George Kennedy

George Harris Kennedy, Jr. was born on February 18, 1925 in New York City, to Helen A. (Kieselbach), a ballet dancer, and George Harris Kennedy, an orchestra leader and musician.

The 1980s saw Kennedy appear in a mishmash of roles, playing various characters; however, Kennedy and Leslie Nielsen surprised everyone with their comedic talents in the hugely successful The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), and the two screen veterans exaggerate themselves again, in The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) and The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994).

Following high school graduation, Kennedy enlisted in the United States Army in 1943 with the hope to become a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps. Instead, he wound up in the infantry, served under General George S. Patton and distinguished himself with valor. He won two Bronze Stars and four rows of combat and service ribbons. A World War II veteran, Kennedy at one stage in his career cornered the market at playing tough, no-nonsense characters who were either quite crooked or possessed hearts of gold. Kennedy notched up an impressive 200+ appearances in both television and films, and was well respected within the Hollywood community.

He started out on television Westerns in the late 1950s and early 1960s (Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Rawhide (1959), Maverick (1957), Colt.

Before his acting career really took off, he served as a military consultant on The Phil Silvers Show (1955).

45 (1957), among others) before scoring minor roles in films including Lonely Are the Brave (1962), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) and The Flight of the Phoenix (1965).

The late 1960s was a very busy period for Kennedy, and he was strongly in favor with casting agents, appearing in Hurry Sundown (1967), The Dirty Dozen (1967) and scoring an Oscar win as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cool Hand Luke (1967).

A former United States Army career soldier, Kennedy played a series of villains in motion pictures. He attacked Cary Grant with a steel claw in Stanley Donen's Charade (1963), pursued Joan Crawford with an ax in Strait-Jacket (1964), attempted to assassinate Gregory Peck in Mirage (1965) and kicked Jeff Bridges to death in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974).

He died only nine days before his Cool Hand Luke (1967) co-star Richard Davalos.

The disaster film boom of the 1970s was also kind to Kennedy and his talents were in demand for Airport (1970) and the three subsequent sequels, as a grizzled police officer in Earthquake (1974), plus the buddy/road film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) as vicious bank robber Red Leary.

He enlisted in the United States Army during World War II and went on to serve 16 years, both in combat, and in his later years, as an Armed Forces Radio and Television officer. As a United States Army officer in World War II, he served under General George S. Patton, and later went on to portray Patton in Brass Target (1978). After World War II, a bizarre medical condition - his left leg was shorter than his right by three inches - left him in traction for two years.

Harding in the miniseries Backstairs at the White House (1979) and had a long standing role on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless (1973).

From 1988-1991, he also played Ewing family nemesis Carter McKay on the CBS prime-time soap opera Dallas (1978). Kennedy also played President Warren G.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 6356 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on October 3, 1991.

He remained busy in Hollywood and lent his distinctive voice to the animated Cats Don't Dance (1997) and the children's action film Small Soldiers (1998). A Hollywood stalwart for nearly 50 years, he is one of the most enjoyable actors to watch on screen.

Adopted father, with Joan McCarthy Kennedy, of Shannon Kennedy Sullivan, Shaunna Leah Kennedy, and Taylor Riessen Kennedy. After marrying, Joan, his third wife, he adopted her daughters Shannon & Shaunna. In 1998, George and Joan adopted Shaunna's daughter (their granddaughter), Taylor, after her parents were declared unfit for custody due to drug and alcohol addiction.

He underwent emergency triple heart bypass surgery in 2002.

His last role was in the film The Gambler (2014), as Mark Wahlberg's character's grandfather.