Ken SHORTER
Ken SHORTER
AKA Kenneth SHORTER
* Nickname: ?
Late of ?
Relations in ‘the job’:
“possible” relation in ‘the job‘: ?
NSW Police Training Centre – Redfern – Class # 091
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # 10357
Rank: Commenced Training at Redfern Police Academy on Monday ? ? 1962
Probationary Constable – appointed ? ? ?
Constable – appointed ? ? ?
Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?
Detective – appointed ? ? ?
Final Rank: = ?
Stations: ?, Newtown ( 5 Division )( 1967 ) – Resignation to pursue an acting career
Time employed ( Paid ) with NSW Police: From: ? ? 1962 to ? ? c1967? = 5 years,
Service ( From Training Date ) period: From ? ? 1962 to ? ? c1967? = 5 years, Service
Does NOT appear in the 1968 ‘Stud Book’.
Retirement / Leaving age: = ?
Time in Retirement from Police: ?
Awards: No Find on Australian Honours system
Born: ? ? 1945
Died on: ? November 2024
Age: 79 years,
Organ Donor: Y / N / ?
Cause: ?
Event location: ?
Event / Diagnosis date: ?
Funeral date: ? ? ?
Funeral location: ?
LIVE STREAM ?
Wake location: ???
Wake date: ???
Funeral Parlour: ?
Buried at: ?
Grave Location: Section: Row: ? Plot: ?
Grave GPS: ?, ?
Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?
Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( November 2024 )
KEN is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance * NOT JOB RELATED
FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal
May they forever Rest In Peace
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSWFallenPolice/
Australian Police YouTube Channel
Vale: Ken Shorter
Australian actor best known for the films Stone and You Can’t See ’round Corners has died.
- Published by David Knox
- on
Australian actor Ken Shorter, best known for the films Stone and You Can’t See ’round Corners has died.
He played the lead in 1969’s You Can’t See ’round Corners and the title role in 1974 bikie film Stone, made at the start of the revival of the Australian film industry. The day after the film launched it was slammed by the newspaper critics but picked up by Greater Union to screen in cinemas to huge audiences. Documentary Stone Forever was released in 1999 to mark 25 years since its impact.
Television credits included Skippy, Boney, Riptide, Bellbird, The Adventures of Seaspray, Play School, Number 96, Matlock Police, Homicide, Division 4, Ripping Yarns, GP.
He also featured in UK dramas Persuasion, Casualty, The Bill and Holby City.
Vale Ken Shorter, Australian actor who worked across stage + screen since the 1960s. Known for roles in iconic film + TV productions including You Can’t See ‘Round Corners (1967/69) and Stone (1974) plus guest roles in everything from Play School to Number 96. Lovely bloke pic.twitter.com/RaM8dDaa40
— Nigel Giles (@Number96Bk) November 11, 2024
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Respect.
Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995),
Friday 21 March 1969, page 3
Ken Shorter shows how
Ken Shorter, 22-year-old star of ‘You Can’t See Round Corners’, proved yesterday that he is not only an actor; he has a great deal of patience, too.
At Canberra airport, in hot sunshine and wearing a black leather jacket and cap, he went through a television interview three times.
Brushing off the flies, he said he liked any kind of part. Singing and dancing lessons (pause for soft-shoe shuffle) would help fit him for any kind of role in Hollywood. He was not worried about getting a contract in the US, but he wanted to be sure of getting acting parts as well.
Two hours later he was answering the same questions good-humouredly in a department store.
Away from the TV camera and lunchtime shoppers he attributed his patience to the five years he spent in the police force.
Success of film
“That really taught me how to deal with people”, Mr Shorter said.
He did not think the film would be a great success in the US. “There’s quite a lot of violence in it and, because of the way Kennedy and Dr King died, I think they are chopping violence out of their films now”, he said.
On Australian films he said, “They should be true. This morning I was in Red Hill and there were hundreds of butterflies. You wouldn’t see them in Sydney but they are a part of Canberra. Think how they would look in a film to people who don’t ever see them in cities”.
There were two things in Canberra which the actor / ex-policeman / ex-truck driver particularly wanted to see. They were the Leonard French paintings at Civic and the Leonard French stained – glass panels at the National Library.
“Marvellous”, he said, and whisked away to see them.
21 Mar 1969 – Ken Shorter shows how – Trove
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | You Can’t See ’round Corners | Frankie McCoy | Feature film |
| 1969 | The Torrents | TV movie | |
| 1970 | Ned Kelly | Aaron Sheritt | Feature film |
| 1972 | The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui | TV movie | |
| 1974 | Moving On | Alan | Feature film |
| 1974 | Stone | Stone | Feature film |
| 1974 | The Forward Pack | Frank Scully | TV movie |
| 1975 | Sunday Too Far Away | Frankie Davis | Feature film |
| 1979 | Leave Him to Heaven | Eddie | TV movie |
| 1980 | Maybe This Time | Alan | Feature film |
| 1981 | Dragonslayer | Henchman | Film |
| 1981 | 4D Special Agents | Eddie | |
| 1982 | Scrubbers | Rex | Feature film |
| 1983 | The Ploughman’s Lunch | Squash Coach | Feature film |
| 1998 | Praise | Male Nurse | Feature film |
| 2000 | Dragonheart: A New Beginning | King | Direct to video film |
| 2018 | Sink | Vic |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Adventures of the Seaspray | Second Youth | TV series |
| 1967 | You Can’t See ‘Round Corners | Frankie McCoy | TV series |
| 1968 | Bellbird | Duncan Ross | TV series |
| 1969 | Riptide | Ross | TV series |
| 1969 | Skippy the Bush Kangaroo | Tim | TV series |
| 1969 | Division 4 | Dave Gibbs | TV series |
| 1960s | Play School | Presenter | TV series |
| 1968–70 | Homicide | Rod Smith / Danny Baker | TV series |
| 1971 | Matlock Police | Martin Daly | TV series |
| 1973 | Boney | Vic Vicery | TV series |
| 1977 | Number 96 | Duncan Swann | TV series |
| 1979 | Ripping Yarns | 1st Mutinous Officer | TV series |
| 1987 | Rockliffe’s Babies | Lorry Driver | TV series |
| 1992 | G.P. | Paul Ricketson | TV series |
| 1995 | Screen Two | Dairympie’s Butler | TV series |
| 1985–86 | Casualty | Musician / John | TV series |
| The Bill | Donald Varney / William Mobley / Heckler | TV series | |
| 2001 | Oscar Charlie | Biker | TV series |
| 2007 | Holby City | Martin Riley | TV series |
Australian actor who starred alongside Mick Jagger and featured in cult biker movie Stone dead at 79
Legendary Australian actor Ken Shorter died in Sydney earlier this month aged 79.
No cause of death was given and it is believed he was in declining health for several years, after retiring from acting in 2018.
The veteran performer played the title character in the iconic 1974 Australian biker gang movie Stone, which is regarded as an influence on Mad Max.
He also appeared alongside Mick Jagger in the 1970 film Ned Kelly and played a role in the Hollywood movie Dragonheart: A New Beginning.
Australian TV writer Nigel Giles confirmed the heartbreaking news on social media: ‘Vale Ken Shorter, Australian actor who worked across stage and screen since the 1960s.
‘Known for roles in iconic film and TV productions including You Can’t See ‘Round Corners and Stone, plus guest roles in everything from Play School to Number 96. Lovely bloke.’
Born Kenneth Shorter in Sydney in 1946, he originally worked as a police officer and truck driver in the late 60s.
However, he soon realised his real passion was performing and he became an actor and went on to star in some of Australia’s most renowned productions.
The veteran performer played the title character in the iconic 1974 Australian biker gang movie Stone, which is seen as an influence on later movies such as Mad Max
He began his career as a presenter on the iconic Aussie children’s show Play School in 1969, before moving into films.
His other performances include roles in Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and the 1981 American fantasy movie Dragonslayer.
He also lived in England for several years and while there appeared in shows such as The Bill, Casualty and Persuasion.
Ken was an extremely private person who rarely spoke to the media and little is known about his personal life, including whether he was married or had children.
Sad loss. This movie although controversial in it’s day was ground breaking. If you haven’t seen the movie Stone but like biker action movies with a twist, make sure you watch it. Some great Cinematography of Sydney in the 1970’s.
“ride at the back of the pack and keep your spanners off our moles” A very Australian biker movie.
His mother was my drama teacher in high school during the late 70’s.
He was a star in an iconic Aussie movie and it’s a pity that he didn’t hit the big time afterwards. Vale Ken, you made an impression on me when I was 21.
* Story behind any Nickname:
Nothing further, than what is recorded above, is known about this person at the time of publication and further information and photos would be appreciated.
**********
Cal
15 November 2024
Updated 21 December 2024 with Class number.
In “You can’t see around corners”, for a kissing scene, the director told him to put his hand slightly up Rowena Wallace’s dress. She did not know this was going to happen so her reaction was real.
She told me this when I was driving her to an event a few years ago. After telling me this story she laughed and said “cheeky bugger”.