Kenne Duncan
Canadian-American actor (1903–1972)
Kenne Duncan
Born Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan
(1903-02-17 ) February 17, 1903Died February 5, 1972(1972-02-05) (aged 68) Resting place Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery , Glendale , CaliforniaOther names Ken Dincan Kenneth Duncan Occupation Actor Years active 1928–1962
Kenne Duncan (February 17, 1903 – February 5, 1972) was a Canadian-born American B-movie character actor . Hyped professionally as "The Meanest Man in the Movies," the vast majority of his over 250 appearances on camera were Westerns , but he also did occasional forays into horror , crime drama , and science fiction . He also appeared in over a dozen serials.
Early years
Duncan was born Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan in Ontario, Canada.[ 1]
Before he became an actor, Duncan enjoyed riding, and for a time he worked as a jockey. His accomplishments in that field included winning the steeplechase at Blue Bonnets raceway in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.[ 2]
Career
Duncan is best known, in some circles, 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 Wood did with Yakima Canutt in the Director's chair. 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 for being a womanizer with his female co-stars, and had a reputation in Hollywood for being very well endowed.[ 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] Makeup man Harry Thomas saw Kenne Duncan naked at a Hollywood party once, and remarked years later to an interviewer "You know, all men are not created equal."[ 3]
Death
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 was buried at Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Ed Wood was named executor of Kenne 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 in turn would deliver a brief eulogy of the man.[ 6]
Selected filmography
Police Reporter (1928)
A Man from Wyoming (1930) - Haley (uncredited)
Derelict (1930) - Radio Man (uncredited)
No Limit (1931) - Curly Andrews
Grief Street (1931) - Newspaper Reporter (uncredited)
Lovers Courageous (1932) - Cowboy (uncredited)
Probation (1932) - Wedding Rehearsal Attendant (uncredited)
The Mouthpiece (1932) - Office Worker (uncredited)
Shadow River (1933)
Undercover Men (1934) - Blake Hardy
Gallant Defender (1935) - Goose Neck Smith (uncredited)
From Nine to Nine (1936) - John Sommerset
Thoroughbred (1936) - Chick Williams
Cross My Heart (1937) - Steve King
Make-Up (1937) - Lorenzo
The Last Curtain (1937) - Garsatti
The Colorado Kid (1937) - Sims Leather
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938, Serial) - Airdrome Captain
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1938, Serial) - Blacksmith (Ch.13) (uncredited)
Frontier Scout (1938) - Crandall - Henchman
The Spider's Web (1938, Serial) - Ram Singh
Fighting Thoroughbreds (1939) - Brady
North of the Yukon (1939) - Henchman Meeker
Buck Rogers (1939, Serial) - Lieutenant Lacy
Man from Texas (1939) - Speed Dennison
Mickey the Kid (1939) - Henchman (uncredited)
Overland with Kit Carson (1939, Serial) - Trapper (uncredited)
The Fighting Renegade (1939) - Henchman (uncredited)
Trigger Fingers (1939) - Henchman Johnson
Flaming Lead (1939) - Larry - Ranch Hand
Westbound Stage (1939) - Capt. Jim Wallace
Emergency Squad (1940) - Jack (uncredited)
Texas Renegades (1940) - Bill Willis
The Sagebrush Family Trails West (1940) - Bart Wallace
The Cheyenne Kid (1940) - Chet Adams
Billy the Kid Outlawed (1940) - David Hendricks
Murder on the Yukon (1940) - Tom - Henchman
Covered Wagon Trails (1940) - Henchman Blaine
Pinto Canyon (1940) - Fred Jones
Land of the Six Guns (1940) - Max
I Take This Oath (1940) - Car-Rental Clerk (uncredited)
The Kid from Santa Fe (1940) - Joe Lavida
Frontier Crusader (1940) - The Mesa Kid
Sky Bandits (1940) - Brownie - Henchman
Deadwood Dick (1940, Serial) - Two-Gun - Henchman (Ch. 7) (uncredited)
Billy the Kid Outlawed (1940) - Dave Hendricks
Roll Wagons Roll (1940) - Captain Clay
Arizona Gang Busters (1940) - Sheriff Dan Kirk
Trailing Double Trouble (1940) - Bob Horner
The Green Archer (1940, Serial) - Michael Bellamy (uncredited)
Billy the Kid's Gun Justice (1940) - Henchman Bragg
Souls in Pawn (1940) - J.W. Carlton
Buck Privates (1941) - Sergeant on Sidewalk with Sgt. Collins (uncredited)
White Eagle (1941, Serial) - Kirk (uncredited)
Outlaws of the Rio Grande (1941) - Marshal Bob Day
Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941) - Barnett - Chief Henchman [Ch. 2-10]
The Spider Returns (1941, Serial) - Ram Singh, Wentworth's Hindu Chauffeur
Billy the Kid in Santa Fe (1941) - Henchman Scotty
The Texas Marshal (1941) - Henchman Lefty (uncredited)
The Deadly Game (1941) - Henchman #2
Dynamite Canyon (1941) - Henchman Rod
The Apache Kid (1941) - Henchman Benton (uncredited)
King of the Texas Rangers (1941, Serial) - Nick - Henchman [Chs. 1–4,6-9]
Billy the Kid Wanted (1941) - Henchman (uncredited)
Riding the Sunset Trail (1941) - Jay Lynch
The Lone Rider Fights Back (1941) - Barfly (uncredited)
A Missouri Outlaw (1941) - Henchman Pete Chandler
Billy the Kid's Round-Up (1941) - Henchman Joe (uncredited)
Texas Man Hunt (1942) - Henchman Lake
The Lone Rider and the Bandit (1942) - Saloon Henchman (uncredited)
Code of the Outlaw (1942) - Plug - Henchman
Raiders of the West (1942) - Harris - Dandy Gambler (uncredited)
Heart of the Rio Grande (1942) - Train Passenger (uncredited)
The Man with Two Lives (1942) - Jess Fowler
The Lone Rider in Cheyenne (1942) - Deputy Walt
Westward Ho (1942) - Henchman Dallas (uncredited)
Perils of Nyoka (1942, serial[ 7] ) - Abu
The Sombrero Kid (1942) - Pete Raymond - Henchman (uncredited)
Law and Order (1942) - Henchman Durgan
The Secret Code (1942, Serial) - Marvin [Chs.1-3,5-6]
Isle of Missing Men (1942) - Bob Henderson
Foreign Agent (1942) - Tom, Federal Agent (uncredited)
Overland Stagecoach (1942) - Posse Rider (uncredited)
Texas to Bataan (1942) - Captain Anders
Valley of Hunted Men (1942) - Nazi (uncredited)
Outlaws of Boulder Pass (1942) - Henchman Mulie
Red River Robin Hood (1942) - Henchman Ed Rance
Trail Riders (1942) - Marshal Frank Hammond
The Valley of Vanishing Men (1942, Serial) - Logan (uncredited)
The Sundown Kid (1942) - Henchman
The Kid Rides Again (1943) - Cowboy in Saloon (uncredited)
Cheyenne Roundup (1943) - Express Rider (uncredited)
Santa Fe Scouts (1943) - Hoodlum (uncredited)
Wild Horse Stampede (1943) - Hanley
Wolves of the Range (1943) - Henchman Adams
Daredevils of the West (1943, Serial) - George Hooker [Ch. 9]
Days of Old Cheyenne (1943) - Henchman Pete
The Avenging Rider (1943) - Blackie
Border Buckaroos (1943) - Tom Bancroft
Wolves of the Range (1943) - Henchman Adams
Fugitive of the Plains (1943) - R. J. Cole
Batman (1943, Serial) - Fred - the Mechanic [Ch. 5-6] (uncredited)
The Law Rides Again (1943) - Sheriff Jeff
Wagon Tracks West (1943) - Henchman (uncredited)
Blazing Frontier (1943) - Homesteader Clark (uncredited)
Trail of Terror (1943) - Henchman Tom
Swing Shift Maisie (1943) - Charlie - Ann's Blind Date (uncredited)
Blazing Guns (1943) - Henchman Red Higgins
The Man from the Rio Grande (1943) - Henchman
Overland Mail Robbery (1943) - Hank (uncredited)
Canyon City (1943) - Turner - Henchman (uncredited)
In Old Oklahoma (1943) - Indignant Businessman on Train (uncredited)
Pistol Packin' Mama (1943) - Doorman (uncredited)
Raiders of Sunset Pass (1943) - Henchman Tex
Pride of the Plains (1944) - Snyder - Henchman
Hands Across the Border (1944) - Deputy (uncredited)
The Fighting Seabees (1944) - Construction Worker (uncredited)
Captain America (1944, Serial) - Ed Graham [Ch. 14] (uncredited)
Beneath Western Skies (1944) - Deputy Barrow
Mojave Firebrand (1944) - Tony Webb
Hidden Valley Outlaws (1944) - Henchman Ben Bannon
The Laramie Trail (1944) - Bud's Partner (uncredited)
Outlaws of Santa Fe (1944) - Chuck - Henchman
Tucson Raiders (1944) - Henchman (voice, uncredited)
The Tiger Woman (1944, serial[ 8] ) - Gentry - Henchman [Chs. 7, 11]
Silent Partner (1944) - Gangster (uncredited)
Man from Frisco (1944) - Foreman (uncredited)
Marshal of Reno (1944) - Adams - Henchman
Secrets of Scotland Yard (1944) - Steward (uncredited)
The Girl Who Dared (1944) - Dr. Paul Dexter
Song of Nevada (1944) - Thompson's Wagon-Race Driver (uncredited)
Haunted Harbor (1944, Serial) - Gregg
Stagecoach to Monterey (1944) - Joe - Henchman
San Fernando Valley (1944) - Horse Thief (uncredited)
Cheyenne Wildcat (1944) - Henchman Pete
My Buddy (1944) - Convict (uncredited)
Storm Over Lisbon (1944) - Paul-Deresco Aide
End of the Road (1944) - Al Herman
Sheriff of Sundown (1944) - Arthur Wilkes - Secretary
Vigilantes of Dodge City (1944) - Henchman Dave Brewster
Brazil (1944) - Cab Driver (uncredited)
Thoroughbreds (1944) - (uncredited)
Sheriff of Las Vegas (1944) - Whitey - Henchman
Manhunt of Mystery Island (1945, Serial) - Sidney Brand
Corpus Christi Bandits (1945) - Spade - Henchman
The Phantom Speaks (1945) - Murder Victim (uncredited)
Flame of Barbary Coast (1945) - Gambler (uncredited)
Santa Fe Saddlemates (1945) - Brazos Kane
A Sporting Chance (1945) - Boarder
Bells of Rosarita (1945) - Kidnapper (uncredited)
The Chicago Kid (1945) - Al
Road to Alcatraz (1945) - Servant
Trail of Kit Carson (1945) - Trigger Chandler
Oregon Trail (1945) - Johnny Slade - Henchman
Hitchhike to Happiness (1945) - Man in Bar (uncredited)
The Purple Monster Strikes (1945, Serial) - Charles Mitchell [Chs. 1–2, 10]
Love, Honor and Goodbye (1945) - Counter Man (uncredited)
Rough Riders of Cheyenne (1945) - Lance - Henchman
Dakota (1945) - Henchman (uncredited)
Wagon Wheels Westward (1945) - Henchman Joe
The Scarlet Horseman (1946, Serial) - Henchman (uncredited)
The Phantom Rider (1946, Serial) - Ben Brady - Henchman
A Guy Could Change (1946) - Frank Hanlon
California Gold Rush (1946) - Henchman Felton
Sheriff of Redwood Valley (1946) - Henchman Jackson
Home on the Range (1946) - Henchman #2
Rainbow Over Texas (1946) - Henchman Pete McAvoy
Sun Valley Cyclone (1946) - Dow
In Old Sacramento (1946) - Deputy (uncredited)
Man from Rainbow Valley (1946) - Tracy's Partner
Traffic in Crime (1946) - Henchman (uncredited)
My Pal Trigger (1946) - Croupier
Night Train to Memphis (1946) - Asa Morgan
Red River Renegades (1946) - Henchman Hackett
Conquest of Cheyenne (1946) - Geologist McBride
G.I. War Brides (1946) - (uncredited)
The Mysterious Mr. Valentine (1946) - Sam Priestly
Rio Grande Raiders (1946) - Steve - Henchman
Roll on Texas Moon (1946) - Henchman Brannigan
The Crimson Ghost (1946, Serial) - Dr. Chambers [Chs. 1–2, 8]
Santa Fe Uprising (1946) - Henchman
Sioux City Sue (1946) - Crawley (uncredited)
Angel and the Badman (1947) - Gambler (uncredited)
Twilight on the Rio Grande (1947) - Lou Evers - U.S. Customs Agent (uncredited)
Buck Privates Come Home (1947) - Sergeant on Sidewalk (uncredited)
The Trespasser (1947) - Fellow (uncredited)
Close-Up (1948) - Detective (uncredited)
Sundown in Santa Fe (1948) - Wagon Driver (uncredited)
Hidden Danger (1948) - Henchman Bender
Crashing Thru (1949) - Ranger Tim Reymond
Shadows of the West (1949) - Bill Mayberry
Gun Runner (1949) - Nebraska
Law of the West (1949) - Frank Stevens
Stampede (1949) - Steve (uncredited)
Across the Rio Grande (1949) - Joe Bardet
West of El Dorado (1949) - Steve Dallas
Range Justice (1949) - Henchman Kirk
Roaring Westward (1949) - Morgan
Deputy Marshal (1949) - Cal Freeling
Riders in the Sky (1949) - Travis
Lawless Code (1949) - Tom Blaine - Henchman
Sons of New Mexico (1949) - Ed - Henchman (uncredited)
Range Land (1949) - Sheriff Winters
Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) - Sgt. Gordon
Radar Secret Service (1950) - Michael's Henchman
Mule Train (1950) - Latigo (uncredited)
Code of the Silver Sage (1950) - Dick Cantwell - Henchman
Jiggs and Maggie Out West (1950) - Slim - Henchman (uncredited)
A Life of Her Own (1950) - Man Asking Invitation (uncredited)
Surrender (1950) - Rider Warning of Gregg (uncredited)
Indian Territory (1950) - 3rd Man Shot by Apache (uncredited)
Last of the Buccaneers (1950) - Pirate Captain (uncredited)
The Blazing Sun (1950) - Al Bartlett & Mark Bartlett
Wanted: Dead or Alive (1951) - Henchman (uncredited)
Badman's Gold (1951) - Rance
Whirlwind (1951) - Slim - Henchman (uncredited)
Nevada Badmen (1951) - Bob Bannon (uncredited)
The Texas Rangers (1951) - Bart Howard - Outlaw (uncredited)
Silver Canyon (1951) - Corporal (uncredited)
Oklahoma Justice (1951) - Sheriff Barnes
The Hills of Utah (1951) - Indigo Hubbard - Henchman
Drums in the Deep South (1951) - Union Officer (uncredited)
Indian Uprising (1952) - Lt. Richards (uncredited)
The Frontier Phantom (1952) - Sam Mantell
On Top of Old Smoky (1953) - McQuaid
Jack McCall, Desperado (1953) - Gang Member at Party (uncredited)
Pack Train (1953) - Ross McLain
The Lawless Rider (1954) - Freno Frost
Hell's Horizon (1955) - Maj. Naylor
Flesh and the Spur (1956) - Kale Tanner
Revolt at Fort Laramie (1957) - Capt. Foley (uncredited)
Outlaw Queen (1957) - Sheriff
The Iron Sheriff (1957) - Leveret's Brother-in-Law (uncredited)
The Parson and the Outlaw (1957) - Matt McCloud (uncredited)
The Astounding She-Monster (1957) - Nat Burdell
Date with Death (1959) - Andrews - Freight-Train Watchman
Revenge of the Virgins (1959) - Narrator (voice, uncredited)
Night of the Ghouls (1959) - Dr. Acula
Oklahoma Territory (1960) - Bigelow Henchman (uncredited)
The Music Box Kid (1960) - Truck Driver's Helper (uncredited)
Natchez Trace (1960) - William Murrell
The Sinister Urge (1960) - Lt. Matt Carson
Like Wow! (1962) - Car Salesman
Selected Television
References
^ Lewis, C. Jack (2002). White Horse, Black Hat: A Quarter Century on Hollywood's Poverty Row . Rowman & Littlefield. p. 125. ISBN 9780810843585 .
^ "Kenne Duncan Has Lead in Picture" . The Cumberland News . Maryland, Cumberland. February 4, 1944. p. 16. Retrieved December 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com .
^ a b c Rudolph Grey, Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1992). pg. 114. ISBN 978-0-922915-24-8 .
^ Rudolph Grey, Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1992). pg. 90. ISBN 978-0-922915-24-8 .
^ Stewart, W. T. (1972). "Chapter 16". Those Enduring Matinee Idols . 2 (6): 231. ISSN 0040-6422 .
^ 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 .
^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
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