American actor (1914–1990)
Arthur Kennedy
Kennedy (right) inStage 67 (1966)
Born John Arthur Kennedy
(1914-02-17 ) February 17, 1914Died January 5, 1990(1990-01-05) (aged 75) Education Carnegie Mellon University (BFA )Occupation Actor Years active 1937–1990 Spouse Children 2, includingLaurie Kennedy
John Arthur Kennedy (February 17, 1914 – January 5, 1990) was an American stage and film actor known for his versatility in supporting film roles and his ability to create "an exceptional honesty and naturalness on stage", especially in the original casts ofArthur Miller plays on Broadway.[ 1] Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Miller'sDeath of a Salesman Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for the 1955 filmTrial Academy Award nominee.
Early life and education [ edit ] Kennedy was born on February 17, 1914, inWorcester, Massachusetts , the son of Helen (née Thompson) and John Timothy "J.T." Kennedy, a dentist. He attended South High School, Worcester, and graduated fromWorcester Academy . He studied drama at theCarnegie Institute of Technology inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania , graduating with a B.A. in 1934.[ 2]
Kennedy moved to New York City and, billed as John Kennedy, joined theGroup Theatre . He then toured with a classical repertory company. In September 1937, he made his Broadway debut as Bushy inMaurice Evans' Richard II St. James Theatre . In 1939 he played Sir Richard Vernon in Evans'Henry IV, Part 1 [ 2]
Kennedy's first film role was ofJames Cagney 's younger brother inCity for Conquest Western films and police dramas.
Kennedy appeared in many notable films from the early 1940s through mid-1960s, includingHigh Sierra Champion They Died with Their Boots On The Glass Menagerie The Desperate Hours Trial Peyton Place Some Came Running A Summer Place Elmer Gantry The Man from Laramie Barabbas Lawrence of Arabia Nevada Smith Fantastic Voyage
Of Kennedy's film work, he is perhaps best-remembered for his collaborations with directorAnthony Mann and co-starJames Stewart onBend of the River The Man from Laramie
He also enjoyed a distinguished stage career over the same period, receiving aTony Award for his role ofBiff Loman inArthur Miller 'sDeath of a Salesman All My Sons John Proctor inThe Crucible Walter Franz inThe Price Becket Laurence Olivier as Henry II.
On February 5, 1959, Kennedy appeared on the episode "Make It Look Good" ofCBS 'sDick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre [citation needed
In 1974, Kennedy was a regular on the short-livedABC police drama Nakia
[ edit ] With the death of his wife in 1975, failing eyesight, alcoholism, and thyroid cancer, Kennedy was reported as having lost interest in filmmaking. AfterCovert Action The Humanoid Signs of Life [ 3]
In 1949, Kennedy won aTony Award for best supporting actor as Biff in Arthur Miller'sDeath of a Salesman at theMorosco Theatre .[ 2]
The New York Film Critics named him Best Actor forBright Victory [ 2]
His performance inTrial [ 2]
His portrayal of the newspaper reporter inElmer Gantry [ 2]
Kennedy married Mary Cheffey in March 1938. They had two children: actressLaurie Kennedy and Terence.[ 2] [ 4]
During the last years of his life, Kennedy had thyroid cancer and eye disease. He spent much of his later life in Savannah, Georgia, out of the public eye. He died of cancer on January 5 1990 at age 75.[ 5]
City for Conquest High Sierra Knockout Strange Alibi Bad Men of Missouri Highway West They Died with Their Boots On Desperate Journey Reconnaissance Pilot (1943, documentary short) as Decoration Announcer (voice, uncredited)Resisting Enemy Interrogation Ditch and Live (1944, Short) as Captain Scott H. Reynolds (uncredited)Time to Kill (1945, Short) as Narrator (uncredited)Target – Invisible (1945, documentary short) as Narrator (uncredited)Devotion It's Your America (1946, Short) as Soldier (uncredited)Boomerang Cheyenne The Walking Hills Champion The Window Too Late for Tears Chicago Deadline The Glass Menagerie Bright Victory Red Mountain Bend of the River Rancho Notorious The Girl in White The Lusty Men Impulse Crashout The Man From Laramie The Desperate Hours Trial The Naked Dawn The Rawhide Years Peyton Place Twilight for the Gods Some Came Running The Ten Commandments (1959, TV Movie)Home Is the Hero A Summer Place Elmer Gantry Claudelle Inglish Murder, She Said Barabbas Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man Lawrence of Arabia Lowell Thomas )Attack and Retreat Cheyenne Autumn Murieta Joy in the Morning Nevada Smith Fantastic Voyage Monday's Child (1967) as Peter RichardsonDay of the Evil Gun A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die Anzio Hail, Hero! Shark! The Movie Murderer (1970, TV Movie) as Angus MacGregorMy Old Man's Place A Death of Innocence (1971, TV Movie) as Mark HirschCrawlspace (1972, TV Movie) as Albert GravesI Kiss the Hand Ricco the Mean Machine The President's Plane Is Missing The Man from Independence Let Sleeping Corpses Lie The Antichrist Killer Cop The Tough Ones As of Tomorrow La spiaggia del desiderio (1976) as AntonioThe Sentinel Nine Guests for a Crime Gli ultimi angeli (1978) as Il nonnoBermuda: Cave of the Sharks Cyclone Porco mondo (1978) as Senator MerelliCovert Action The Humanoid Signs of Life I figli del vento (1989, TV Movie)Grandpa (1990) (final film role)^ James C. McKinley Jr., "Arthur Kennedy, Actor, 75, Dies; Was Versatile in Supporting Roles",The New York Times , 7 Jan 1990, p. 30, The New York Times (1851–2007) ^a b c d e f g Melissa Vickery-Bareford,"Kennedy, John Arthur" ,American National Biography Online , (Feb. 2000), accessed 13 Nov 13 2011. ^ Glenn Collins, "Arthur Kennedy: Comeback for a Curmudgeon",The New York Times , 30 Apr 1989, p H24, The New York Times (1851–2007). ^ "Arthur Kennedy Biography (1914–1990)" .Film Reference, Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies . Advameg, Inc. RetrievedNovember 13, 2011 .^ Macksoud, Meredith C.; Smith, Craig R.; Lohrke, Jackie (November 25, 2002).Arthur Kennedy, Man of Characters: A Stage and Cinema Biography 142 .ISBN 9780786413843
Awards for Arthur Kennedy
1949–1975 1976–2000 2001–present
International National Artists People Other
