WRITER
William Kennedy
1928 - Today

William Kennedy
William Joseph Kennedy (born January 16, 1928) is an American writer and journalist who won the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for his 1983 novel Ironweed. Kennedy's other works include The Ink Truck (1969), Legs (1975), Billy Phelan's Greatest Game (1978), Roscoe (2002) and Changó's Beads and Two-Tone Shoes (2011). Many of his novels have featured the interactions of members of the fictional Irish-American Phelan family in Albany, New York. Kennedy has also published a non-fiction book entitled O Albany!: Improbable City of Political Wizards, Fearless Ethnics, Spectacular Aristocrats, Splendid Nobodies, and Underrated Scoundrels (1983). Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in 20 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 19 in 2024). William Kennedy is the 6,562nd most popular writer (down from 6,496th in 2024), the 12,859th most popular biography from United States (down from 12,344th in 2019) and the 919th most popular American Writer.
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Contemporaries
Among people born in 1928, William Kennedy ranks 575. Before him are Tom Aldredge, Gino Pariani, Andrew Sarris, Hap Sharp, Jerry Bock, and June Maston. After him are Jimmy Dean, Joseph Bernardin, Gerhard Weinberg, Philip Levine, Keely Smith, and Barbara Nichols.
Others Born in 1928
Go to all RankingsTom Aldredge
ACTOR
1928 - 2011
HPI: 50.00
Rank: 569
Gino Pariani
SOCCER PLAYER
1928 - 2007
HPI: 49.96
Rank: 570
Andrew Sarris
WRITER
1928 - 2012
HPI: 49.95
Rank: 571
Hap Sharp
RACING DRIVER
1928 - 1993
HPI: 49.95
Rank: 572
Jerry Bock
COMPOSER
1928 - 2010
HPI: 49.68
Rank: 573
June Maston
ATHLETE
1928 - 2004
HPI: 49.65
Rank: 574
William Kennedy
WRITER
1928 - Present
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 575
Jimmy Dean
SINGER
1928 - 2010
HPI: 49.54
Rank: 576
Joseph Bernardin
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1928 - 1996
HPI: 48.97
Rank: 577
Gerhard Weinberg
HISTORIAN
1928 - Present
HPI: 48.95
Rank: 578
Philip Levine
WRITER
1928 - 2015
HPI: 48.67
Rank: 579
Keely Smith
SINGER
1928 - 2017
HPI: 48.64
Rank: 580
Barbara Nichols
ACTOR
1928 - 1976
HPI: 48.43
Rank: 581
In United States
Among people born in United States, William Kennedy ranks 12,863 out of 20,380. Before him are Lori Nelson (1933), Tony Bill (1940), June Marlowe (1903), Larry Parks (1914), Harry Carney (1910), and David Singmaster (1938). After him are William Hootkins (1948), Roger Revelle (1909), Nicky Katt (1970), Daws Butler (1916), Henry Warner Slocum (1827), and Rusty Wailes (1926).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsLori Nelson
ACTOR
1933 - 2020
HPI: 49.58
Rank: 12,857
Tony Bill
ACTOR
1940 - Present
HPI: 49.58
Rank: 12,858
June Marlowe
ACTOR
1903 - 1984
HPI: 49.58
Rank: 12,859
Larry Parks
ACTOR
1914 - 1975
HPI: 49.58
Rank: 12,860
Harry Carney
MUSICIAN
1910 - 1974
HPI: 49.58
Rank: 12,861
David Singmaster
MATHEMATICIAN
1938 - 2023
HPI: 49.58
Rank: 12,862
William Kennedy
WRITER
1928 - Present
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,863
William Hootkins
ACTOR
1948 - 2005
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,864
Roger Revelle
BIOLOGIST
1909 - 1991
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,865
Nicky Katt
ACTOR
1970 - 2025
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,866
Daws Butler
ACTOR
1916 - 1988
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,867
Henry Warner Slocum
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1827 - 1894
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,868
Rusty Wailes
ATHLETE
1926 - 2002
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 12,869
Among WRITERS In United States
Among writers born in United States, William Kennedy ranks 919. Before him are Joe Paterno (1926), Studs Terkel (1912), Gertrude Atherton (1857), Jodi Picoult (1966), John P. Marquand (1893), and Norman Podhoretz (1930). After him are Annie Dillard (1945), John Scalzi (1969), Pat Conroy (1945), Karen Joy Fowler (1950), P. C. Cast (1960), and Joel Osteen (1963).
Joe Paterno
1926 - 2012
HPI: 49.63
Rank: 913
Studs Terkel
1912 - 2008
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 914
Gertrude Atherton
1857 - 1948
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 915
Jodi Picoult
1966 - Present
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 916
John P. Marquand
1893 - 1960
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 917
Norman Podhoretz
1930 - Present
HPI: 49.59
Rank: 918
William Kennedy
1928 - Present
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 919
Annie Dillard
1945 - Present
HPI: 49.55
Rank: 920
John Scalzi
1969 - Present
HPI: 49.46
Rank: 921
Pat Conroy
1945 - 2016
HPI: 49.45
Rank: 922
Karen Joy Fowler
1950 - Present
HPI: 49.41
Rank: 923
P. C. Cast
1960 - Present
HPI: 49.40
Rank: 924
Joel Osteen
1963 - Present
HPI: 49.39
Rank: 925




































