{{Short description|Australian actor (1945–2024)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2024}} {{More footnotes needed|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Ken Shorter | birth_name = Kenneth Shorter | birth_date = {{Birth year|1945}} | death_date = {{Death date and given age|2024|11||79|df=y}} | occupation = Actor | known_for = ''Ned Kelly'' (1970)<br>''Stone'' (1974) | years_active = 1966–2018 }}
'''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== Shorter was born in 1945,<ref name="NLA" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Uskov |first=Oleg |date=19 November 2024 |title=Умер Кен Шортер, звезда популярного в СССР сериала про кенгуру "Скиппи |trans-title=Ken Shorter, star of popular Soviet kangaroo series Skippy, dies |url=https://rg.ru/2024/11/19/umer-ken-shorter-zvezda-populiarnogo-v-sssr-seriala-pro-kenguru-skippi.html |access-date=19 November 2024 |website=Rossiyskaya Gazeta |language=Russian |quote=Шортер родился в 1945 году. |trans-quote=Shorter was born in 1945.}}</ref> and worked as a police officer and truck driver before becoming an actor.
==Career== In 1967, he commenced playing the character of Frankie McCoy on the Seven Network series ''You Can't See 'Round Corners''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Marshall|first=Valda|date=2 July 1967|title=A name you'll know by now|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-a-name-youll/159206113/|work=The Sun-Herald|page=95|access-date=17 November 2024}}</ref> He later reprised the role for the 1969 theatrical film adaption.<ref name="NLA">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107084427 |title=Ken Shorter shows how. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=21 March 1969 |accessdate=1 December 2015 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
It was announced in 1969 that Shorter had been cast as Aaron Sherritt in the film ''Ned Kelly'',<ref>{{cite news|last=Spooner|first=Peter|date=29 June 1969|title=Growing beards for parts in Kelly film|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-growing-beards/159206713/|work=The Sun-Herald|page=13|access-date=17 November 2024|quote=Ken Shorter ("You Can't See 'Round Corners") will play Aaron Sherritt...}}</ref> 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.''<ref>{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Margaret|date=11 October 1971|title=An all-out attack of the senses|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-an-all-out-att/159208004/|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|page=12|access-date=17 November 2024|quote=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.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kippax|first=Harry|date=1 March 1971|title=Etheridge at the parade|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-etherege-at-th/159207766/|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|page=10|access-date=17 November 2024|quote=Mr Ken Shorter, though, too rough with Etheridge's honed raillery, is a flamboyant Dorimant.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kippax|first=Harry|date=7 September 1971|title=Racy translation of Gogol classic|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-racy-translati/159207614/|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|page=16|access-date=17 November 2024|quote=...the blandly uncomprehending German doctor (Mr Ken Shorter)...}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=|date=5 June 1972|title=Theatre group back|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-theatre-group/159207552/|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|page=8|access-date=17 November 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|author=|date=1 July 1974|title=Study of a sportsman first of weekly plays|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-study-of-a-spo/159205647/|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|page=13|access-date=17 November 2024}}</ref> 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== After a health decline, Shorter retired from acting in 2018. He died in November 2024, aged 79.<ref name="tvtobit">{{cite web |author=Knox |first=David |date=13 November 2024 |title=Vale: Ken Shorter |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/11/vale-ken-shorter |access-date=19 November 2024 |work=TV Tonight}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Abi |first1=Jo |date=13 November 2024 |title=Australian actor Ken Shorter, known for his role in cult film Stone, dies aged 79 |url=https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/ken-shorter-death-australian-star-of-stone-dies-aged-79/8e0fea3c-5daa-4f09-8a05-2ab389005e6e |access-date=18 November 2024 |publisher=Nine.com.au}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {|class="wikitable" ! 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=== {|class="wikitable" ! 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<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0837246/characters/nm0795144 |title="The Bill" Body Language (TV Episode 1990) |access-date=19 November 2024 |via=IMDb}}</ref> |- | 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== {|class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Type |- | 1966 || ''The Death of Bessie Smith'' || || Ensemble Theatre, Sydney |- | 1966 || ''Burning Bright'' || || Ensemble Theatre, Sydney |- | 1970 || ''Lunchtime'' || || AMP Theatrette, Sydney, Playhouse, Canberra with Q Theatre Company |- | 1970 || ''We Bombed in New Haven'' || || Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Monash University, Melbourne, Playhouse, Canberra |- | 1971 || ''As You Like It'' || Orlando || UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney |- | 1971 || ''The Man of Mode'' || || UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney |- | 1971 || ''The National Health or Nurse Norton's Affair'' || || UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney |- | 1971 || ''Lasseter'' || || UNSW, Old Tote Theatre, Sydney |- | 1972 || ''Cash'' || Martin || Theatre Royal, Hobart with Tasmanian Theatre Company |- | 1972 || ''Major Barbara'' || Charles Lomax || Theatre Royal, Hobart with Tasmanian Theatre Company |- | 1972 || ''The Legend of King O'Malley'' || || Civic Theatre, Fiji, Mercury Theatre, Auckland, Star Boating Club, Wellington, Hunter Theatre The Junction, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre Company |- | 1972 || ''Don's Party'' || Circus Style Performer || Jane Street Theatre, Sydney with NIDA |- | 1972–1973 || ''The Royal Hunt of the Sun'' || || The Old Vic tour |- | 1974 || ''The Bride of Gospel Place'' || || Arts Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA |- | 1974 || ''An Adelaide Anthology 1836–1900'' || || Edmund Wright House, Adelaide with STCSA |- | 1977 || ''The Red Devil Battery Sign'' || || The Roundhouse, London, Phoenix Theatre, London |- | 1979 || ''Bent'' || Greta || Royal Court Theatre, London, Criterion Theatre, London |- | 1983 || ''Gossip from the Forest'' || Captain Vanselow || Sydney Opera House with STC |- | 1984 || ''A Patriot for Me'' || Col. Mischa Oblensky || Leeds Playhouse |- | 1985 || ''Reluctant Heroes'' || Sergeant McKenzie || Nottingham Playhouse |- | 1985 || ''Down an Alley Filled with Cats'' || Standby for Adam Faith || Mermaid Theatre, London with E&B |- | 1986 || ''Wild Honey'' || Osip || Leeds Playhouse |- | 1986 || ''Amadeus'' || Groom of the Imperial Chamber || Crucible Theatre, Sheffield |- | 1987–1988 || ''The Comedy of Errors'' || Gaoler / Officer || UK tour with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1988 || ''Hamlet'' || Barnardo / Player || UK tour with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1988 || ''The Constant Couple'' || Constable / Footman || Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1988 || ''The Immortalist'' || Performer || The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1987–1989 || ''Macbeth'' || Bloody Sergeant / Murderer 2 || Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Theatre Royal, Newcastle, Barbican Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1988–1989 || ''The Tempest'' || Boatswain / Spirit; Mariner || Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Barbican Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1988–1989 || ''The Man Who Came to Dinner'' || Baker / Westcott || Barbican Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1988–1989 || ''King Lear'' || Captain / Gentleman || The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, Almeida Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1989 || ''The Immortalist'' || Performer || Almeida Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1990–1991 || ''Two Shakespearean Actors'' || Robert Jones || Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Barbican Theatre, London, Pit, London with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1989–1991 || ''Much Ado About Nothing'' || Borachio || Barbican Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1990–1991 || ''King Lear'' || Duke of Burgundy / Knight One || Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Barbican Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Newcastle with Royal Shakespeare Company |- | 1995 || ''Lost in a Mirror'' || Duke of Ferrara ||Southwark Playhouse, London with The Other Company |- | 1998 || ''London Full Circle Productions'' || Barabbas || Chelsea Centre, London |- | 2000 || ''Baby Doll'' || Mac || Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Royal National Theatre, Lyttelton, Albery Theatre, London with Promenade Productions / Ambassador Theatre Group |- | 2010 || ''Macbeth'' || Seyward / Old Man || Shakespeare’s Globe, London |- | 2010 || ''Antony and Cleopatra'' || Menas / Soldier || Liverpool Playhouse |- | 2014 || ''Other Desert Cities'' || Lyman || Ensemble Theatre, Sydney |} <ref>{{cite web|url= https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/225315 |title= Ken Shorter |publisher= AusStage}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/225315 |title= Ken Shorter |publisher= Theatricalia}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0795144}} *[http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/nfsa/search/summary/summary.w3p;adv=;group=;groupequals=;page=0;parentid=;query=Person%3A%22%2FPerson%2Fkey%2F23891-1%22;querytype=;resCount=10 Ken Shorter] at National Film and Sound Archive *{{discogs artist|Ken Shorter}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shorter, Ken}} Category:1945 births Category:2024 deaths Category:20th-century Australian male actors Category:Australian male television actors Category:Australian male film actors Category:Australian children's television presenters