Richard Kennedy(1929-1985)

Richard Kennedy was a chubby, lively, and dependable character actor who essayed a nice array of often colorful supporting roles in a bunch of enjoyably down'n'dirty 1970s drive-in exploitation pictures. Kennedy was born on February 14, 1929 and hailed from Galveston, Texas. He served in the army and was stationed in Germany during his tour of duty. Richard began acting in movies in the early 1970's. He appears in the first two notoriously nasty "Ilsa" films: He's a slimy Nazi general in "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS" and the bumbling Henry Kissingeresque American diplomat Kaiser in "Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks." Moreover, Kennedy was in several features for director Matt Cimber; he's especially memorable as a corrupt vice cop in "The Candy Tangerine Man" and was excellent as a homicide detective in the disturbing "The Witch Who Came from the Sea." Other noteworthy roles include a flunky for villain Ralph Meeker in the brutal revenge opus "Johnny Firecloud;" hilarious as a drunken Texan in the delightful "Sixpack Annie," an obnoxious newspaper reporter in "C.B. Hustlers," a preacher who delivers a vehement anti-rock sermon in "The Buddy Holly Story;" deliciously hammy as evil businessman Mr. Olsen in "The Capture of Bigfoot," and J. Edgar Hoover in "Down on Us." Richard also did guest spots on such TV shows as "Little House on the Prairie," "Happy Days," "The Rockford Files," "Charlie's Angels," "Far Out Space Nuts," and "Petrocelli." Richard Kennedy died at age 56 on October 1, 1985 in Los Angeles, California.