James Kenney
Biography
James Kenney was an English actor born on 20 July 1930 in Wandsworth, London, England. He was the son of music‑hall comedian Horace Kenney and adopted his middle name, James, to avoid confusion with his father. Kenney’s boyish charm secured him regular film and stage work throughout the 1950s, and his career is recorded with nineteen credited performances. By the late 1960s his acting opportunities had largely diminished. He was also known by the name Horace Jam. Kenney died by suicide on 13 January 1987 at the age of 56. His professional activity is listed under the category of acting.
Career overview
James Kenney was born on 20 July 1930 in Wandsworth, London, England. He was the son of music‑hall comedian Horace Kenney and, to avoid confusion with his father, adopted his middle name James as his professional name, although he was also credited as Horace Jam. Kenney entered the entertainment industry as an English actor whose boyish charm secured him a steady flow of film and stage work during the 1950s. Over the course of his career he accumulated nineteen credited appearances, encompassing both cinematic productions and theatrical performances, and was consistently listed in the acting category of his professional records.
By the late 1960s the volume of Kenney’s acting assignments had markedly declined, and opportunities in film and theatre became scarce. The reduction in work coincided with a period of personal difficulty. On 13 January 1987, at the age of fifty‑six, James Kenney died by suicide. His career, though concentrated in a relatively brief span, left a record of regular participation in mid‑century British entertainment, reflecting the era’s demand for youthful, charismatic performers.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about James Kenney.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Ambush in Leopard Street (1962) as Johnny
- Hidden Homicide (1959) as Oswald Castellan
- Son of a Stranger (1958) as Tom Adams
- Seven Thunders (1957) as Eric Triebel
- The Gelignite Gang (1956) as Chris Chapman
- Above Us the Waves (1955) as Abercrombie
- Doctor at Sea (1955) as Fellowes
- The Love Match (1955) as Percy Brown
- The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1954) as Cpl. Skinner
- The Good Die Young (1954) as Dave, Angela's Brother
- Cosh Boy (1953) as Roy Walsh
- The Magic Box (1952) as Kenneth Friese-Greene
- The Gentle Gunman (1952) as Johnny Fagan
- Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951) as Midshipman Longley
- Outcast of the Islands (1951) as Ramsey
- Vice Versa (1948) as Coggs
- The Guinea Pig (1948)
- Circus Boy (1947) as Michael Scott
- The Young Mr. Pitt (1942)