Burt Kennedy

Born on September 3, 1922, in Muskegon, Michigan, Burt Kennedy was an American screenwriter and director, known primarily for his work in Westerns. He was born into a family of vaudevillian dancers, starting his career as a teen in their act, the Dancing Kennedys. After high school, he enlisted in the army and served in World War II where he received multiple accolades such as the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster. From there, Kennedy transitioned into writing and found his niche in radio in the late 1940s. Taking the advice of James Edward Grant, he began specializing in Westerns, a subgenre that suited him well and was bolstered by his prior training as a cavalry officer. He began his work in Hollywood by working on a proposed TV series about a Mexican for John Wayne's Batjac Productions. Despite the TV program never producing, this work caused Kennedy to write the film Seven Men from Now in 1956, which was a critical success. Kennedy continued to write for Batjac and other notable production houses contributing to notable Western classics throughout the 1950s and '60s, eventually pivoting into directing. A debut director in the Western The Canadians (1961) with Robert Ryan and episodic TV shows. Kennedy's work in the 1960s expanded to include high-grossing comedy Westerns such as Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) starring James Garner. Kennedy also worked with big names like John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Frank Sinatra over his career. His work ranged into the '70s and '80s through TV shows and TV movies, and he continued to contribute to films through the 1990s. Burt Kennedy died of cancer at his home in Sherman Oaks, California on February 15, 2001.