George Kennedy Net Worth

May 2024 · 12 minute read

George Kennedy net worth is
$5 Million

George Kennedy Wiki Biography

George Kennedy was an awarded actor born on 18th February 1925, in New York City, USA, and is probably best remembered for his role of “Dragline” in “Cool Hand Luke”(1967), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and was nominated for the matching Golden Globe.

Have you ever wondered how rich George Kennedy was? According to sources, it has been estimated that George Kennedy’s overall net worth was over $5 million, acquired during his successful acting career, which lasted for over 50 years.

George Kennedy Net Worth $5 Million

George was raised by his mother, as his father died when he was only four years old. As his maternal grandfather was a German immigrant, Kennedy is of German, but also Irish and English descent. When it comes to acting, he made his stage debut when he was only two in a touring company staging “Bringing Up Father”, and five years later he had already become a New York City radio DJ. With the arrival of World War II, George joined the U.S. military, staying in this profession until the late ‘50s, and reaching a rank of captain, before an injury persuaded him to find a different occupation. This was when he turned towards acting, and got his first notable role in the TV sitcom “The Phil Silvers Show”. However, his film career started in 1961 in “The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come”, soon followed many other roles such as in Kirk Douglas’s western “Lonely Are the Brave”(1962), “Charade”(1963), “Strait-Jacket”(1964) , and including four films in just a year – “Mirage”, “The Flight of the Phoenix”, “In Harm’s Way” and “The Sons of Katie Elder” all filmed in 1965. His net worth was growing steadily.

A year later, he appeared in the ABC western series “The Legend of Jesse James”, portraying the role of “Blodgett”, and then was cast in probably his best known role in the prison drama film “Cool Hand Luke” (1967), in which he played a convict next to Paul Newman; this part brought him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and a Laurel Award for Male Supporting Performance, plus being nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.

Kennedy continued his career with films such as “The Dirty Dozen”, “Bandolero!”, “The Boston Strangler”, the Academy Award-winning film “Airport” and its three sequels, and many others. George also appeared on television, mainly in TV series such as “Sarge”, “The Blue Knight” and “Dallas”. When it comes to his last activity, Kennedy made his final film appearance as Ed in “The Gambler”(2014), in which he had a cameo role in the film’s opening scene. George received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to motion pictures.

In his personal life, Kennedy was married four times. His first marriage was in the 1940s to Dorothy Gillooly with whom he had a son. His second marriage was to Norma Wurman, whom he divorced for the first time in 1971, remarried two years later and finally divorced in 1978. The couple had two children. After divorcing from his second wife, George married Joan McCarthy with whom he remained until her death in September 2015, raising three adopted children. died on 28th February 2016 in Middleton, Ohio, USA


Full NameGeorge Kennedy
Net Worth$5 Million
Date Of BirthFebruary 18, 1925
DiedFebruary 28, 2016
Place Of BirthNew York City, New York, United States
Height1.9 m
ProfessionVoice Actor, Writer, Soldier
EducationChaminade High School, Tarleton State University
NationalityAmerican
SpouseDorothy Gillooly, Norma Wurman, Joan McCarthy
ChildrenShaunna Kennedy, Taylor Kennedy, Betty Kennedy
ParentsHelen A. Kieselbach, George Harris Kennedy
IMDBhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001421/
AwardsAcademy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
NominationsGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
MoviesCool Hand Luke, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, Charade, The Dirty Dozen, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Airport, The Gambler, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, The Eiger Sanction, Naked Gun 33?: The Final Insult, The Sons of Katie Elder, The Flight of the Phoenix, Guns of the Magnif...
TV ShowsDallas, The Blue Knight, Sarge, Backstairs at the White House, Santo Bugito
#Trademark
1Deep baritone voice
2Frequently played dependable sidekicks
3Frequently played gruff blue-collar characters
#Quote
1[on being cast in bad guy roles on television Westerns at the start of his acting career] The big guys were on television and they needed big lumps to eat up. All I had to do was show up on the set, and I got beaten up.
2[on his role as Dragline in Cool Hand Luke (1967)] The marvelous thing about that movie was that as my part progresses, I changed from a bad guy to a good guy. The moguls in Hollywood must have said, "Hey, this fellow can do something besides be a bad guy.".
3I had the good fortune of speaking with Orson Welles many decades ago and he said "Success is primarily luck anyway." And I have been very lucky. Of course, Orson Welles was enormously talented and brilliant - so who am I to argue with him!
4I have been so fortunate and I really am appreciative of the success I've had.
5My father died when I was 4 years old, so I can't really say anything about his hearing.
6Of course, I also attribute some of my hearing loss to being in the infantry in World War II. It's probably a combination of heredity and noise exposure.
7When you think of a movie, most people imagine a two hour finished, polished product. But to get to that two hour product, it can take hundreds or thousands of people many months of full time work.
#Fact
1He died only nine days before his Cool Hand Luke (1967) co-star Richard Davalos.
2He underwent emergency triple heart bypass surgery in 2002.
3After 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.
4Following high school graduation, he 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 in valor. He won two Bronze Stars and four rows of combat and service ribbons.
5His father was a pianist and a composer/conductor at the Proctor's Theater in Manhattan, and his mother danced with vaudeville's "Le Ballet Classique".
6A 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).
7He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 6356 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on October 3, 1991.
8His maternal grandfather was a German immigrant. His other ancestry included Irish and English.
9Was considered for the role of Lex Luthor in Superman (1978), which went to Gene Hackman.
10His daughter Betty is also an actress. He also has a son, George Harris Kennedy III.
11Attended and graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York (1943).
12Attended and graduated from John Tarleton Agricultural College (now Tarleton State University at Stephenville, Texas).
13Before his acting career really took off, he served as a military consultant on The Phil Silvers Show (1955).
14As 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).
15Due to his tall, enormously broad frame, Kennedy was frequently cast in the 1960s and 1970s as bullies and thugs, and had the distinction of brutalizing stars like Cary Grant, Paul Newman and Clint Eastwood on-screen while gaining a reputation off-screen as one of the nicest actors around. By his 60s, he finally got the chance to play friendlier characters, such as lovable Captain Ed Hocken in the "Naked Gun" movies.
16Recently hosted the creation of a driving safety video.
17He was the only actor to appear in all four of the "Airport" movie series.
18In the early 1970s, Paramount Pictures had plans that were unrealized to remake Double Indemnity (1944) with Kennedy in the Edward G. Robinson role.
19Kennedy is often mistakenly credited with a bit part in Spartacus (1960). Stuntman Bob Morgan resembles Kennedy closely, and it is he who is seen saying "I'm Spartacus!" in the famous scene. Kennedy had nothing to do with the film.
20He and Joan McCarthy adopted their granddaughter in 1998, after their daughter was ruled unfit.
21He 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.
22He and his wife Joan McCarthy adopted four children, including his granddaughter Taylor, whose mother, also adopted by Kennedy, had become addicted to drugs and alcohol.

All pictures

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Bandolero!1968Sheriff July Johnson
Gomer Pyle: USMC1968TV SeriesM.P.
Cool Hand Luke1967Dragline
Tarzan1967TV SeriesCrandell
The Dirty Dozen1967Maj. Max Armbruster
Hurry Sundown1967Sheriff Coombs
The Ballad of Josie1967Arch Ogden
The Virginian1964-1966TV SeriesHuck Harkness / Tom 'Bear' Suchette / Jack Marshman
Dr. Kildare1963-1966TV SeriesSergeant Hensley / Joe Cramer
Gunsmoke1960-1966TV SeriesBen Payson / Cyrus / Stark / ...
The Big Valley1966TV SeriesJack Thatcher
The Legend of Jesse James1966TV SeriesBlodgett
Laredo1965TV SeriesJess Moran
The Flight of the Phoenix1965Bellamy
A Man Called Shenandoah1965TV SeriesMitchell Canady
Daniel Boone1965TV SeriesZach Morgan
The Sons of Katie Elder1965Curley
Shenandoah1965Col. Fairchild
Mirage1965Willard
In Harm's Way1965Colonel Gregory
Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte1964Foreman
The Rogues1964TV SeriesMajor Vyx
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour1964TV SeriesGeorge Martin
Bonanza1961-1964TV SeriesWaldo Watson / Peter Long
See How They Run1964TV MovieRudy
Island of the Blue Dolphins1964Aleut Captain
McHale's Navy1964Henri Le Clerc
McHale's Navy1963-1964TV SeriesBig Frenchy
The Great Adventure1964TV SeriesSergeant Mulduney
Strait-Jacket1964Leo Krause
The Farmer's Daughter1963TV SeriesOlaf Bjornsen
Charade1963Herman Scobie
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters1963TV SeriesAngus
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre1963TV SeriesDer
Grindl1963TV SeriesLefty
The Fugitive1963TV SeriesElevator Operator
Kraft Mystery Theater1962-1963TV SeriesJake
The Andy Griffith Show1963TV SeriesState Police Detective
Perry Mason1963TV SeriesGeorge Spangler
The Man from the Diners' Club1963George
Alcoa Premiere1962-1963TV SeriesLincoln / Jake
Have Gun - Will Travel1960-1963TV SeriesBrother Grace / Big Jim / Rud Saxon / ...
77 Sunset Strip1963TV SeriesArmstrong
Going My Way1962TV SeriesMike
The Silent Witness1962Gus Jordan
Lonely Are the Brave1962Deputy Sheriff Gutierrez
Thriller1962TV SeriesJohn Paterson
Outlaws1962TV SeriesJoe Ferris
The Tall Man1961-1962TV SeriesHyram Killgore / Jake Newton
Tales of Wells Fargo1962TV SeriesHawk
Death Valley Days1962TV SeriesSteamboat Sully
Rawhide1962TV SeriesGeorge Wales
The Untouchables1961TV SeriesBirdie
The Red Skelton Hour1961TV SeriesShip's Purser
Bat Masterson1961TV SeriesSheriff Zeke Armitage
The Asphalt Jungle1961TV SeriesDetective Kolb Det. Kolb
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come1961Nathan Dillon
The Americans1961TV SeriesHoon
Gunslinger1961TV SeriesSheriff
Klondike1961TV SeriesIra Shallop
Surfside 61961TV SeriesGabe Buchanan
The Case of the Dangerous Robin1961TV Series
Riverboat1960TV SeriesGunner Slagle
Route 661960TV SeriesThad Skinner
Maverick1960TV SeriesDeputy Jones
Peter Gunn1960TV SeriesKarl
Sugarfoot1959-1960TV SeriesRoss Kuhn / Sykes
Laramie1960TV SeriesGallagher Henchman
Lawman1960TV SeriesBurt
Shotgun Slade1960TV SeriesTex
The Deputy1959TV SeriesTex
Cheyenne1959TV SeriesLee Nelson
Colt .451959TV SeriesHank
The Phil Silvers Show1956-1959TV SeriesMP Sgt. Kennedy
The Gambler2014/IIIEd
Another Happy Day2011Joe Baker
The Young and the Restless2003-2010TV SeriesAlbert Miller
Mad Mad Wagon Party2010JB Scotch
Six Days in Paradise2010Monty Crenshaw
The Man Who Came Back2008Judge Duke
Sands of Oblivion2007TV MovieJohn Tevis
Don't Come Knocking2005Director
Truce2005Dr. Peter Gannon
Three Bad Men2005Ed Fiske
The Devil's Due at Midnight2004Video shortProfessor Zebediah Jones
Monster Makers2003TV MovieDexter Brisbane
View from the Top2003Passenger Requesting Vodka (uncredited)
Men in White1998TV MovieGeneral Vice
Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!1998VideoGrandpa
Small Soldiers1998Brick Bazooka (voice)
Dallas: War of the Ewings1998TV MovieCarter McKay
Bayou Ghost1997Officer Lowe
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters1997TV SeriesBones Duvalier
Cats Don't Dance1997L.B. Mammoth (voice)
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest1996TV SeriesGeneral Axton
Dallas: J.R. Returns1996TV MovieCarter McKay
Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man1995TV SeriesMovie Director
The Commish1995TV SeriesAl Scali
Santo Bugito1995TV SeriesRalph
River of Stone1994
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult1994Ed Hocken
Lonesome Dove: The Series1994TV SeriesJudge J.T. 'Rope' Calder
Distant Justice1992Tom Bradfield
Final Shot: The Hank Gathers Story1992TV MovieFather Dave
Intensive Care1991Dr. Bruckner
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear1991Ed Hocken
Driving Me Crazy1991John McCready
Dallas1988-1991TV SeriesCarter McKay
Hangfire1991Warden E. Barles
Good Cops, Bad Cops1990TV MovieKirkland
Mayumi1990
Hired to Kill1990Thomas
Brain Dead1990Vance
Esmeralda Bay1989Wilson
Ministry of Vengeance1989Rev. Hughes
The Terror Within1989Hal
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!1988Ed Hocken
Uninvited1988VideoMike Harvey
Top Line1988Heinrich Holzmann
Death Street USA1988Sheriff Hanks
Demonwarp1988Bill Crafton
Counterforce1988Vince Colby
Born to Race1988Vincent Duplain
What Price Victory1988TV MovieBig Buck Brayton
Private Road: No Trespassing1987VideoSam Milshaw
Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues1987TV MovieGen. Nelson Miles
The Gunfighters1987TV MovieDeke Turner
Creepshow 21987Ray Spruce (segment "Old Chief Wood'nhead")
Liberty1986TV MovieSeamus Reilly
The Delta Force1986Father O'Malley
Savage Dawn1985Tick Rand
Radioactive Dreams1985Spade Chandler
International Airport1985TV MovieRudy Van Leuven
Rigged1985Ben
Half Nelson1985TV Movie
The Love Boat1984TV SeriesErik Larsen
Bolero1984Cotton
The Jesse Owens Story1984TV MovieCharles 'Charley' Riley
Rare Breed1984Nathan Hill
Chattanooga Choo Choo1984Bert
Fantasy Island1983TV SeriesAdam Cobb
Wacko1982Mr. Doctor Graves
Just Before Dawn1981Roy McLean
The Archer: Fugitive from the Empire1981TV MovieBrakus
Hotwire1980Farley & Harley Fontenot
Day of Resurrection1980Adm. Conway
Death Ship1980Captain Ashland
The Concorde... Airport '791979Capt. Joe Patroni
Steel1979Big Lew Cassidy
Never Say Never1979TV MovieHarry Walter
The Double McGuffin1979Chief Talasek
Backstairs at the White House1979TV Mini-SeriesPresident Warren G. Harding
Search and Destroy1979Anthony Fusqua
Brass Target1978Gen. George S. Patton
Death on the Nile1978Andrew Pennington
Mean Dog Blues1978Captain Omar Kinsman
Ningen no shômei1977Ken Shuftan
Airport '771977Joe Patroni
The 'Human' Factor1975John Kinsdale
The Eiger Sanction1975Ben Bowman
Sonic Boom1974ShortBen Dover
Earthquake1974Slade
Airport 19751974Joe Patroni
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot1974Red Leary
A Cry in the Wilderness1974TV MovieSam Hadley
Deliver Us from Evil1973TV MovieWalter 'Cowboy' McAdams
Cahill U.S. Marshal1973Fraser
Lost Horizon1973Sam Cornelius
A Great American Tragedy1972TV MovieBrad Wilkes
Sarge1971-1972TV SeriesFather Samuel Cavanaugh / Sarge Swanson
Ironside1971TV SeriesFather Samuel Cavanaugh
Fools' Parade1971'Doc' Council
Dirty Dingus Magee1970Herkimer 'Hoke' Birdsill
Zig Zag1970Paul R. Cameron
Airport1970Patroni
...tick... tick... tick...1970John Little
Gaily, Gaily1969Axel P. Johanson
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys1969McKay
Guns of the Magnificent Seven1969Chris
The Boston Strangler1968Det. Phil DiNatale
The Legend of Lylah Clare1968Matt Burke (uncredited)
The Pink Jungle1968Sammy Ryderbeit

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Phil Silvers Show1956-1959TV Series technical advisor - 52 episodes

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Vixen Highway 2006: It Came from Uranus!2010special thanks
A Natural Born World-Shaker: Making 'Cool Hand Luke'2008Video documentary short special thanks

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
A Natural Born World-Shaker: Making 'Cool Hand Luke'2008Video documentary shortHimself
Greatest Ever Disaster Movies2007TV MovieHimself
Stormy Seas: The Voyage from Bloodstar to Death Ship2007Video documentary shortHimself
Armed and Deadly: The Making of 'The Dirty Dozen'2006Video documentary shortHimself
The Complete History of U.S. Wars 1700-20042005TV SeriesHimself - Host
The 75th Annual Academy Awards2003TV SpecialHimself - Past Winner
75 Years of the Academy Awards: An Unofficial History2003TV Special documentaryHimself - Interviewee
Dobe and a Company of Heroes2002TV MovieHimself
Hollywood Greats2002TV Series documentaryHimself
The O'Reilly Factor2002TV SeriesHimself
Holy War, Un-Holy Victory2001TV Movie documentaryHimself - Host
The 70th Annual Academy Awards1998TV SpecialHimself - Past Winner (uncredited)
Wings1996TV SeriesHimself
Summerslam1994TV SpecialHimself
The Pat Sajak Show1989TV SeriesHimself
This Is Your Life1987TV SpecialHimself
The 59th Annual Academy Awards1987TV SpecialHimself - Audience Member
Good Morning America1979-1986TV SeriesHimself
Benson1986TV SeriesHimself
The Jupiter Menace1982DocumentaryHimself
Counterattack: Crime in America1982TV Series documentaryHost
Saturday Night Live1981TV SeriesHimself - Host / Various
The Alan Thicke Show1980-1981TV SeriesHimself
Modern Romance1981Himself and Zeron
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to James Stewart1980TV Special documentaryHimself / Speaker (uncredited)
The Mike Douglas Show1973-1979TV SeriesHimself - Actor / Himself
The 50th Annual Academy Awards1978TV SpecialHimself - Past Winner
Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette1978TV ShortHimself / Andrew Pennington
Match Game 731976-1977TV SeriesHimself - Panelist / Himself
Dinah!1976TV SeriesHimself
The Lion Roars Again1975Documentary shortHimself
The Hollywood Squares1974-1975TV SeriesHimself
Match Game PM1975TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
Don Adams' Screen Test1975TV Series
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Telly Savalas1974TV SpecialHimself
ABC Late Night1974TV SeriesHimself
The Dean Martin Show1973TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1971-1973TV SeriesHimself
Jerry Visits1971TV SeriesHimself
The Joey Bishop Show1967-1969TV SeriesHimself
The 40th Annual Academy Awards1968TV SpecialHimself - Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Archive Footage

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1993Special AwardShoWest Convention, USASpecial Award of Merit
1991Star on the Walk of FameWalk of FameMotion PictureOn 3 October 1991. At 6356 Hollywood Blvd.
1990Golden BootGolden Boot Awards
1968OscarAcademy Awards, USABest Actor in a Supporting RoleCool Hand Luke (1967)
1968Golden LaurelLaurel AwardsMale Supporting PerformanceCool Hand Luke (1967)

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1985Razzie AwardRazzie AwardsWorst Supporting ActorBolero (1984)
1978Stinker AwardThe Stinkers Bad Movie AwardsWorst Supporting ActorBrass Target (1978)
1971Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest Supporting Actor - Motion PictureAirport (1970)
1968Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest Supporting ActorCool Hand Luke (1967)

3rd Place Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1971Golden LaurelLaurel AwardsBest Supporting Performance, MaleAirport (1970)

Known for movies


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