Actor Arthur Kennedy; Appeared In `Lawrence Of Arabia,' On Stage

BRANFORD, Conn. - Actor Arthur Kennedy, who was discovered by Jimmy Cagney and excelled in movies such as ``Peyton Place'' and ``Lawrence of Arabia'' and on Broadway, has died of cancer at age 75.

Kennedy died Friday evening at the Connecticut Hospice in Branford, where he was admitted in October, said Allan Nixon, a longtime friend and fellow actor.

Kennedy, a five-time Oscar nominee, won a Tony Award for his role as Biff in Arthur Miller's ``Death of a Salesman.''

On stage in the 1940s, Kennedy achieved prominence as a character actor in other Miller plays, appearing in ``The Crucible'' and ``All My Sons.''

Among his film credits were ``The Glass Menagerie,'' ``Elmer Gantry'' and ``High Sierra.'' Kennedy also starred in several Italian and Spanish films during the 1960s and 1970s.

In a memorable role as the crusty American correspondent Jackson Bentley in ``Lawrence of Arabia,'' Kennedy delivered an off-the-cuff eulogy for T.E. Lawrence, saying: ``He was a poet, a scholar and a mighty warrior. . . . He was also the most shameless exhibitionist since Barnum and Bailey.''

Born Feb. 17, 1914, in Worcester, Mass., John Arthur Kennedy attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology and was brought to the attention of Hollywood producers by Cagney, who had seen him perform on stage in Los Angeles.

He made his film debut in 1940 as the prodigy brother for whom Cagney sacrifices all in ``City for Conquest.''

During World War II, Kennedy worked at Warner Bros., appearing with Ronald Reagan and Errol Flynn in ``Desperate Journey,'' a 1942 film about three prisoners of war in Nazi Germany who fight their way to freedom.

Kennedy received Academy Award nominations for ``Champion'' (1949), ``Trial'' (1955), ``Peyton Place'' (1957), ``Some Came Running'' (1959) and ``Bright Victory.''

Kennedy expressed little interest in contemporary films, saying the two ``Godfather'' films were the only admirable efforts that came to mind. He had no great admiration for the current crop of actors, either.

``I think they're accomplishing nothing, playing the same part over and over again, generally speaking. It has nothing to do with acting, and it doesn't add up to much. They don't gamble with their careers.''

He was to be buried alongside his wife of 45 years, Mary, at his farm in Nova Scotia, Nixon said.