Want to know the best Arthur Kennedy movies? How about the worst Arthur Kennedy movies? Curious about Arthur Kennedy box office grosses or which Arthur Kennedy movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Arthur Kennedy movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences and which got the worst reviews? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information. This page was requested by Mike.
Arthur Kennedy (1914-1990) was a 5-time Oscar®-nominated American actor. Kennedy was one of the premier character actors in American film from the 1940s through the early 1960s. His IMDb page shows 103 acting credits between 1940 and 1990. This page will rank Arthur Kennedy movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, shorts, cameos, uncredited roles, and movies that were not released in North American were not included in the rankings.
Arthur Kennedy Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Arthur Kennedy Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Arthur Kennedy movies by his co-stars
- Sort Arthur Kennedy movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost.
- Sort Arthur Kennedy movies by domestic yearly box office rank
- Sort Arthur Kennedy movies how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Arthur Kennedy movie received.
- Sort Arthur Kennedy movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
Possibly Interesting Fact About Arthur Kennedy
1. John Arthur Kennedy was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1914.
2. Arthur Kennedy was discovered by James Cagney. Kennedy’s role was playing Cagney’s younger brother in 1940’s City For Conquest.
3. Arthur Kennedy achieved fame in the role of Biff in Elia Kazan’s historic production of Arthur Miller’s Pultizer-Prize winning play “Death of a Salesman.” He was not selected to recreate the role on screen.
4. Four of Arthur Kennedy’s five Oscar®-nominated performances were directed by Mark Robson: Champion (1949), Bright Victory (1951), Trial (1955) and Peyton Place (1957). His fifth nod, for Some Came Running (1958), was directed by Vincente Minnelli.
5. Edmond O’Brien was originally cast as Jackson Bentley in Lawrence of Arabia (1962). After O’Brien filmed several scenes, he suffered a heart attack and had to be replaced. Arthur Kennedy was recommended to director David Lean by Anthony Quinn, whom Kennedy had replaced on Broadway in the role of King Henry II in the play “Beckett” (1960).
Check out Arthur Kennedy’s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
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HI BRUCE: Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you liked Arthur’s villains in Bend of the River and Man from Laramie; and you are right about him making a good villain.
So effectively evil did Kennedy make his bad guy in Bend of the River that Jay C Flippen who plays the elderly highly moralistic Jeremy Baile in that movie says guiltily to Stewart’s good guy Glyn McLyntock about Arthur’s treacherous Emerson Cole something like “For the first time in my life I’ve wanted to see a man dead.”
In my posts to you yesterday I listed only my very fave Kennedy movies and I’ve actually seen 21 of the films that you have listed in your charts. That’s good for me because you know how selective I am and how I tend to hone-in on the “cream” and am content to leave things like screwball comedies and Jason Statham flicks to you guys!!
However my total as usual doesn’t match that of The [real] Cogerson Queen who in her 6.53 pm post yesterday listed a magnificent 28 tiles; but I’m happy enough to have whipped you’re a**! We still haven’t had a return from Steve though; but he mustn’t have much to crow about or I’m sure he’d be beating his breast by now.
Please stay safe and keep up the good work and continue letting us have your feedback and interesting chat which is always welcome.
PS I can see a link between Kennedy and John Ireland
because both were lean and gangly in their heyday and stooped shoulders gave the pair similar poor posture.
Hey Bob. Thanks for the revised tally count…that puts you in second place a silver medal from the gentleman from Ireland. I liked Kennedy villain stories. I am Steve will throw his two cents soon. I think Ray Liotta will draw him out….and he will notice Arthur sitting there. Glad I am not the only one getting Kennedy and Ireland mixed up. Good stuff as always.
Arthur Kennedy is # 496 on the Oracle of Bacon Top 1000 Center of the Hollywood Universe list; these are the other actors on the list he appeared with.
14 ERNEST BORGNINE Barabbas (1961)
30 ANTHONY QUINN Barabbas (1961)
30 ANTHONY QUINN City for Conquest (1940)
30 ANTHONY QUINN Knockout (1941)
30 ANTHONY QUINN Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
30 ANTHONY QUINN They Died with Their Boots On (1941)
32 PETER O’TOOLE Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
35 HARRY DEAN STANTON Day of the Evil Gun (1968)
43 CHRISTOPHER WALKEN The Sentinel (1977)
45 OMAR SHARIFF Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
48 JOHN CARRADINE Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
48 JOHN CARRADINE The Sentinel (1977)
53 JOHN SAXON Baciamo le mani (1973)
61 JACK PALANCE Barabbas (1961)
73 BURT REYNOLDS Shark! (1969)
75 DONALD PLEASENCE Fantastic Voyage (1966)
90 MARTIN LANDAU Nevada Smith (1966)
94 PAUL NEWMAN Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
100 ELI WALLACH Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
100 ELI WALLACH The Sentinel (1977)
104 HARRY ANDREWS Barabbas (1961)
105 ROBERT MITCHUM Anzio (1968)
105 ROBERT MITCHUM The Lusty Men (1952)
112 SHIRLEY MACLAINE Some Came Running (1958)
123 JEFF GOLDBLUM The Sentinel (1977)
127 BURT LANCASTER Elmer Gantry (1960)
131 ROBERT VAUGHN The Man from Independence (1974)
141 KIRK DOUGLAS Champion (1949)
141 KIRK DOUGLAS The Glass Menagerie (1950)
146 MARTIN BALSAM The Sentinel (1977)
154 KATHY BATES Signs of Life (1989)
182 BURGESS MEREDITH The Sentinel (1977)
186 MICHAEL DOUGLAS Hail, Hero! (1969)
194 GIANCARLO GIANNINI Anzio (1968)
205 PETER FALK Anzio (1968)
205 PETER FALK Italiani brava gente (1964)
228 JOSE FERRER Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
228 JOSE FERRER The Sentinel (1977)
230 JEFF COREY Red Mountain (1951)
234 TOM BERENGER The Sentinel (1977)
242 AVA GARDNER The Sentinel (1977)
266 ALEC GUINNESS Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
282 VINCENT D’ONOFRIO Signs of Life (1989)
295 WILL PATTON Signs of Life (1989)
308 GLENN FORD Day of the Evil Gun (1968)
308 GLENN FORD Trial (1955)
338 TOMAS MILIAN Roma a mano armata (1976)
352 BRIAN KEITH Boomerang! (1947)
352 BRIAN KEITH Nevada Smith (1966)
372 BEAU BRIDGES Signs of Life (1989)
379 JOHN IRELAND Red Mountain (1951)
379 JOHN IRELAND The Walking Hills (1949)
424 VITTORIO GASSMAN Barabbas (1961)
428 RICHARD WIDMARK Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
433 JAMES BROLIN Fantastic Voyage (1966)
459 ANTHONY QUAYLE Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
461 DIANE BAKER Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
467 PAUL FIX Day of the Evil Gun (1968)
467 PAUL FIX Nevada Smith (1966)
470 MEL FERRER Rancho Notorious (1952)
470 MEL FERRER The Antichrist (1974)
474 TONY CURTIS The Rawhide Years (1955)
484 BEVERLY D’ANGELO The Sentinel (1977)
502 JACK LEMMON La polizia ha le mani legate (1975)
521 ROYAL DANO Bend of the River (1952)
521 ROYAL DANO Day of the Evil Gun (1968)
524 JACK ELAM Rancho Notorious (1952)
524 JACK ELAM The Man from Laramie (1955)
534 JACK HAWKINS Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
547 RICHARD DREYFUSS The Sentinel (1977)
598 PHILIPPE LEROY Gli ultimi angeli (1979)
605 LIONEL STANDER Cyclone (1978)
610 PAT HINGLE Nevada Smith (1966)
616 SUSAN STRASBERG Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
621 BEN JOHNSON Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
631 GEORGE COULOURIS The Antichrist (1974)
661 ANN DORAN A Summer Place (1959)
661 ANN DORAN Air Force (1943)
661 ANN DORAN The Desperate Hours (1955)
687 FRANK SINATRA Some Came Running (1958)
696 RAQUEL WELCH Fantastic Voyage (1966)
714 MICHAEL J. POLLARD Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
717 ROBERT RYAN A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die (1968)
717 ROBERT RYAN Anzio (1968)
727 VALENTINA CORTESE Barabbas (1961)
781 EDWARD ANDREWS ELMER GANTRY (1960)
782 EDWARD G. ROBINSON Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
785 JAMES BROWN AIR FORCE (1943)
805 CHARLES LANE City for Conquest (1940)
809 ALDO SAMBRELL A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die (1968)
815 DANA ANDREWS Boomerang! (1947)
877 LLOYD NOLAN Peyton Place (1957)
877 PETER VAN EYCK Resisting Enemy Interrogation (1944)
890 SAM KYDD IMPULSE (1954)
896 ALIDA VALLI Porco mondo (1978)
896 ALIDA VALLI The Antichrist (1974)
897 WOLFGANG PREISS Anzio (1968)
907 STROTHER MARTIN Nevada Smith (1966)
909 JAMES STEWART Bend of the River (1952)
909 JAMES STEWART Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
909 JAMES STEWART The Man from Laramie (1955)
941 CURT JURGENS As of Tomorrow (1976)
942 RUSS TAMBLYN Peyton Place (1957)
955 RAF VALLONE Nevada Smith (1966)
958 VENANTINO VENANTINI Anzio (1968)
958 VENANTINO VENANTINI Nove ospiti per un delitto (1977)
964 STEPHEN BOYD Fantastic Voyage (1966)
966 JIM BACKUS Bright Victory (1951)
HM (830) NORMAN ROSSINGTON LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)
HM (863) EDMOND O’BRIEN Fantastic Voyage (1966)
So many Italian movies.
Artie co-starred with 38 Oscar winners.
ALEC GUINNESS Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
ANTHONY QUINN Barabbas (1961)
ANTHONY QUINN City for Conquest (1940)
ANTHONY QUINN Knockout (1941)
ANTHONY QUINN Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
ANTHONY QUINN They Died with Their Boots On (1941)
BEN JOHNSON Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
BURT LANCASTER Elmer Gantry (1960)
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN The Sentinel (1977)
DEAN JAGGER Day of the Evil Gun (1968)
DEAN JAGGER Elmer Gantry (1960)
DONALD CRISP CITY FOR CONQUEST (1940)
DONALD CRISP THE MAN FROM LARAMIE (1955)
DONNA REED Chicago Deadline (1949)
EDMOND O’BRIEN Fantastic Voyage (1966)
ERNEST BORGNINE Barabbas (1961)
FRANK SINATRA Some Came Running (1958)
FREDRIC MARCH The Desperate Hours (1955)
GERALDINE PAGE La chica del lunes (1967)
GIG YOUNG Air Force (1943)
GIG YOUNG The Desperate Hours (1955)
GIG YOUNG They Died with Their Boots On (1941)
HATTIE MCDANIEL THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON (1941)
HUMPHREY BOGART High Sierra (1941)
HUMPHREY BOGART The Desperate Hours (1955)
JACK LEMMON La polizia ha le mani legate (1975)
JACK PALANCE Barabbas (1961)
JAMES CAGNEY City for Conquest (1940)
JAMES DUNN Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
JAMES STEWART Bend of the River (1952)
JAMES STEWART Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
JAMES STEWART The Man from Laramie (1955)
JANE WYMAN Bad Men of Missouri (1941)
JANE WYMAN Cheyenne (1947)
JANE WYMAN The Glass Menagerie (1950)
JESSICA TANDY Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
JOSE FERRER Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
JOSE FERRER The Sentinel (1977)
KARL MALDEN Boomerang! (1947)
KARL MALDEN Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
KARL MALDEN Nevada Smith (1966)
KATHY BATES Signs of Life (1989)
KATY JURADO Barabbas (1961)
KATY JURADO Trial (1955)
MARTIN BALSAM The Sentinel (1977)
MARTIN LANDAU Nevada Smith (1966)
MICHAEL DOUGLAS Hail, Hero! (1969)
OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND Devotion (1946)
OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND They Died with Their Boots On (1941)
PAUL NEWMAN Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
RICHARD DREYFUSS The Sentinel (1977)
SHIRLEY JONES Elmer Gantry (1960)
SHIRLEY MACLAINE Some Came Running (1958)
SIMONE SIGNORET Barabbas (1961)
SUSAN HAYWARD The Lusty Men (1952)
TERESA WRIGHT Hail, Hero! (1969)
Hey Dan. Well it is about time you got back to work. You really took time off with your Gloria Swanson and Shirley Booth comments. Now this is the type of comment we expect from you…..lol. So Arthur Kennedy has a spot in the Top 500. Pretty good since his prime years were almost 60 years ago. Anthony Quinn gets the most frequent Oracle Co-Star title. While a total of 38 Oscar winning co-stars is a good but not spectacular total. Some of his The Sentinel co-stars might have a few movies left in them….though Tom Berenger and Jeff Goldblum are getting older. Good stuff as always…stay safe and healthy.
I have seen 28 Arthur Kennedy movies, including all of the top 10 and 19 of the top 20.
The HIGHEST rated movie I have seen is Lawrence of Arabia.
The highest rated movie I have NOT seen is Cheyene.
The LOWEST rated movie I have seen is Day of the Evil Gun
Favourite Arthur Kennedy Movies I Have Seen:
Lawrence of Arabia
Some Came Running
Elmer Gantry
They Died With Their Boots On
The Man From Laramie
Rancho Notorious
Champion
Desperate Journey
Bend of the River
High Sierra
Boomerang
The Desperate Hours
Fantastic Journey
City For Conquest
Lusty Men
Nevada Smith
Devotion
Bright Victory
Cheyenne Autumn
The Window
Murder She Said
Too Late For Tears
Other Arthur Kennedy Films I Have Seen:
Air Force
Peyton Place
A Summer Place
Trial
Barabbas
Day of the Evil Gun
Hey Flora. Ah….a quick return to the top of the tally charts. Tally count: Flora 28, Bob 15 and Cogerson 11. Day of the Evil Gun was finally added to the database….by doing some cross referencing…I think we have a decent educated guess on the box office. I do not stand 100% of it…..but have been looking at lots of facts on that movies for years. The Arthur Kennedy page finally got me to put my toe in the water and release our thought on the box office gross.
I have seen 8 of your favorites. The one I still can not beleive I have not seen is 1949’s Champion….I need to see that one in the very near future. I see Day of the Evil Gun did not make your favorites list….that is a bad sign….since I know how much you like Glenn Ford. Good stuff as always.
Rarely was Arthur the lead in his movies being usually the baddie and/or a supporting character. It therefore pleases me that one movie in which he was the hero and lead – Rancho Notorious – whilst it received mixed reviews on release is today regarded by some film historians as a minor cult western classic in the same vein as Crawford’s Johnny Guitar. It’s nice therefore that Bruce’s sources give it a healthy 77% rating.
It will be readily understood from what I have said above that this new page gets a “Vote Up!” from me and highly so. I was delighted to see it appear at the top of the Cogerson list of “Newest UMR Pages”.
***ADDITIONAL PERSONAL TRIVIA: I vividly remember one night in 1956 when I was just 15 my aunt came to our house and told us that she had just been to see The Rawhide Years and I asked her if she had enjoyed it.
She said that she had and went on to say that when the then popular Tony Curtis made his first appearance in the movie the audience started clappingly loudly [they tended to do that in those days when perceived “matinee idols” like Curtis came on screen]. Then she added “I like Tony but I would have preferred it had they clapped Arthur Kennedy instead who showed everyone else in the film how to act.”
Hey Bob….I agree he was rarely in the lead role. Rancho Notorious bombed when it came out…..but time has been very kind to it. I agree with its “minor cult western classic” label….though I have not seen it….but I have seen it mentioned many times (favorable) during many research trips. Great story about The Rawhide Years. I like stories like that. Good stuff as always.
When being interviewed years ago about his career Arthur said that the movies that he most enjoyed making were the 3 westerns with Jimmy Stewart: Bend of the River; The Man from Laramie; and Cheyenne Autumn [although the pair had just cameos in the latter as Wyatt Earp [Jimmy] and Doc Holliday [Arthur] – the two acting veterans being on the same side for once instead of squaring off as adversaries!].
The run of westerns that Jimmy made between 1950 and 1955 really impressed me and mention of them will always invoke nostalgic memories for me: Winchester 73; Bend of the River; The Far Country; The Naked Spur; and The Man from Laramie. As Arthur was in two of those early fifties westerns he too is a big part of my nostalgia in the matter.
I liked him in many other films as well – for example Some Came Running/A Summer Place/Lawrence of Arabia/Twilight of the Gods/Elmer Gantry/The Desperate Hours/The Window/two with Laddie: Chicago Deadline and Red Mountain/two with Charlie Bill Stuart: Trial and Day of the Evil Gun/and The Rawhide Years***
In Possibly Interesting Facts above Bruce mentions one of Arthur’s early stage successes [Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman for which Arthur won a Tony supporting actor award]; and in fact Arthur showed his theatrical versatility by playing Shakespeare on Broadway – Richard 2 [as Bushy] and as Sir Richard Vernon in Henry 1V part One.
***See also Part 2 of this post
Hey Bob….thanks for the thoughts on Arthur Kennedy. After reading Mike’s request to do a page on him, I was shocked to see that he had received 5 Oscar nominations in his career. That is a very impressive number. That 5 tops all but the legends of current stars. For some reason….Arthur Kennedy, John Ireland and Arthur O’Connell mixed up a lot when thinking about some of their movies.
Interesting information about his favorite movies. His two villains in his first two Stewart movies were ones to remember. I have your tally count at 15 by reading your comment…that is a good number…I have seen 11 of his movies. I can see a young Kennedy being a good Biff. Good stuff.