Ken Shorter

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, 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. He later reprised the role for the 1969 theatrical film adaption.

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

Filmography Film 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 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 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 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