Naked Gun star George Kennedy dies

George’s grandson Cory Schenke confirmed the death to TMZ and said the actor had been in hospice care for the last month.

Rest in peace, George Kennedy.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tough-guy actor George Kennedy, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of a savage chain-gang convict in the 1960s classic “Cool Hand Luke”, has died.

In addition to his acclaimed film work, Kennedy played recurring roles on television shows as diverse as the ’80s primetime soap Dallas and the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon Aaaah!!!

He earned a tremendous following for his dazzling performance as Dragline in “Cool Hand Luke” – a role that earned him the Academy Award for best supporting actor in 1967. He worked steadily in the 1980s but made an impression only in the 1988 deadpan police comedy “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” and its sequels. His fourth wife, Joan McCarthy, died a year ago.

“The films featured these guys who had barely cracked a smile before onscreen”, says film historian Leonard Maltin.

It began early, when he appeared on stage at the age of two and was on a NY radio station at seven.

Kennedy, who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, continued acting even into his later years, most recently appearing in “The Gambler” alongside Mark Wahlberg in 2014. He participated in the opening of the Army Information Office, which provided technical advice to the entertainment industry.

“As an author, Kennedy wrote three books, including the 1983 murder mystery Murder On Location”. He served under the legendary Gen. George Patton and won two Bronze stars and four rows of combat and service ribbons, according to The Hollywood Reporter.