‘Cool Hand Luke' Star George Kennedy Dies At 91

It’s a sad day for Hollywood, The Hollywood Reporter reports that George Kennedy, an Oscar winner for his work in Cool Hand Luke , has died at the age of 91. According to TMZ, Kennedy died on Sunday morning in Boise, Idaho. The actor was known for the bad guy roles he often played in classic movies, including Rigged and Born to Race. His work was iconic, and the number of films he starred in spanned over 60 years. With classic titles like Spartacus and The Dirty Dozen, Kennedy was a Hollywood legend. And his role in 1988’s The Naked Gun skyrocketed him into the hearts of even the most modern audiences. In it, Kennedy starred as Ed Hocken, and delighted audiences with his incredible comedic timing and wit.

Awarded an Academy Award for his role in Cool Hand Luke in 1967, the role and the award catapulted him into fame. He went on to star in moves with Clint Eastwood, Robert Mitchum, and Frank Sinatra.

In addition to his incredible career as an actor, he was a former Army soldier who used his larger-than-life presence to master his most iconic roles, including his role as Carter McKay on the primetime soap Dallas.

But as time marched on, Kennedy’s career only seemed to grow. He worked up until very recently, releasing a memoir in 2011 about his life growing up in New York City in the mid-1920’s. In addition to his recent writing career, Kennedy also starred in 2011’s Another Happy Day and 2014’s The Gambler with Mark Wahlberg. He also had a recurring role on The Young and the Restless in recent years.

George Kennedy was the stuff of legends, one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and praised actors. His absence will surely be felt in Hollywood and in film, but his work and his incredible talent will live on in the movies that he made over his almost 60-year career.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The headline of this article incorrectly reported George Kennedy's name as "George Kenny."