Bill Kennedy (actor)


Willard "Bill" Kennedy was an American actor, voice artist, and host of the long-running Detroit-based television show, Bill Kennedy at the Movies. He began his career as a staff announcer in radio; Kennedy's voice narrates the opening of the television series ''Adventures of Superman.''

Career

Kennedy was born June 27, 1908, in Cleveland, Ohio. He began his media career as a staff announcer at WWJ, The Detroit News.
In 1941, he became a Warner Bros. contract player, appearing in dozens of Hollywood movies from 1941 through 1955. He was often cast as a police officer or detective. He played Thierache, the Executioner, who sets fire to Joan in Joan of Arc, but recounted that after the picture previewed in a neighborhood popular with gays, his one line – "We need more fagots" – generated loud laughter from the audience during the execution scene. He also played opposite Cary Grant in Destination Tokyo.
For the Superman TV series, he was the announcer during its several year run. He appeared off-screen as the wrestling announcer in the 1952 episode, "No Holds Barred;" and on-screen, as one of the radio announcers in the 1953 episode, "Crime Wave"; and as the racetrack announcer in the 1955 episode "Joey". He is believed to have provided the voice on the phone for the 1954 episode, "Beware the Wrecker". Denver Pyle played the part on-screen and had a couple of spoken lines. Kennedy also appeared as a guest star in numerous series, such as The Lone Ranger, ''The Cisco Kid, The Gene Autry Show, and Death Valley Days.
In 1956 Kennedy returned from California to the Detroit area as host of Bill Kennedy's Showtime at CKLW-TV, based directly across the Detroit River in Windsor, Ontario. The musical standard, "Just in Time" was his theme song. In 1969 he moved to WKBD and continued hosting the show. Initially using the same name as at CKLW-TV, Bill Kennedy's Showtime, the WKBD program would be renamed Bill Kennedy at the Movies by the start of 1972. Kennedy would host films for WKBD until retiring to Florida in 1983.
On his afternoon TV program, he showed old movies and provided anecdotes about the actors and the production of the movies. These came in large part from his own Hollywood experience. He had a deadpan, sardonic style which many found refreshing, somewhat similar to that of Ed Sullivan. He expressed his opinion of the movies, making comments such as "We have a moderately good picture for you today". He introduced the featured film, Dragonwyck'', by saying, "Today we have one of the most boring movies ever made." He took on-air calls from viewers, which was a highlight of his daily shows. When Kennedy showed a film in which he had a part, he would talk at every break about the role, but always with a wink and good humor. Kennedy would also interview stars of some of the movies that he would host when those stars would be visiting the Detroit area and include it with that day's film broadcast.
He died January 27, 1997, in Palm Beach, Florida, of emphysema.

Selected filmography

Highway West – Cop in Car-Crash Flying Fortress – Manhattan News Radio Announcer Secret Enemies – Radio Broadcaster Busses Roar – The MoocherYou Can't Escape Forever – Reporter at Execution Now, Voyager – Hamilton Hunneker The Hard Way – Radio Announcer Truck Busters – Tim ShaughnessyAir Force – Marine Mission to Moscow – American Newsman This Is the Army – News Commentator Murder on the Waterfront – First Officer BarnesPrincess O'Rourke – Second Airline Dispatcher Northern Pursuit – Mountie Destination Tokyo – Torpedo Gunnery OfficerThe Adventures of Mark Twain – Townsman Mr. Skeffington – Bill ThatcherMake Your Own Bed – FBI Agent The Doughgirls – Tall Guy who Punches Drake Crime by Night – Hospital Attendant The Last Ride – Correlli Hollywood Canteen – Busboy Escape in the Desert – Hank AlbrightRhapsody in Blue – Herbert StoneThe Royal Mounted Rides Again – Corporal J. Wayne DeckerThe People's Choice – Abner SnellDon't Gamble with Strangers – Harry AmoldOf Human Bondage – FlanaganThe Bachelor's Daughters – Mr. StappThat Brennan Girl – Arthur, Helen's HusbandSeven Were Saved – Colonel Fun on a Weekend – Bill Davis Web of Danger – Ernie ReardonNews Hounds – Mark MorganLouisiana The Gangster – Thug Overland Trails – Carter MorganAssigned to Danger – Assistant District Attorney Raw Deal – Drunk I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes – 2nd DetectiveTriggerman – KirbyA Southern Yankee – Lt. Sheve In This Corner – Al BartonThe Sheriff of Medicine Bow – Barry StuartJoan of Arc – Thierache Belle Starr's Daughter – Kiowa Marshal Dynamite – Construction Worker Shadows of the West – Banker WardLaw of the West – Dan Nixon – Land AgentForgotten Women – Bill DunningTrail of the Yukon – ConstableMalaya – Intern Chain Lightning – Radio Man at Test Flight The Gunfighter – Ace LarabeeStorm Over Wyoming – Jess RawlinsPeggy – Reporter I Shot Billy the Kid – Deputy John PoeTrain to Tombstone – Rev. Jared Greeley Border Rangers – Sgt. CarlsonGunslingers - Ace LarabeeTwo Lost Worlds – Martin ShannonAbilene Trail – Rancher ColterCry Danger – Cop at Trailer Park Silver City Bonanza – Monk MonroeCanyon Raiders – Hemingway Nevada Badmen – Jensen – BankerRed Planet Mars – News Commentator #1 Born to the Saddle – Jeff Unchained – Sanders Lucy Gallant – Newspaper Reporter at Fashion Show I Died a Thousand Times – SheriffMale and Female Since Adam and Eve – AdamDon't Make Waves – Reporter