Trevor Kent
Trevor Kent (24 April 1940 – 4 November 1989) was an Australian theatre and television actor who achieved a level of public recognition in the 1980s.
Trevor Kent | |
---|---|
Born | Queensland, Australia | 24 April 1940
Died | 4 November 1989 49) Melbourne, Australia | (aged
Occupation(s) | Television and theatre actor |
Biography
Kent initially worked as a primary-school teacher, teaching for three years in Nambour and Buderim in Queensland while acting in amateur theatre groups. Kent moved to Sydney to train as an actor with the Independent Drama School in the early 1960s, supporting himself during this time with teaching.
In Sydney, he understudied the role of Rolfe in the Tivoli Theatre's production of The Sound of Music, and acted in Becket and Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad with the Independent. After two years in Sydney he emigrated to the UK and spent ten years there.[1] In the UK Kent worked with Director Bil Keating and later with the Royal Shakespeare Company. On returning to Sydney in 1974, Kent played Frank'N'Furter in a stage production of The Rocky Horror Show.
Several appearances on Australian television followed, including roles in Rush, The Sullivans, Cop Shop and Carson's Law. He moved to Melbourne in 1984 and in 1984–1985 appeared in television soap opera Prisoner as the villainous Frank Burke for several months.
Kent, who was gay, learned he was HIV positive in the mid 1980s and at that time volunteered as a care-taker for people living with HIV and AIDS. He was public about his HIV status and directed two theatre productions for Out Theatre Company that addressed HIV and AIDS. One of these, Unnatural Acts, toured pubs, theatres and colleges in Melbourne and Sydney.
Death
Kent continued to work with the theatre group until a few weeks before his death in 1989. His final acting appearance was a scene with Meryl Streep in the film A Cry in the Dark (1988).
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1977 | Straight Enough | TV movie | |
1988 | Evil Angels (aka A Cry in the Dark) | Bomb Scare Policeman | Feature film |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1969 | Theatre Date | Giles Cadwallader | TV series, 1 episode: "The Man Most Likely to ..." |
1971 | Scene | Shop assistant | TV series documentary, 1 episode: "Mates" |
BBC Play of the Month | Yakov, servant | TV series, 1 episode: "Platonov" | |
1976 | The Sullivans | Allister McConnell | TV series, 1 episode |
Rush | Vinnie | TV series, 1 episode: "McKellar R.I.P." | |
1978 | Case for the Defence | The Rabbi | TV series, 1 episode: "The Man Who Died Twice" |
1981 | Sporting Chance | Eddie | TV series, 1 episode: "Eating Dirt" |
1981–83 | Cop Shop | Frank Gilmore | TV series, 3 episodes: "Episode #1.281", "Episode #1.282" and "Episode #1.500" |
1982 | Der schwarze Bumerang | Richard Duffy | TV miniseries, 4 episodes |
1983 / 1984 | Carson's Law | George Royston / Simpkins | TV series, 7 episodes |
1984 | Special Squad | Doggy Barker | TV series, 1 episode: "Easy Street" |
1984–85 | Prisoner | Frank Burke | TV series, 33 episodes |
1985 | Colour in the Creek | Brother Paul | TV series, 2 episodes: "Return to Coorumbong Creek" & "Gold Fever" |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
The Sound of Music | Rolfe | Tivoli Theatre, Sydney | |
Becket | |||
Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad | Independent Theatre | ||
1974 | The Rocky Horror Show | Frank'N'Furter |
References
- Atterton, Margot. (Ed.) The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Australian Showbiz, Sunshine Books, 1984. ISBN 0-86777-057-0 p 123