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Ken Shorter

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Ken Shorter
Born
Kenneth Shorter

1945 (1945)
Died (aged 79)
OccupationActor
Years active1966–2018
Known forNed Kelly (1970)
Stone (1974)

Kenneth Shorter (1945 – November 2024) was an Australian actor.

Shorter's career spanned theatre, television and film, but he was best known for starring opposite Mick Jagger in a film adaptation of Ned Kelly (1970), as the title character in the cult biker film Stone (1974) and in American fantasy film Dragonslayer (1981).

Early life

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Shorter was born in 1945,[1][2] and worked as a police officer and truck driver before becoming an actor.

Career

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In 1967, he commenced playing the character of Frankie McCoy on the Seven Network series You Can't See 'Round Corners.[3] He later reprised the role for the 1969 theatrical film adaption.[1]

It was announced in 1969 that Shorter had been cast as Aaron Sherritt in the film Ned Kelly,[4] in which he starred alongside Mick Jagger.

In the early 1970s, Shorter was a member of Sydney's Old Tote Theatre Company and appeared in several of the company's productions including Lasseter, The Man of Mode, The Government Inspector and The Legend of King O'Malley.[5][6][7][8] Shorter also starred in numerous theatre productions throughout the UK from 1972 to 2010.

In 1974, Shorter was cast in his best known role as the title character in the low-budget cult biker film Stone, which has often been cited as inspiration for the Max Max series. That same year, he played a fictional New South Wales rugby league player called Frank Scully in The Forward Pack which was written by Robert Caswell and was one of four Sunday night television plays broadcast by ABC TV.[9] In 1975, he appeared in the outback drama film Sunday Too Far Away as Frankie Davis. And in 1981, he played a henchmen guard in the American fantasy film Dragonslayer. He was also part of the cast for the 2000 Hollywood film Dragonheart: A New Beginning.

Shorter's many Australian television credits included a regular role (as Duncan Ross) in Bellbird (1968), a presenter role on children's series Play School (1969–1982) and a recurring role in Number 96 (1977). He also had guest roles in Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, Homicide, Matlock Police, Riptide, Boney, Division 4 and G.P..

In the UK, he appeared in The Bill, Casualty, Holby City and the TV movie Persuasion.

Death

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After a health decline, Shorter retired from acting in 2018. He died in November 2024, aged 79.[10][11]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1969 You Can't See 'round Corners Frankie McCoy
1970 Ned Kelly Aaron Sherritt
1974 Moving On Alan
1974 Stone Stone
1975 Sunday Too Far Away Frankie Davis
1980 Maybe This Time Alan
1981 Dragonslayer Henchman
1981 4D Special Agents Eddie
1982 Scrubbers Rex
1983 The Ploughman's Lunch Squash Coach
1998 Praise Male Nurse
2000 Dragonheart: A New Beginning King Direct to video film
2018 Sink Vic

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1967 Adventures of the Seaspray Second Youth 1 episode
1967 You Can't See 'Round Corners Frankie McCoy 26 episodes
1968 Bellbird Duncan Ross 83 episodes
1969 Riptide Ross 1 episode
1969 Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Tim 1 episode
1969 Division 4 Dave Gibbs 1 episode
1966–1972 Play School Presenter 31 episodes
1968; 1970 Homicide Rod Smith / Danny Baker 2 episodes
1969 Australian Plays: The Torrents Kingsley Myers TV play
1971 Matlock Police Martin Daly 1 episode
1972 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui TV movie
1973 Boney Vic Vickery 1 episode
1974 The Forward Pack Frank Scully TV movie
1977 Number 96 Duncan Swann 4 episodes
1979 Leave Him to Heaven Eddie TV movie
1979 Ripping Yarns 1st Mutinous Officer 1 episode
1985; 1996 Casualty Musician / John 2 episodes
1987 Rockliffe's Babies Lorry Driver 1 episode
1990; 1991; 1998 The Bill Donald Varney / William Mobley / Heckler 3 episodes[12]
1992 G.P. Paul Ricketson 1 episode
1995 Persuasion Lady Dalrymple's Butler TV movie
2001 Oscar Charlie Biker 2 episodes
2007 Holby City Martin Riley 1 episode

Stage

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Year Title Role Type
1966The Death of Bessie SmithEnsemble Theatre, Sydney
1966Burning BrightEnsemble Theatre, Sydney
1970LunchtimeAMP Theatrette, Sydney, Playhouse, Canberra with Q Theatre Company
1970We Bombed in New HavenEnsemble Theatre, Sydney, Monash University, Melbourne, Playhouse, Canberra
1971As You Like ItOrlandoUNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney
1971The Man of ModeUNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney
1971The National Health or Nurse Norton's AffairUNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney
1971LasseterUNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney
1972CashMartinTheatre Royal, Hobart with Tasmanian Theatre Company
1972Major BarbaraCharles LomaxTheatre Royal, Hobart with Tasmanian Theatre Company
1972The Legend of King O'MalleyCivic Theatre, Fiji, Mercury Theatre, Auckland, Star Boating Club, Wellington, Hunter Theatre The Junction, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre Company
1972Don's PartyCircus Style PerformerJane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA
1972–1973The Royal Hunt of the SunThe Old Vic tour
1974The Bride of Gospel PlaceArts Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA
1974An Adelaide Anthology 1836–1900Edmund Wright House, Adelaide with STCSA
1977The Red Devil Battery SignThe Roundhouse, London, Phoenix Theatre, London
1979BentGretaRoyal Court Theatre, London, Criterion Theatre, London
1983Gossip from the ForestCaptain VanselowSydney Opera House with STC
1984A Patriot for MeCol. Mischa OblenskyLeeds Playhouse
1985Reluctant HeroesSergeant McKenzieNottingham Playhouse
1985Down an Alley Filled with CatsStandby for Adam FaithMermaid Theatre, London with E&B
1986Wild HoneyOsipLeeds Playhouse
1986AmadeusGroom of the Imperial ChamberCrucible Theatre, Sheffield
1987–1988The Comedy of ErrorsGaoler / OfficerUK tour with Royal Shakespeare Company
1988HamletBarnardo / PlayerUK tour with Royal Shakespeare Company
1988The Constant CoupleConstable / FootmanSwan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon with Royal Shakespeare Company
1988The ImmortalistPerformerThe Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon with Royal Shakespeare Company
1987–1989MacbethBloody Sergeant / Murderer 2Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Theatre Royal, Newcastle, Barbican Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company
1988–1989The TempestBoatswain / Spirit; MarinerRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Barbican Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle with Royal Shakespeare Company
1988–1989The Man Who Came to DinnerBaker / WestcottBarbican Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company
1988–1989King LearCaptain / GentlemanThe Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, Almeida Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company
1989The ImmortalistPerformerAlmeida Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company
1990–1991Two Shakespearean ActorsRobert JonesSwan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Barbican Theatre, London, Pit, London with Royal Shakespeare Company
1989–1991Much Ado About NothingBorachioBarbican Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle with Royal Shakespeare Company
1990–1991King LearDuke of Burgundy / Knight OneRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Barbican Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle with Royal Shakespeare Company
1995Lost in a MirrorDuke of FerraraSouthwark Playhouse, London with The Other Company
1998London Full Circle ProductionsBarabbasChelsea Centre, London
2000Baby DollMacBirmingham Repertory Theatre, Royal National Theatre, Lyttelton, Albery Theatre, London with Promenade Productions / Ambassador Theatre Group
2010MacbethSeyward / Old ManShakespeare’s Globe, London
2010Antony and CleopatraMenas / SoldierLiverpool Playhouse
2014Other Desert CitiesLymanEnsemble Theatre, Sydney

[13][14]

References

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  1. 1 2 "Ken Shorter shows how". The Canberra Times. 21 March 1969. p. 3. Retrieved 1 December 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ↑ Uskov, Oleg (19 November 2024). "Умер Кен Шортер, звезда популярного в СССР сериала про кенгуру "Скиппи" [Ken Shorter, star of popular Soviet kangaroo series Skippy, dies]. Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 19 November 2024. Шортер родился в 1945 году. [Shorter was born in 1945.]
  3. ↑ Marshall, Valda (2 July 1967). "A name you'll know by now". The Sun-Herald. p. 95. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  4. ↑ Spooner, Peter (29 June 1969). "Growing beards for parts in Kelly film". The Sun-Herald. p. 13. Retrieved 17 November 2024. Ken Shorter ("You Can't See 'Round Corners") will play Aaron Sherritt...
  5. ↑ Jones, Margaret (11 October 1971). "An all-out attack of the senses". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 12. Retrieved 17 November 2024. The big cast worked well as equals, the leaders if any, being Joe, Taggart, and Dan, played by Drew Forsythe, Reg Livermore and Ken Shorter.
  6. ↑ Kippax, Harry (1 March 1971). "Etheridge at the parade". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 10. Retrieved 17 November 2024. Mr Ken Shorter, though, too rough with Etheridge's honed raillery, is a flamboyant Dorimant.
  7. ↑ Kippax, Harry (7 September 1971). "Racy translation of Gogol classic". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 16. Retrieved 17 November 2024. ...the blandly uncomprehending German doctor (Mr Ken Shorter)...
  8. ↑ "Theatre group back". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 June 1972. p. 8. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "Study of a sportsman first of weekly plays". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 July 1974. p. 13. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  10. ↑ Knox, David (13 November 2024). "Vale: Ken Shorter". TV Tonight. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  11. ↑ Abi, Jo (13 November 2024). "Australian actor Ken Shorter, known for his role in cult film Stone, dies aged 79". Nine.com.au. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "The Bill" Body Language (TV Episode 1990). Retrieved 19 November 2024 – via IMDb.
  13. ↑ "Ken Shorter". AusStage.
  14. ↑ "Ken Shorter". Theatricalia.
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