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Kenne Duncan

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Kenne Duncan
Duncan in Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941)
Born
Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan

(1903-02-17)February 17, 1903
Chatham, Ontario, Canada
DiedFebruary 5, 1972(1972-02-05) (aged 68)
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place
Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale, California
Other namesKen Dincan
Kenneth Duncan
OccupationActor
Years active1928–1962

Kenne Duncan (February 17, 1903 – February 5, 1972) was a Canadian-born American B-movie character actor with more than 250 screen credits. Hyped professionally as the "Meanest Man in the Movies", the vast majority of his film appearances were Westerns, but he also acted in some horror, crime-drama and science-fiction films. He also appeared in several serials.

Early years

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Duncan was born Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan in Ontario, Canada.[1]

Before he became an actor, Duncan enjoyed riding, and for a time worked as a jockey. His racing accomplishments included winning the steeplechase at the Blue Bonnets raceway in Montreal.[2]

Career

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Duncan may be best known for his work with Ed Wood. Duncan appeared in five Wood productions: Night of the Ghouls, Trick Shooting with Kenne Duncan, Crossroad Avenger, The Sinister Urge and The Lawless Rider, a film that Wood wrote and produced but with Yakima Canutt as the director. Duncan's final appearances on screen were Wood's low-budget The Sinister Urge and a bit part in an episode of Rawhide ("Incident of the Sharpshooter"). He also made television appearances, especially Westerns, such as The Cisco Kid, Bat Masterson, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp and Tombstone Territory. He retired from filmmaking in 1961 at age 58.

Duncan had a reputation as a womanizer with his female costars.[3] Actress Valda Hansen remarked: "Kenne Duncan kept whispering obscene things in my ear, over and over between takes, such as 'Do you like tongues?' ... Finally I had had enough of the old wolf, so I screamed over the mikes on the set 'Oh, shut up!' ... and everyone cracked up."[4] Filmmaker Ron Ashcroft recalled: "Kenne had a book, and it was quite thick, of the women that he had in bed. He said there was over a thousand in there. A thousand women."[3]

Death

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On February 5, 1972, Duncan committed suicide by overdosing on barbiturates[5] twelve days before his 69th birthday. His friend Ron Ashcroft recalled: "When he committed suicide, I couldn't believe it. He was tired of living. Just like George Sanders, he had seen everything, done everything. All he did was sit around and watch television."[6] Duncan is interred at Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Wood was named the executor of Duncan's estate, and he held a small memorial funeral in his backyard around the swimming pool. Wood and his wife and friends took turns walking onto the diving board, where each of them would deliver a brief eulogy.[6]

Selected filmography

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Selected television appearances

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Year Title Role Notes
1950 The Cisco Kid Station Agent Episode "Dog Story"
1950 The Lone Ranger (TV Series) Jeff Barnes Episode "Greed for Gold"
1950 The Lone Ranger (TV Series) Deputy Joe Parker Episode "Death Trap"
1951 The Cisco Kid Sheriff Episode "The Old Bum"
1951 The Cisco Kid Sheriff Episode "Water Rights"
1953 Death Valley Days Second Robber Season 1, Episode 9 " Cynthy's Dream Dress "
1953 The Lone Ranger (TV Series) Sheriff Dunn Episode "Trader Boggs"
1953 Death Valley Days Nevada Secretary of State Season 2, Episode 2 " Little Washington"
1955 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Davie - Pierce Foreman Episode " King of the Cattle Trails"
1956 Death Valley Days Bartender Episode "Pay Dirt "
1956 Death Valley Days McConnell Episode " Year of Destiny"
1956 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Dr. Perkins Episode " The Lonesomest Man in the World"
1958 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Duecey Miller Episode " The Kansas Lily"
1958 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Kendall Episode "The Bounty Killer"
1958 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Caldwell Episode " Kill the Editor"
1958 Tombstone Territory Bartender Episode "Fight for a Fugitive "
1958 Tombstone Territory Bartender Episode " The Gatling Gun"
1958 Tombstone Territory Bartender Episode " The Black Marshal from Deadwood"
1958 Bat Masterson Newspaper Reporter Episode " General Sherman's March Through Dodge City "
1960 Rawhide Sheriff Brown Episode "Incident of the Sharpshooter"

References

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  1. ^ Lewis, C. Jack (2002). White Horse, Black Hat: A Quarter Century on Hollywood's Poverty Row. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 125. ISBN 9780810843585.
  2. ^ "Kenne Duncan Has Lead in Picture". The Cumberland News. Maryland, Cumberland. February 4, 1944. p. 16. Retrieved December 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ a b Rudolph Grey, Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1992). pg. 114. ISBN 978-0-922915-24-8.
  4. ^ Rudolph Grey, Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1992). pg. 90. ISBN 978-0-922915-24-8.
  5. ^ Stewart, W. T. (1972). "Chapter 16". Those Enduring Matinee Idols. 2 (6): 231. ISSN 0040-6422.
  6. ^ a b Rudolph Grey, Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1992). pg. 115. ISBN 978-0-922915-24-8.
  7. ^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
  8. ^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
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