Burt Kennedy

Burt Kennedy (full name Burton Raphael Kennedy, Born: September 3, 1922. Died: February 15, 2001) was an American movie director and screenwriter. He is remembered mostly for the westerns that he directed. During World War II Kennedy served with the 1st Cavalry Division in the South Pacific. He was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart with bronze oak leaf (signifying that he was wounded twice). After the war he started as a writer for radio productions. He eventually came to focus on Westerns, in part due to the advice of fellow writer James Grant who advised, "Why compete with all the big writers when there are hardly any good western writers as such?" Some good writers have written westerns, but there were very few genuine western writers in this town that were really good writers. He said that the competition was easier that way, and if you write a good western, you're apt to go further faster. And it turned out he was right. Because I never stopped, from 1953-54 up until the mid 70s, I never stopped working at all." (1994 interview with Sean Axmaker). During his lifetime he directed thirty-two productions for both the big screen and television. Additionally he received writer credit on twenty-two television and movie productions. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

The following lists the films in the IMFDB directed by Burt Kennedy:

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  Return of the Magnificent Seven (1966)

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  The War Wagon (1967)

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  Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)

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  Hannie Caulder (1971)

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  White Hunter Black Heart (1990) Co-writer