Actor, Producer, Director, Writer. He was best known for playing the character roles of desk clerks, judges, sheriffs, photographers, and salesmen. He will be best remembered for his role as 'Sheriff Bowman' in the action film drama, "Security Risk" (1954). The film which was directed by Harold D. Schuster, which was written for the screen by Jo Pagano, and which also starred John Ireland, Dorothy Malone, and Keith Larsen, tells the story of an FBI agent on vacation in the mountains who begins to suspect that a Communist spy ring may be operating in the area. He is also remembered for playing the role of 'Dooley' in the episode entitled, "The Friendly Man," of the classic television series, "The Tom Ewell Show," which originally aired on December 20, 1960. He was born as Harold Joseph Kennedy one of three children in Holyoke, Massachusetts, to educators John Harry Kennedy (1880-1959), and Mary E. O'Neill Kennedy (1887-1956), on June 6, 1914. He grew up in the Lincoln Avenue area of Holyoke, Massachusetts, and he was educated locally. He attended public school and later attended and graduated from the Holyoke High School in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Following his graduation from high school, he attended the prestigious Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, for his undergraduate degree, and later studied and graduated from the Yale Drama School in New Haven, Connecticut. Following his graduation from college, he pursued an acting career having persuaded actor and director Orson Welles to give him his first big break in the theater as a member of the famed Mercury Theater. He eventually went onto work in summer stock for many years and also became a writer, director, producer, and actor, on Broadway in New York City in such stage productions as the plays, as 'Terry' in "In Time to Come" (December 28, 1941, January 31, 1942), as 'Yip Yip Yaphanker' in "This Is The Army" (July 04, 1942, to September 26, 1942), as 'Tony' in and also wrote the play for which he created for his friend, Gloria Swanson, "A Goose For The Gander" (January 23, 1945, to February 03, 1945), as 'Bensinger' in and also directed "The Front Page" (May 10, 1969, to July 05, 1969, and October 18, 1969, to February 28, 1970), he directed "Me Jack, You Jill" (March 14, 1976), and he directed "Manny" (April 18, 1979, to May 13, 1979). He also directed Moss Hart's play, "Light Up The Sky," at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. He also wrote the plays, "Just For Tonight" (1963), and "The Inkwell" (1982). During his stage career, he worked with the likes of Arlene Francis, Anita Gillette, Jeffrey Lynn, Donny Most, Sam Levene, Kay Medford, Ginger Rogers, Charlton Heston, Celeste Holm, Vivian Blaine, Wesley Addy, and his friend Gloria Swanson. During this time he also made the transition to films having made his actual film debut playing the role of 'Marvin' in "Chain Of Circumstance" (1951), which was directed by Will Jason, and which also starred Richard Grayson, Margaret Field, and Marta Mitrovich. Besides, "Chain Of Circumstance" (1951), and "Security Risk" (1954), his many other film credits include, "Rhubarb" (1951), "The Desert Fox: The Story Of Rommel" (1951), "The Captive City" (1952), "Macao" (1952), "Hannah Lee: An American Primitive" (1953, also the dialogue coach on the film), "It Should Happen To You" (1954), "Riot In Cell Block 11" (1954), "Run For Cover" (1955), "Everything's Ducky" (1961), and "If He Hollers, Let Him Go!" (1968). Besides, the episode entitled, "The Friendly Man," of the classic television series, "The Tom Ewell Show," which originally aired on December 20, 1960, his many other television credits include, "Broadway Television Theatre," "Schlitz Playhouse," "Racket Squad," "Suspense," "Mama," "General Electric Theater," "and "Bachelor Father." His last role was as 'Bensinger' in the television movie, "The Front Page" (1970), which was based on the Broadway play he had played in earlier in his acting career. The film version was directed by Alan Handley and starred Robert Ryan, George Grizzard, and Helen Hayes. He retired from films and television roles shortly thereafter but continued to be involved with stage productions until his death. He wrote the book, "No Pickle, No Performance An Irreverent Theatrical Excursion From Tallulah To Travolta" (1978), which was published by Doubleday. The work detailed his humorous exploits working with some of the best-known entertainers of the twentieth century. He also wrote articles for the New York Times Newspaper and frequently lectured. He passed away from sudden cardiac arrest at the Doctors' Hospital in New York, New York, on January 10, 1988, at the age of 73, and he was buried with his parents in Calvary Cemetery in his native Holyoke, Massachusetts. His grandfather Daniel J. O' Neil was President of the Eastern League Baseball Association and Hampden County Commissioner. He never married nor had any children.