"silent movies" "silent
film"
"silent era"
Tom Kennedy
Tom Kennedy was one of the most sought after actors
in both the silent and sound eras with over 320 film and television
credits. Born in 1885 in New York, he was once a boxer. He began
his film career in 1916 performing as the big, brawny type (usually
a cop or detective) mostly in Mack Sennett fllms. Outside of an
occasional feature film appearance, Kennedy was mostly found in
shorts until his appearances in features began more regularly
in the early 1920's. Kennedy worked for almost every major studio,
as well as some minor ones, including Metro, Famous Players-Lasky,
Universal, First National, Fox, Paramount, DeMille Pictures Corporation
and more. When sound arrived, he was no less in demand working
with Bob Hope, W.C. Fields, The Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges,
and Laurel & Hardy, and also popular in a number of westerns
and much more. He continued working in television, as well, in
shows such as Burke's Law (4 episodes), Rawhide (13 episodes),
Gunsmoke (7 episodes), The Big Valley, The Rifleman (11 episodes),
Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, Maverick and much more. Kennedy
continued to work right up until the year of his death, 1965,
at age 80. Tom Kennedy is often listed as being a brother or cousin
to Edgar Kennedy, but the two were not related.
Selected films of this star available for viewing:
Yankee Doodle in Berlin (1918)
Scaramouche (1923)
Behind the Front (1926)
Mantrap (1926)
The Better 'Ole (1926)
We're In the Navy Now (1926)
Hold 'Em
Yale (1928)
Return to photos page