RKO Comedy Collection - Edgar Kennedy Index

Edgar Kennedy

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Edgar Kennedy was born in 1890. After a stint in vaudeville and musical comedy, he began his film career in 1914 in Mack Sennett's Keystone Comedies, as a Keystone Kop and other supporting roles. In the 1920's he started playing character parts in feature films and started directing films. In 1928 he went to work for Hal Roach where his popularity rose when he appeared with Laurel and Hardy and Our Gang, Charlie Chase and others.

In 1931 he starred in Pathe's two-reel comedy series, originally called The Average Man and later The Edgar Kennedy series. The series, a forerunner of the modern TV sitcom, ran for 17 years and depicted the every day trials and tribulations of the average henpecked by wife, harassed by mother-in-law, infuriated by a good for nothing free loading brother-in-law. The series was popular because the situations were realistic and the in-laws downright despicatable.

Production stopped in 1948 with his death from Cancer, but the series lived on for another 7 years in reissues. Cast regulars include Florence Rice, Dot Farley, Vivian Oakland and Jack Rice.

For more information on Edgar Kennedy and other comedy greats read Leonard Maltin's book, The Great Movie Shorts and here.

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