| On
the Barrier Reef
Ken’s next series was also made by Fauna production
called Barrier Reef. Ken played a scuba diver (Kip Young) The location
was Hayman Island and Ken had his 21st Birthday on the Island the ship
featured was called the Barrcentine Endeavour. This production lasted
12 months.
Just before Cyclone Ada devastated the barrier reef the producers
had for some reason decided to move the production company to Townsville
to shoot just 2 episodes. They were extremely fortunate not to be
in the Cyclones path.
Ken moved to Sydney where he was a role in a Don Cash /Bill Harmon
production. They would later go on to make No 96 – Ken never had a role in that show.
He was busy in Melbourne filming The Box for Crawford Production. But more about
that later. The Show he was now making was the Group a TV comedy about a group
of uni student living together. Ken played the role of a phycology student, for
which he collected another Logie award on behalf of the show. Written by David
Sale the writer who would eventually write No 96 for the O Ten Network.
Back to School
| In between plays and
guest roles in various TV series Ken was asked to play Grigor
Taylor’s brother in Glenview High, a channel 7 production
for the Grundy organisation. |
Grigor Taylor & Ken James |
|
Split Second
| Ken had earlier worked for Grundies
when Reg Grundy asked him to host a quiz show called Spilt
Second and that’s about all it lasted. Ken enjoyed his
role as an MC and has hosted many functions in a professional
capacity. He is available as an MC today. |
Split Second |
|
The Box
The next phase of his life was to move between Sydney
and Melbourne as he had successfully auditioned for the role
of Tony Wild in Crawford productions The Box. Staring along
side George Mallaby, Judy Nunn, Paul Karo and Lois Ramsey
for four and half years. The series broke new ground in Australian
Television as nudity was the norm in the show and the viewers
got to see more of Ken than before.
While working in the studios of channel O at Nunawadding
Ken worked along side Ernie Sigley where he discovered his
love of cooking and demonstrating on TV.
|
Ken as Tony Wild on The Box |
|
Sons and Daughters
Soon after The Box ended Ken was asked to fly to Sydney to audition
for the “Soapie” Sons and Daughter once again successfully auditioning
he was offered the role of Jim O’Brien, and now having a family of
his own moved back to Sydney for two years.
Back to Melbourne
Moving once again back to Melbourne where his agent Gary Stewart
Melbourne artists Management had his offices Ken played Guest roles in shows
such as Bellamy, Winner takes All, Catspaw, Prisoner, Inside Running, etc.
On the big screen
His next feature film was The Last I Heard shot on location in the
Northern Territory the shoot took three months. On the last day of shooting
Ken’s agent contacted him in Darwin and asked if he would like to
play Brad in the musical The Rocky Horror Show.
Just a jump to the left
| Thus began a three
month tour of Australia with Glen Shorrock, Russell
Morris, Victoria Nichols, Maria Mercedes, Joe Martin,
Margaret Coyne and Joe Daniels. |
|
Anything goes!
His next musical was Anything Goes by Cole Porter, but that role came
about by default. He originally auditioned for the American director who couldn’t
decide between Ken and Grant Dodwell for the part, opening and rehearsing in
Sydney they went with Grant as he was a Sydney based Actor. Not to be disappointed
Ken was offered the role of Hero Head in the TV series Pugwall directed by John
Gauchi for the Nine Network, soon after Anything Goes closed in Adelaide the
show was asked to open the Aotea Centre in Auckland NZ. Grant Dodwall was unavailable
to tour so Ken was offered the role he so nearly won the year previously.
Cooking up a storm
Ken’s love of cooking has had him appear in many cooking shows and demonstrations,
his easy going style and personality bought him to the attention of Good Morning
Australia’s executive producer Leanne Mercer. His chemistry working with
the host Bert Newton initiated an offer to become a regular on the program
which he did for nine years.
Drama Tutor
Ken held the position of senior Drama Tutor at the Academy of Television
for 10 years. The curriculum included drama, comedy, speech, hosting and
presenting. He is currently tutoring private students in drama and presentation.
Motivation/Communication
His corporate clients
teaching motivation and communications skills included the Victorian Police,
Julia Ross Recruitment, Spotless and Australia Post etc. Ken is happily living in Melbourne with his fiancée Rosemarie,
with his son Adrian, daughter Becky and granddaughter Mika living
close by.
Ken is available as a celebrity MC and enjoys many opportunities
as a celebrity chef for cooking and marketing promotions at shopping
centres and or corporate functions please contact, ken@kenjames.com.au
Actor |
Listed on the home page |
Celebrity Chef |
Cooking Demonstrations: Television,
home shows, shopping centres and private functions and for
private dinner parties |
Master of Ceremony |
Royal Children’s Hospital,
and a number of other corporate functions |
Communications Presentations |
Motivation Seminars for corporate,
small business and charity events. |
Drama Teacher |
Academy of Television. Ken James
School of Drama: comedy, speech, hosting and presenting.
He is currently tutoring private students in drama and presentation. |
Events Management |
Special events management combinations
include entertainment services, food and cooking demonstration.
Venues can also be arranged, hotels, boats etc. |
Tour Bali with Ken James as your
host |
Experience an 8 day food and
culture tour of Australia’s most popular holiday destination
with TV celebrity Ken James details listed below |
Judging and critique for acting
festivals |
One act plays etc |
|
