(CNN) George Kennedy, the brawny, Oscar-winning character actor known for playing cops, soldiers and blue-collar authority figures in such films as "Cool Hand Luke," "Airport" and the "Naked Gun" films, has died. He was 91.

Kennedy died Sunday in Boise, Idaho, said his grandson, Cory Schenkel.

"He passed Sunday morning, due to old age and some health issues," Schenkel said.

Former U.S. Rep. Mike Oxley -- co-author of a landmark anti-corporate-fraud law that bears his name -- died on January 1. He was 71.

Producer Robert Stigwood , the creative force behind "Saturday Night Fever," "Grease" and other cultural blockbusters of the 1970s, died on January 4. He was 81.

French fashion designer Andre Courreges, famous for his "space age" designs of the 1960s and 1970s, died on January 7, his family told CNN affiliate France 3. He was 92.

French fashion designer Andre Courreges, famous for his "space age" designs of the 1960s and 1970s, died on January 7, his family told CNN affiliate France 3. He was 92.

Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Monte Irvin died January 11 at the age of 96. Irvin was regarded as one of the best hitters and all-around players in the Negro League, making five All-Star teams. He became one of the first African-Americans to play in the majors, and he played a vital role in the New York Giants' World Series runs in 1951 and 1954.

At left is Bob Elliott , half of the TV and radio comedy duo Bob and Ray. He died February 2 at the age of 92. For several decades, Elliott and Ray Goulding's program parodies and deadpan routines were staples of radio and television. Elliott was the father of comedian and actor Chris Elliott and the grandfather of "Saturday Night Live" cast member Abby Elliott.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia , the leading conservative voice on the high court, died at the age of 79, a government source and a family friend told CNN on February 13.

Singer Sonny James , who ruled the country music charts for nearly 20 years, died February 22 at the age of 87.

Former first lady Nancy Reagan , who joined her husband on a storybook journey from Hollywood to the White House, died of heart failure on March 6. She was known as a fierce protector of her husband, President Ronald Reagan, as well as a spokeswoman of the "just say no" anti-drug campaign. She was 94.

Actor Larry Drake , best known for his role as Benny on "L.A. Law," died at his home in Los Angeles on March 17, according to his manager Steven Siebert. Drake was 66.

Malik Taylor, better known to fans as Phife Dawg of the rap group A Tribe Called Quest, died March 23 at the age of 45. He's seen here at center during a performance in 1996. Taylor had long suffered from health issues associated with having Type 1 diabetes. In 2008, he underwent a kidney transplant.

Author and poet Jim Harrison died March 26 at his winter home in Arizona. He was 78. His many books include "Legends of the Fall," which was made into a 1994 movie starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.

Actor James Noble , who played Gov. Eugene X. Gatling in the television series "Benson," died from a stroke on March 28. He was 94.

Actress Patty Duke , star of "The Patty Duke Show," died March 29, at the age of 69. Duke won an Academy Award at age 16 for playing Helen Keller in 1962's "The Miracle Worker."

Architect Zaha Hadid , whose designs include the London Olympic Aquatic Centre, died March 31, a spokesperson from Zaha Hadid Design told CNN. She was 65. Hadid died of a heart attack in a Miami hospital where she was being treated for bronchitis, according to her firm's press office.

Country music legend Merle Haggard died on April 6 -- his 79th birthday -- of complications from pneumonia, his agent Lance Roberts told CNN.

Actress Doris Roberts , best known for her role as Marie Barone on the sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," died April 17. She was 90.

The musician Prince died at his home in Minnesota on April 21 at age 57. The medical examiner later determined he died of an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl.

Grammy-winning songwriter Guy Clark died May 17 at the age of 74. The Texas native died after a long illness, according to a statement from his publicist.

CBS News legend Morley Safer , whose work on "60 Minutes" embodied the show's 50 years on air, died at the age of 84, according to CBS on May 19.

Actor Alan Young , known for his role as Wilbur Post in the television show "Mr. Ed," died on May 19. He was 96.

Drummer Nick Menza , who played on many of Megadeth's most successful albums, died after collapsing on stage during a show with his current band, Ohm, on May 21. He was 51.

Mixed martial arts fighter Kimbo Slice died June 6 at the age of 42. Slice, whose real name was Kevin Ferguson, initially gained fame from online videos that showed him engaging in backyard bare-knuckle fights. He then became a professional fighter with a natural charisma that endeared him to fans.

Hockey legend Gordie Howe , left, scored 801 goals in his NHL career and won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings. Howe, also known as "Mr. Hockey," died June 10 at the age of 88, his son Marty said.

Singer Christina Grimmie died June 11 from gunshot wounds. The 22-year-old singer, who finished third on season 6 of "The Voice" on NBC, was shot while signing autographs after a concert in Orlando.

Singer Attrell Cordes , known as Prince Be of the music duo P.M. Dawn, died June 17 after suffering from diabetes and renal kidney disease, according to a statement from the group. He was 46.

Actor Ron Lester , who portrayed Billy Bob in the 1999 football movie "Varsity Blues," died June 17 at the age of 45, according to his representative Dave Bradley. Bradley said Lester died of organ failure -- specifically his liver and his kidneys. Lester had openly talked about his struggle with his illness on Twitter.

Bluegrass music pioneer Ralph Stanley died June 23 at the age of 89, publicist Kirt Webster announced on Stanley's official website. Stanley was already famous in bluegrass and roots music circles when the 2000 hit movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" thrust him into the mainstream. He provided a haunting a cappella version of the dirge "O Death" and ended up winning a Grammy.

Scotty Moore, a legendary guitarist credited with helping to launch Elvis Presley's career, died at the age of 84 on June 28. Moore is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he was ranked No. 29 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

Scotty Moore, a legendary guitarist credited with helping to launch Elvis Presley's career, died at the age of 84 on June 28. Moore is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he was ranked No. 29 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel died at the age of 87 on July 2. Wiesel's book "La Nuit" is the story of the Wiesel family being sent to Nazi concentration camps.

Director Michael Cimino , whose searing 1978 Vietnam War drama "The Deer Hunter" won five Oscars, including best picture, died July 2. He was 77.

Actress Noel Neill , who played Lois Lane in the 1950s TV version of "Superman," died July 3 at the age of 95.

Actor David Huddleston , perhaps best known for his role in the 1998 film "The Big Lebowski," died August 2 at the age of 85.

Famous New Orleans jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain died August 6 of heart failure. He was 86.

British actor Kenny Bake r, best known for playing R2-D2 in the "Star Wars" films, died on August 13, Baker's niece, Abigail Shield, told CNN. He was 81.

Actor Steven Hill , best known for playing District Attorney Adam Schiff on NBC's "Law & Order," died August 23, his son confirmed to CNN. He was 94.

Mexican music icon Juan Gabriel, who wooed audiences with soulful pop ballads that made him a Latin American music legend, died August 28 at the age of 66.

Actor Gene Wilder , who brought a wild-eyed desperation to a series of memorable and iconic comedy roles in the 1970s and 1980s, died August 29 at the age of 83. Some of his most famous films include "Young Frankenstein," "Blazing Saddles" and "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."

Character actor Jon Polito, who appeared in films such as "American Gangster" and "The Big Lebowski," died September 2, his manager confirmed. He was 65.

Character actor Jon Polito, who appeared in films such as "American Gangster" and "The Big Lebowski," died September 2, his manager confirmed. He was 65.

Actor Hugh O'Brian , best known for his portrayal of the title role in the 1950's TV Western "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," died on September 5. He was 91.

Legendary playwright Edward Albee -- whose works included "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" -- died at the age of 88 after a short illness, according to his personal assistant Jakob Holder. Albee died September 16 at his home in Montauk, New York.

"L.A. Confidential" director and writer Curtis Hanson , 71, died of natural causes on September 20, Los Angeles police said. He won an Oscar with Brian Helgeland for the screenplay on "L.A. Confidential," and he also directed "8 Mile" and "Wonder Boys."

Grammy and Emmy Award winner Stanley Dural Jr., also known as Buckwheat Zydeco, died September 24 in Lafayette, Louisiana. He was 68.

Veteran actor Bill Nunn, best known for playing Radio Raheem in "Do the Right Thing" and Robbie Robertson in the "Spider-Man" trilogy, died September 24 at age 63.

Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez , one of baseball's brightest stars, was killed in a boating accident September 25, Florida authorities said. He was 24.

Golfing legend Arnold Palmer , who helped turn the sport from a country club pursuit to one that became accessible to the masses, died September 25 at the age of 87, according to the U.S. Golf Association.

Award-winning author Gloria Naylor , whose explorations of the lives of black women in the 1980s and 1990s earned her wide acclaim, died on September 28. She was 66.

Actor Tommy Ford , best known for his role as Tommy in the 1990s hit sitcom "Martin," died in Atlanta, a spokeswoman for his family announced on October 12. Ford was 52.

Actor and comedian Kevin Meaney , who had been a regular on late-night TV and was famous for delivering the line, "That's not right," died, his agent said October 21. Meaney's age and the cause of death weren't immediately known.

Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen died at the age of 82, according to a post on his official Facebook page on November 10. A highly respected artist known for his poetic and lyrical music, Cohen wrote a number of popular songs, including the often-covered "Hallelujah."

Actor Ron Glass , known for his role on the police sitcom "Barney Miller," died November 25, his agent said. Glass also starred in "Firefly" and its film sequel "Serenity."

Actor Alan Thicke , known for his role as the father in the sitcom "Growing Pains," died on December 13, according to his agent, Tracy Mapes. He was 69. Thicke's career spanned five decades -- one in which he played various roles on and off screen, from actor to writer to composer to author.

English novelist Richard Adams , author of the famous children's book "Watership Down," died at the age of 96 on December 24.

Singer George Michael , who shot to fame with the '80s band Wham!, died on Christmas Day, according to Britain's Press Association. He was 53 years old.

Actor and comedian Ricky Harris , who was a regular on the TV sitcom "Everybody Hates Chris" and first gained attention on HBO's "Def Comedy Jam," died December 26, according to his publicist. He was 54.

Actress Carrie Fisher , best known for her role as Princess Leia in the "Star Wars" franchises, died December 27, according to her daughter's publicist. Fisher had suffered a cardiac event on December 23. She was 60 years old.

The New York-born Kennedy came by his military gravitas honestly; he served in World War II and spent 16 years in the U.S. Army, many of them with Armed Forces Radio. In the 1950s, he was an adviser to Phil Silvers' "Sgt. Bilko" show and then started getting acting roles.

Among his early notable films were 1963's "Charade," in which he played one of the criminal gang threatening Audrey Hepburn's character, and 1965's "The Flight of the Phoenix," in which he played a passenger on James Stewart's stranded airplane.

He broke through with 1967's "Cool Hand Luke," in which he played Dragline, a convict who resists, and then becomes friendly with, Paul Newman's Luke character.

"The marvelous thing about that movie was that as my part progresses, I changed from a bad guy to a good guy," Kennedy said in 1978, according to the Hollywood Reporter . "The moguls in Hollywood must have said, 'Hey, this fellow can do something besides be a bad guy.' "

His performance won him an Oscar for best supporting actor.

Kennedy was, by then, a go-to character actor. He played Joe Patroni, the mechanic and problem solver who was the one constant in the 1970s "Airport" movies. He also starred in 1974's "Earthquake," another disaster flick, about a quake that hits Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, he had a number of TV roles, including starring in the short-lived '70s series "Sarge" and "The Blue Knight."

But he also had a sense of humor about himself, which came in handy given his beefy, 6-foot-4 frame.

He and Raymond Burr were friendly -- Kennedy guest-starred on both "Perry Mason" and "Ironside" -- and Kennedy told the Smashing Interviews website that they used to break each other up.

"Raymond and I were big men," he recalled, noting their height and that "both of us weighed more than a ton and a half each."

But they found their size entertaining, not intimidating.

"If you can picture this, we'd talk about being big guys, and we would giggle. Now, here was 600 pounds of guys sitting between shots in a couple of chairs and almost breaking them because we're giggling at jokes. Over all of Raymond's movies and TV shows, I remember him as a guy who'd giggle with me and didn't care."

Kennedy also got to laugh with Albert Brooks, playing himself in 1981's "Modern Romance," and Leslie Nielsen, co-starring as Detective Captain Ed Hocken in the "Naked Gun" movies.

R.I.P. George Kennedy. Lucky enough to work with him in Modern Romance. Great guy. — Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) February 29, 2016

"I love comedy perhaps more than anything else," he told Smashing Interviews.

He didn't stop acting until he was in his 80s, by then doing a seven-year stint on the soap "The Young and the Restless." The Internet Movie Database lists more than 180 acting credits.

"My grandpa loved acting. Every opportunity he had, he enjoyed with such a passion," his grandson said. "It was definitely amazing to see that passion. Acting was natural to him."

Late in life, Kennedy wrote a memoir, "Trust Me," in which he described growing up lonely in New York and the joy he found in acting.