Ken Shorter

Shorter was born in 1945,{{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.}} and worked as a police officer and truck driver before becoming an actor.

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

It was announced in 1969 that Shorter had been cast as Aaron Sherritt in the film Ned Kelly,{{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...}} 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.{{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.}}{{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.}}{{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)...}}{{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}} 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.{{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}} 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.

After a health decline, Shorter retired from acting in 2018. He died in November 2024, aged 79.{{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}}{{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}}

{{cite web|url= https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/225315 |title= Ken Shorter |publisher= AusStage}}{{cite web|url= https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/225315 |title= Ken Shorter |publisher= Theatricalia}}

{{reflist}}

• {{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}}

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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