Kennedy is a scientist detective at Columbia University similar to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Thorndyke.

He uses his knowledge of chemistry and psychoanalysis to solve cases, and uses exotic (at the time) devices in his work such as lie detectors, gyroscopes, and portable seismographs.

A series of six Craig Kennedy stories in early issues of Popular Detective are known to have been unsold novelettes rewritten by A. T.

[3] The character's name was spoofed in 1916 by Douglas Fairbanks, who played "Coke Enneday" in the cocaine comedy film and Sherlock Holmes sendup The Mystery of the Leaping Fish.

Herbert Rawlinson portrayed Craig Kennedy in the silent serial film The Carter Case (1919).