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Adoption Option
Kennedy
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Laurie said. “He kept that award. Every other award he didn’t keep.” And, from the looks of the Feature Parade article from the ‘50s, many of Kennedy’s awards ended up in the house of his mother when she was still living in Worcester. Although he received his last Oscar nomination in the Eisenhower Era, Kennedy had a few tricks up his sleeves for the ‘60s, including appearing opposite Sir Laurence Olivier on Broadway as the title character in ”Becket.” “On his opening night, Pop went off in his lines and started ad-libbing about taxes seeing as it was April,” Laurie said. “I wasn’t there but mother said it was hysterical.” At first, Kennedy was reluctant to be cast alongside the legendary Olivier but Kennedy’s old friend, Boris Karloff, convinced him to do “Becket.” “Boris Karloff was the reason my father did it,” Laurie recalled. “He said ‘John, you can’t pass down a role opposite Sir Olivier. You got to do it.’” In 1962, Kennedy did, however, turned down the role of George in the original production of Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” “My father was in the middle of doing ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and asked Peter O’Toole to read the script. And O’Toole said it’s a great play but it’s the woman’s play and Pop turned it down,” Laurie said. “Big mistake. Big mistake. And he knew it as soon it as it opened.” At the (fish) tail-end of the ‘60s, Kennedy teamed up with another Worcester native, revolutionary director Samuel Fuller, for the film “Shark!” (also known as “Caine” and “Man-Eater”), starring Burt Reynolds. Three years older than Kennedy, Fuller attended Ledge Street School, just down the hill from Worcester Academy, but Kennedy’s daughter doesn’t have any stories to tell about these two Worcester natives working together, nor has any recollection of ever seeing the movie whatsoever. On Jan. 5, 1990, Kennedy died at the Connecticut Hospice in Branford. He was 75 years old. Laurie also said that, despite a successful acting career, her father was rarely recognized by passers-by. “People would stop him in the street and ask, ‘I know you? Where do I know you from?’ And if they realized he was an actor they always would say, ‘George Kennedy?’ (of “Cool Hand Luke” and “Airport” fame who doesn’t look anything like Arthur Kennedy). They would get the wrong actor, which never bothered him. He actually took it as a compliment that he acted, in a way, that they couldn’t put him in a slot.” Laurie said she dearly misses her father’s stories and sense of humor. “Pop could make everybody fall on the floor,” Laurie said. “He would tell these stories that he had from his theater days. He had a wonderful story about Fred Astaire that you can’t really do justice to, just the way he told it. Everybody was convulsing with laughter.”
Arthur Kennedy (left, seated) listens to Humphrey Bogart (right) while Ida Lupino and Alan Curtis look on in a scene from “High Sierra.” WARNER BROS.
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ADOPTION OPTION
Bella is available for adoption at Worcester Animal Rescue
League. SUBMITTED
Meet Bella
Hi, I’m Bella! I am super sweet, house trained, affectionate, and ready to meet my Valentine! Some of my favorite things to do are, go for walks (I walk really well on a leash), lay on the couch, relax in a comfy bed, and snuggle with my favorite humans. I am looking for a home with someone I can be companions and best friends with. I don’t mind other dogs when I meet them on walks but may prefer to be the only one in the home. I think you’ll find I’ll give all the love you need. Everyone at the shelter adores me and I love them but I’m ready to find a family to call my own. Please contact WARL at dogs@worcesterarl.org to learn more about me and set up an appointment to meet me.
Adoption Option is a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes. WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at (508) 853-0030.
