FRED KENNEDY
Born
Frederick O. Kennedy
1909
in Ainsworth, Nebraska, USA
Died
December 5, 1958 (age 48)
in Natchitoches, Louisiana, USA
Height
5' 9" (1.75 m)
Trivia
Brother of Roy Kennedy.
Mini-Biography
Fred Kennedy was a stuntman for over 25 years,
A favourite of John Ford he appeared notably in
John Wayne films and alsoWagon Master
He was also in westerns of Howard Hawks,
including Red River.
Fred appeared in seven of John Wayne's top films.
The Horse Soldiers,The Searchers ,Hondo
The Quiet Man ,Rio Grande,She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
and Red River
In his movies Fred could be seen in the background, and sometimes in the foreground
with small speaking parts. He was very shy, about having speaking parts!
He was a stunt man (falling horses, blind driving wagons, extra) etc. from the late 1930's
until his death in 1958.
When the SPCA stepped in regarding animal cruelty (horses being tripped, etc.),
Fred started training falling horses.
He also made a "short" which I believe was aired on Channel 2 (Los Angeles, California)
This would have been in the early 1940's, showing the public how he trained his horses,
and that he was more likely to get hurt than the horses, which came true.
Frederick O. Kennedy trained and stabled his horses -
TRIXIE, DIXIE and SHANGHAI at Hudkins Brothers Movie Ranch in Burbank, California.
Fred was good friends with Terry Wilson ("Hawk" on Wagon Train,
who started my bronze horse collection!)
and Guinn "Big Boy" Williams (he was a big man in many ways).
..
Fred Kennedy,................Shanghai and Fred
standing "Roman"
the palomino
(owned by Ace Hudkins,
and later purchased by
Roy Rogers)
with SMOKEY
another Hudkins horse.
It was in John Wayne's,The Horse Soldiers
that he suffered a fatal accident.
John Ford was so upset by this tragic event
that he postponed location shooting in Louisiana,
and finished the film back in the studios.
As a result, the movie's climatic finale lacked in detail.
The scene was kept in the movie but some video versions cut it out.
They shipped his body back to California for funeral services and burial.
Written by ethanedwards
Filmography
Stunts
1959 The Horse Soldiers (stunts - uncredited)
1956 The Searchers (stunts - uncredited)
1954 Prince Valiant (stunts - uncredited)
1953 Hondo (stunts - uncredited)
1953 The Charge at Feather River (stunts - uncredited)
1952 The Quiet Man (stunts - uncredited)
1951 Across the Wide Missouri (stunts - uncredited)
1950 Rio Grande (stunts - uncredited)
1950 Tripoli (stunts - uncredited)
1950 Wagon Master (stunts - uncredited)
1949 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (stunts - uncredited)
1949 Mighty Joe Young (stunts - uncredited)
1949 South of St. Louis (stunts - uncredited)
1948 A Date with Destiny (stunts - uncredited)
1948 Red River (stunts - uncredited)
1947 The Red Stallion (stunts: bear suit - uncredited)
1944 Buffalo Bill (stunts - uncredited)
1938 The Adventures of Robin Hood (stunts - uncredited)
1938 The Old Barn Dance (stunts - uncredited)
Actor
1959 The Horse Soldiers...Soldier (uncredited)
1958 The Last Hurrah...Bit Role (uncredited)
1953 The Charge at Feather River...Leech
1952 What Price Glory...Young Marine (uncredited)
1950 Rio Grande...Trooper Heinze
1949 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon...Badger (uncredited)
1949 Mighty Joe Young...Cowboy (uncredited)
1945 Jeep Herders...Hollister
1944 Buffalo Bill...Undetermined Role (uncredited)