Home
as Henry
1935
$1,000 a Minute
as Police Officer McCarthy
1935
Little Big Shot
as Onderdonk
1935
In Love at 40
as Edgar Kennedy
1935
Woman Wanted
as Sweeney
1935
Edgar Hamlet
as Edgar
1935
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl
as Edgar Kennedy
1935
The Cowboy Millionaire
as Willy 'Persimmon' Bates
1935
Living on Velvet
as Counterman
1935
Rendezvous at Midnight
as Mahoney
1935
Brick-a-Brac
as Edgar
1935
The Silver Streak
as O'Brien
1934
Flirting with Danger
as Jimmie Pierson
1934
The Marines Are Coming
as Sgt. Buck Martin
1934
Poisoned Ivory
as Edgar Kennedy
1934
Kid Millions
as Herman Wilson
1934
Gridiron Flash
as Officer Thurston
1934
King Kelly of the U.S.A.
as Happy Moran
1934
1934
We're Rich Again
as Healy, Process Server
1934
Murder on the Blackboard
as Detective Donahue
1934
Money Means Nothing
as Herbert Green
1934
Wrong Direction
as Edgar, Movie Director
1934
Twentieth Century
as Oscar McGonigle
1934
Love on a Ladder
as Edgar
1934
Heat Lightning
as Herbert - the Husband
1934
All of Me
as Guard (uncredited)
1934
King for a Night
as Cop
1933
Duck Soup
as Street Vendor
1933
What Fur
as Edgar
1933
Tillie and Gus
as Judge
1933
Quiet Please!
as Edgar Kennedy
1933
1933
Professional Sweetheart
as Tim Kelsey
1933
Cross Fire
as Ed Wimpy
1933
Son of the Border
as Windy
1933
Diplomaniacs
as Chairman - Peace Conference
1933
A Merchant of Menace
as Edgar
1933
Scarlet River
as Sam Gilroy
1933
1933
Fish Feathers
as Edgar Kennedy
1932
Penguin Pool Murder
as Officer Donovan
1932
Rockabye
as Water Wagon Driver (uncredited)
1932
Little Orphan Annie
as Daddy Warbucks
1932
Hold 'Em Jail
as Warden Elmer Jones
1932
Giggle Water
as Edgar
1932
1932
Westward Passage
as Elmer
1932
1932
Carnival Boat
as Baldy
1932
Bad Company
as Buffington-Doorman
1931
Quick Millions
as Cop (uncredited)
1931
Love Fever
as Thelma's Last Rescuer
1931
High Gear
as Cop
1931
Next Door Neighbors
as Howard J. Green
1931
1931
Ladies Last
as Man in Phone Booth
1930
Moonlight and Monkey Business
as Detective
1930
Looser Than Loose
as Night Club Patron
1930
Bigger and Better
as Uncle Ed Sutton
1930
Dollar Dizzy
as Quimby the Lawyer (uncredited)
1930
Doctor's Orders
as Mary's Father / Gertie's Uncle
1930
Girl Shock
as Fiancee's Father
1930
Fifty Million Husbands
as Officer Kennedy
1930
All Teed Up
as Thelma's Father
1930
The Ghosts
as Kennedy
1930
When the Wind Blows
as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
1930
The Gas Station
as Detective
1930
The Big Kick
as Detective
1930
The First Seven Years
as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
1930
The Real McCoy
as Cicero the Cop
1930
Shivering Shakespeare
as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
1930
The Head Guy
as Station Master Kennedy (uncredited)
1930
1930
Night Owls
as Officer Kennedy
1930
Great Gobs!
as 2nd Sailor
1929
Angora Love
as Landlord
1929
Moan & Groan, Inc.
as Kennedy the Cop (uncredited)
1929
Stepping Out
as Diner's Owner
1929
Bacon Grabbers
as Collis P. Kennedy
1929
Welcome Danger
as SFPD Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
1929
They Had to See Paris
as Ed Eggers
1929
Crazy Feet
as Policeman
1929
1929
Perfect Day
as Uncle Edgar
1929
Dad's Day
as Michael Kennedy
1929
Madame Q
as Judge Kennedy
1929
The Big Squawk
as Orchestra Leader
1929
Hurdy Gurdy
as Officer Ed Kennedy
1929
Unaccustomed as We Are
as Officer Kennedy
1929
Trent's Last Case
as Inspector Murch
1929
1929
1929
A Pair of Tights
as Marion's Boyfriend's Boss
1929
Going Ga-Ga
as Cop
1929
1928
1928
1928
The Boy Friend
as The Cop
1928
Two Tars
as Motorist
1928
1928
1928
Should Married Men Go Home?
as Golfer (uncredited)
1928
1928
Limousine Love
as The Husband, Mr Glenders
1928
The Finishing Touch
as Cop (as Ed Kennedy)
1928
The Family Group
as A Photographer
1928
Dumb Daddies
as The Cop
1928
Leave 'Em Laughing
as Cop
1928
The Chinese Parrot
as Maydorf
1927
The Wrong Mr. Wright
as Trayguard
1927
Finger Prints
as O.K. McDuff (as Ed Kennedy)
1927
Going Crooked
as Detective
1926
The Better 'Ole
as Corporal Austin
1926
Across the Pacific
as Cpl. Ryan
1926
My Old Dutch
as Bill Sproat
1926
1926
1925
The Trouble With Wives
as Detective (as Edward Kennedy)
1925
Paths to Paradise
as Detective (uncredited)
1925
Wall Street Blues
as The Crook
1924
Racing for Life
as Tom Grady
1924
The Battling Fool
as Dan O'Leary (as Ed Kennedy)
1924
Something for Nothing
as Ptomaine Tommy
1923
The Little Girl Next Door
as Hank Hall
1923
The Guide
as An American Tourist
1921
1920
Hearts and Flowers
as Pete
1919
Yankee Doodle in Berlin
as German Prison Guard (uncredited)
1919
1918
The Late Lamented
as Art Gallery Operator
1917
Whose Baby?
as The Detective
1917
Bombs!
as Tony Peanutty - Italian Ward Leader
1916
A Scoundrel's Toll
as Peter X. Bush - Streetcar Superintendent
1916
Madcap Ambrose
as A City Chap
1916
His Bitter Pill
as Diamond Dan - Jim's Rival
1916
Fatty's Tintype Tangle
as Edgar
1915
Fatty’s Plucky Pup
as Shell Game Operator
1915
Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers
as Suitor
1915
Mabel’s Wilful Way
as Fatty's Pal
1915
Wished on Mabel
as Cop
1915
His Luckless Love
as The Maid's Boyfriend
1915
That Little Band Of Gold
as Diner / Man in Audience (uncredited)
1915
Fatty’s Reckless Fling
as Neighbor
1915
Fatty's New Role
as Handout-Giver (uncredited)
1915
Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition
as 1st Street Crowd Participant (uncredited)
1915
Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day
as The cafe waiter (uncredited)
1915
The Great Vacuum Robbery
as 2nd Thief
1915
Tillie's Punctured Romance
as Restaurant Owner / Banks' Butler (uncredited)
1914
Ambrose's First Falsehood
as Café Proprietor
1914
Getting Acquainted
as Policeman (uncredited)
1914
Leading Lizzie Astray
as The Slicker's Chauffeur
1914
The Noise of Bombs
as Police Chief
1914
An Incompetent Hero
as Fatty's Neighbor
1914
'Curses!' They Remarked
as Ethel's Former Boyfriend
1914
Gentlemen of Nerve
as Policeman
1914
Dough and Dynamite
as Striking Baker
1914
The Love Thief
as The Rival
1914
He Loved the Ladies
as The Wife's Brother
1914
The Rounders
as (uncredited)
1914
The Sky Pirate
as The Sky Pirate
1914
Love and Bullets
as The Trouble Mender
1914
Mabel's Busy Day
as Tough Hot Dog Customer (uncredited)
1914
The Knockout
as Cyclone Flynn (uncredited)
1914
Caught in a Cabaret
as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)
1914
Twenty Minutes of Love
as Lover
1914
Mabel at the Wheel
as Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)
1914
A Bath House Beauty
as Jealous Boyfriend
1914
The Star Boarder
as Landlady's Husband (uncredited)
1914
Cruel, Cruel Love
as Butler
1914
His Favorite Pastime
as Tough Guy in Bar
1914
Tango Tangle
as Dance Hall Manager (uncredited)
1914
A Film Johnnie
as Director (uncredited)
1914
A Thief Catcher
as Crook (uncredited)
1914
Making a Living
as Wreck Bystander (uncredited)
1914
Rebecca's Wedding Day
as The Groom
1914
In the Clutches of the Gang
as Cop
1914
A Flirt's Mistake
as Rajah
1914
Zuzu, the Band Leader
as Caesar - Zuzu's Rival
1913
The Gusher
as Cop (uncredited)
1913
A Ride for a Bride
as Mustached Man
1913
Fatty Joins the Force
as Jealous Cop
1913
A Muddy Romance
as Water Policeman
1913
The Speed Kings
as Laughing Spectator
1913
A Quiet Little Wedding
as Wedding Guest
1913
The Bowling Match
as Bowling Alley Operator
1913
Mother's Boy
as Mug
1913
Mabel's Dramatic Career
as Audience Member / Cop in Movie
1913
Mabel's New Hero
as Cop
1913
The Riot
as Cop
1913
Love and Rubbish
as 1st Cop
1913
Safe in Jail
as 1st Crook
1913
Rastus and the Game Cock
as Spectator
1913
Peeping Pete
as The Cop
1913
The Gangsters
as Henchman
1913
Algy on the Force
as Cop
1913
Bangville Police
as 3rd Deputy
1913
The Rural Third Degree
as Cop
1913
Movies
Bigger and Better
Director
1930
Fifty Million Husbands
Director
1930
The golfer
Director
1930
The golf player
Director
1930
All Teed Up
Director
1930
You're Darn Tootin'
Director
1928
From Soup to Nuts
Director
1928
The Marriage Circus
Director
1925
Three Foolish Weeks
Director
1924
Step Lively, Please
Director
1922
