Trevor Kent Explained

Trevor Kent
Birth Date:24 April 1940
Birth Place:Queensland, Australia
Death Place:Melbourne, Australia
Occupation:Television and theatre actor

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.

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.

Death

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.

Kent continued to work with the theatre group until a few weeks before his death in 1989 as a result of the HIV disease. His final acting appearance was a scene with Meryl Streep in the film A Cry in the Dark (1988).

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977Straight Enough TV movie
1988Evil Angels (aka A Cry in the Dark)Bomb Scare PolicemanFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1969Theatre Date Giles CadwalladerTV series, 1 episode: "The Man Most Likely to ..."
1971Scene Shop assistantTV series documentary, 1 episode: "Mates"
BBC Play of the Month Yakov, servantTV series, 1 episode: "Platonov"
1976The SullivansAllister McConnellTV series, 1 episode
RushVinnieTV series, 1 episode: "McKellar R.I.P."
1978Case for the DefenceThe RabbiTV series, 1 episode: "The Man Who Died Twice"
1981Sporting Chance EddieTV series, 1 episode: "Eating Dirt"
1981–83Cop ShopFrank GilmoreTV series, 3 episodes: "Episode #1.281", "Episode #1.282" and "Episode #1.500"
1982Der schwarze Bumerang Richard DuffyTV miniseries, 4 episodes
1983 / 1984Carson's LawGeorge Royston / SimpkinsTV series, 7 episodes
1984Special SquadDoggy BarkerTV series, 1 episode: "Easy Street"
1984–85PrisonerFrank Burke TV series, 33 episodes
1985Colour in the CreekBrother PaulTV series, 2 episodes: "Return to Coorumbong Creek" & "Gold Fever"

Theatre

As actor

YearTitleRoleVenue / company
1962The Sound of MusicRolfeTivoli Theatre, Sydney
1963Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad Independent Theatre
1964Becket Independent Theatre
1967As You Like ItRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Aldwych Theatre, London, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles with Royal Shakespeare Company
1967The RelapseAldwych Theatre, London with Royal Shakespeare Company
1974 The Rocky Horror ShowFrank'N'FurterNew Art Cinema, Glebe
1974The Chinese Prime MinisterMarian Street Theatre
1975 The MiserUNSW Parade Theatre
1976The Public EyeJulian CrisoforouBankstown Town Hall, AMP Theatrette, Sydney
1977 Confusions

Mother Figure / Between Mouthfuls / Gosforth's Fete / A Talk in the Park

Terry / Martin / Stewart / ErnestMarian Street Theatre
1977 The Lower DepthsVassily PepelSydney Opera House
1977 The TempestAdrianSydney Opera House
1978 Black ComedyHarold GorringeSydney Opera House
1978 Miss JulieJeanSydney Opera House
1978 The MisanthropeAcasteSydney Opera House
1978 King LearEdmundSeymour Centre
1979 You Never Can TellValentineSGIO Theatre
1979 Breaker MorantCaptain TaylorSGIO Theatre
1978 Hedda GablerEilert LoevborgSGIO Theatre
1979 Gone with HardyStanley JeffersonSGIO Theatre
1980 Bedroom FarceTrevorUniversity of New England, Glen Innes Town Hall, Inverell Town Hall, Moree War Memorial Town Hall, Narrabri High School, Coonabarabran Shire Hall, Smithurst Theatre Gunnedah, Tamworth Town Hall
1980 LootTruscottPlayhouse, Perth
1981 Outside EdgeBobMarian Street Theatre
1981 Trap for a Lonely ManPriestBondi Pavilion
1981 The Revenger's TragedyAmbitiosoPlayhouse Adelaide
1986 PommiesForster Russell Street Theatre
1986 Tom & VivMauriceRussell Street Theatre
1986 The Dumb WaiterArena Theatre, Melbourne
1987 Two Dark Comedies of the Mind: The Flaw / Is This Where We Came In?La Mama

As writer / director

YearTitleRoleVenue / company
1988Unnatural ActsDirectorUniversal Theatre, Melbourne with Out Theatre Company
1990 No Thrills No SpillsPlaywright Footscray Community Arts Centre
[2] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Atterton, Margot. (Ed.) The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Australian Showbiz, Sunshine Books, 1984. p 123
  2. Web site: AusStage .
  3. Web site: Search | RSC Performances | Shakespeare Birthplace Trust .