George Kennedy: Movies, Awards & Box Office
- films
- 91
- on screen
- 1962–2010
- box office
- $332M
- award win
- 1
- Born
- February 18, 1925
- Birthplace
- New York City, U.S.
- Full name
- George Harris Kennedy Jr.
- Citizenship
- American
- Occupations
- Actor
- Years active
- 1956-2014
- Spouses
- Dorothy Gillooly, Norma Wurman, Joan McCarthy
- Children
- 6
The Best George Kennedy Movies
The films of George Kennedy that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: Airport (1970) leads with $100M. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.
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Worldwide box office: $100M Airport 1970 · Action -
Worldwide box office: $79.7M Earthquake 1974 · Action -
Worldwide box office: $54.7M Small Soldiers 1998 · Adventure -
Worldwide box office: $17.8M The Delta Force 1986 · Action -
Worldwide box office: $14.6M Death on the Nile 1978 · Drama -
Worldwide box office: $14.2M The Eiger Sanction 1975 · Action
George Kennedy's Career in Numbers
George Kennedy's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres George Kennedy works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Lonely Are the Brave (1962) to 2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift (2010), and the 1980s were the busiest decade.
George Kennedy Movies by Decade
- 1960s 21
- 1970s 23
- 1980s 26
- 1990s 12
- 2000s 4
- 2010s 1
The 1980s were George Kennedy's busiest decade, with 26 films.
George Kennedy Movies by Genre
- Drama 17
- Action 16
- Comedy 10
- Western 8
- Sci-Fi 5
- Thriller 5
- Adventure 4
- Tv movie 4
- Mystery 4
- Horror 3
Drama is the genre George Kennedy has worked in most, with 17 films, ahead of action (16).
George Kennedy Career Milestones
- First film
- Lonely Are the Brave 1962
- Biggest box office hit
- Airport $100M worldwide
- Newest film
- 2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift 2010
George Kennedy Filmography: Every Movie
Every film George Kennedy is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.
George Kennedy Movies as an Actor
87- 2010
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift as (archive footage) · Documentary - 2008
The Man Who Came Back as Judge Duke · Action - 2008
The Boneyard Collection as Professor Zebediah Jones (segment "The Devil's Due at Midnight") · Horror - 2007
Sands of Oblivion as John Tevis · Adventure - 2003
Monster Makers as Dexter Brisbane · Family - 1998
Men in White as Army · Comedy - 1998
Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! as Mr. Johnson · Family - 1998 Small Soldiers as Brick Bazooka (voice) · Adventure Worldwide box office: $54.7M
- 1998
Dallas: War of The Ewings as Carter McKay · Tv movie - 1997
Cats Don't Dance Fantasy Worldwide box office: $3.57M - 1996
Dallas: J.R. Returns as Carter McKay · Drama - 1992
Distant Justice as Tom Bradfield · Action - 1992
Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story as Father Dave Hagan · Tv movie - 1991
Intensive Care as Dr. Bruckner · Action - 1991
Hangfire as Warden Barles · Action - 1990
The Cops Are Robbers Drama - 1990
Brain Dead Sci-Fi Worldwide box office: $1.63M - 1989
Ministry of Vengeance as Rev. Hughes · Action - 1989
Esmeralda Bay as Wilson · War - 1989
The Terror Within as Hal · Horror Worldwide box office: $859K - 1988
Uninvited as Mike Harvey · Sci-Fi - 1988
Top Line as Heinrich Holzmann · Sci-Fi - 1988
Nightmare at Noon as Sherrif Hanks · Action - 1988
Demonwarp as Bill Crafton · Sci-Fi - 1988
Counterforce as Vince Colby · Drama - 1988
Born to Race as Vincent Duplain · Thriller - 1987
The Gambler: The Legend Continues as General Nelson Miles · Western - 1987
Creepshow 2 Fantasy Worldwide box office: $14M - 1987
The Gunfighters as Deke Turner · Western - 1986 The Delta Force Action Worldwide box office: $17.8M
- 1985
International Airport as Rudy Van Leuven · Drama - 1985
Savage Dawn as Tick Rand · Thriller - 1985
Half Nelson as Parsons · Comedy - 1984
Radioactive Dreams as Spade Chandler · Action Worldwide box office: $220K - 1984
Bolero Drama Worldwide box office: $8.91M - 1984
The Jesse Owens Story as Charles 'Charley' Riley · Drama - 1984
Chattanooga Choo Choo as Bert · Comedy - 1982
Wacko as Mr. Doctor Graves · Horror - 1981
Just Before Dawn Thriller - 1981
The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire as Brakus · Tv movie - 1981
Modern Romance as George Kennedy / Zeron · Comedy Worldwide box office: $2.86M - 1980
Virus as Admiral Conway · Sci-Fi - 1980
Death Ship Adventure - 1979
Steel as Big Lew Cassidy · Crime - 1979
The Concorde… Airport ’79 as Joe Patroni · Thriller Worldwide box office: $13M - 1979
Search and Destroy as Anthony Fusqua · Thriller - 1979
The Double McGuffin as Chief Talasek · Mystery - 1979
Backstairs at the White House as Pres. Warren G. Harding · Drama - 1978
Brass Target as Gen. George S. Patton · Action Worldwide box office: $5.01M - 1978 Death on the Nile Drama Worldwide box office: $14.6M
- 1978
Mean Dog Blues as Captain Omar Kinsman · Action - 1977
Proof of the Man as Ken Shuftan · Mystery Worldwide box office: $57 - 1975 The Eiger Sanction Action Worldwide box office: $14.2M
- 1974 Earthquake Action Worldwide box office: $79.7M
- 1974
Airport 1975 Action - 1974
A Cry in the Wilderness as Sam Hadley · Tv movie - 1974
Sonic Boom as Ben Dover · Comedy - 1973
Deliver Us from Evil as Walter 'Cowboy' McAdams · Drama - 1973
Cahill U.S. Marshal Drama - 1973
Cahill: United States Marshal as Abe Fraser · Western - 1973
Lost Horizon as Sam Cornelius · Music - 1971
Fools’ Parade as Dallas 'Doc' Council · Drama - 1970
Dirty Dingus Magee as Herkimer 'Hoke' Birdsill · Western - 1970
Zig Zag as Paul R. Cameron · Drama - 1970 Airport Action Worldwide box office: $100M
- 1970
Tick… Tick… Tick… as John Little · Action - 1969
Gaily, Gaily as Axel P. Johanson · Comedy - 1969
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys as McKay · Comedy - 1969
Guns of the Magnificent Seven as Chris · Western - 1968
The Pink Jungle as Sammy Ryderbeit · Adventure - 1968
The Boston Strangler as Det. Phil DiNatale · Crime Worldwide box office: $9.44K - 1968
The Legend of Lylah Clare as Matt Burke · Drama - 1968
Bandolero! as Sheriff July Johnson · Western - 1968
The Ballad of Josie as Arch Ogden · Comedy - 1967
Cool Hand Luke Drama Worldwide box office: $1.89K - 1967
The Dirty Dozen Action - 1967
Hurry Sundown as Sheriff Coombs · Drama - 1965
The Flight of the Phoenix as Bellamy · Drama - 1965
The Sons of Katie Elder Western - 1965
Shenandoah as Col. Fairchild · War - 1965
In Harm’s Way as Colonel Gregory · Drama - 1964
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte as Foreman · Mystery - 1964
Island of the Blue Dolphins as Aleut Captain · Family - 1964
McHale’s Navy as Henri Le Clerc · Comedy - 1963
Charade Mystery Worldwide box office: $175K - 1963
The Man from the Diners’ Club as George · Comedy - 1962
Lonely Are the Brave as Deputy Sheriff Gutierrez · Western
George Kennedy in Documentaries & Specials
4
George Kennedy: Awards & Nominations
1 win from 3 nominations across 2 award bodies, from 1968 to 1971. That includes an Oscar: Best Supporting Actor for Cool Hand Luke. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.
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Oscars 1 win from 1 nomination -
Golden Globes 2 nominations
- 28th Golden Globe Awards
- George Kennedy: Nominated Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Comedy or Musical (Supporting Actor) Airport
- 40th Academy Awards
- George Kennedy: Win Best Supporting Actor Cool Hand Luke
- 25th Golden Globe Awards
- George Kennedy: Nominated Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama, Comedy or Musical (Supporting Actor) Cool Hand Luke
Who Is George Kennedy?
George Kennedy was born in New York City, U.S. in 1925. Credited on films since 1962, as an actor. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.
George Harris Kennedy Jr. (February 18, 1925 – February 28, 2016), was an American actor, prolific in cinema and television. With over 100 film and television productions under his belt, he made his distinctive marks in the film industry. His iconic performances include 'Dragline' in Cool Hand Luke (1967), which earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and a nomination for a Golden Globe. His depiction of Joe Patroni in Airport (1970) fetched him a second Golden Globe nomination. His repertoire of films span over diverse genres and include Lonely Are the Brave, Charade, Strait-Jacket, McHale's Navy, Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte, Mirage, Shenandoah, The Sons of Katie Elder, The Flight of the Phoenix, In Harm's Way, and The Delta Force. Kennedy reprised his role as Joe Patroni in all four films from the Airport series, making him the only actor to do so. His comedic prowess was exhibited in the Naked Gun series of films where he played Police Captain Ed Hocken, and as the corrupt oil tycoon Carter McKay on the original Dallas television series. His career spanned nearly six decades, starting from his debut in the stage at the age of 2 until his final film appearance in The Gambler (2014).
Who George Kennedy Makes Movies With
The actors and directors George Kennedy shares the most films with. Ernest Borgnine comes first, with 7 films together, followed by Andrew V. McLaglen (6).
George Kennedy: Questions & Answers
How many movies George Kennedy has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.
How many movies has George Kennedy been in?
George Kennedy is credited on 91 films, from 1962 to 2010. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.
What is George Kennedy's highest-grossing movie?
Airport (1970) is George Kennedy's biggest box office hit, with $100M worldwide, ahead of Earthquake (1974) ($79.7M). Across every film with box office figures, George Kennedy's movies have made $332M.
George Kennedy's biggest hits Has George Kennedy won an Oscar?
George Kennedy has won an Oscar: Best Supporting Actor for Cool Hand Luke at the 1968 ceremony. Across every ceremony in the awards database, George Kennedy has 1 win from 3 nominations.
What is George Kennedy's newest movie?
The most recent film on George Kennedy's filmography is 2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift (2010), in the role of (archive footage).
Who does George Kennedy work with most often?
George Kennedy shares the most films with Ernest Borgnine (7 films), Andrew V. McLaglen (6 films) and Paul Fix (5 films).
The Best George Kennedy Movies, Ranked
Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 91 credits.
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