Vale: George Kennedy
Veteran US actor,, best know for the movies Cool Hand Luke, Airport and Naked Gun has died.
- Published by David Knox
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Veteran US actor George Kennedy, best know for the movies Cool Hand Luke, Airport and Naked Gun has died, aged 91.
His grandson Cory Schenkel reported the death on his Facebook page.
Kennedy appeared in all four of the Airport movies as Joe Patroni, the reluctant, cigar-chomping but highly effective chief mechanic, with other credits including Cool Hand Luke, Earthquake, In Harm’s Way, The Sons of Katie Elder, The Flight of the Phoenix, The Dirty Dozen, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, The Eiger Sanction, Death on the Nile, and deadpan roles in The Naked Gun and its sequels.
Following an earlier career in the military is was his role as technical adviser to The Phil Silvers Show that led to his screen career.
On the small screen he played rancher Carter McKay on Dallas from 1988-91 and its reunions, and made two attempts at his own television series: 1971’s Sarge and 1975’s The Blue Knight. Other credits included Ironside, Backstairs at the White House, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, Lonesome Dove, The Commish, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, The Young and the Restless and numerous telemovies.
His final credit was 2014’s film The Gambler.
Source: Chicago Tribune
3 Responses
Great physicality on screen. Big presence and quintessential American male of his generation. Great life and career to 91!
Can’t say l liked everything he did but l remember him most in the Airport and Police Squad movies. Apart from that great age to live to ie 91
He was a very good actor. I remeber him in Cool Hand Luke and Dallas.