Ken James (Australian actor)

Front of Cleveland Street Boys High School, where Ken James graduated from high school - December 2009

James was born in Sydney on 16th November 1948 and finished his schooling at Cleveland Street Boys High School.[4] In January 1982, Cleveland Street Boys High School merged with Waterloo High School, to form Cleveland Street High School, which became a community school in December 2001 and renamed Alexandria Park Community School.[5] On the original ground of Cleveland Street Boys High School, a $135 million[6] public school, Inner Sydney High School is in development, with stage two building works continuing in November 2020. Inner Sydney High School opened for Year 7 students on Day 1 Term 1 2020.[7] During his time at school, James became particularly interested in school plays, which acted as an impetus to join the acting industry. At the age of 12, a neighbour showed him an advertisement in a newspaper calling for young child actors/models to join the agency. The same year, in 1960, James appeared in the children’s drama The Adventurers produced for ATN-7 Sydney as his first acting role.[8]

James has acted in multiple film roles, TV series, musicals and theatre plays, as well as appearing on various game and news shows. After Skippy had ended in 1970, James was still on a contract with Fauna Productions for another 12 months, and was cast to play Kip Young in Barrier Reef in 1971. James had his 21st birthday during the production of the TV show.[9]

Once Barrier Reef had ended after 1 season, James had recurring roles as television actor Tony Wild in The Box from 1974 to 1977, Tom Walker in Glenview High from 1977 to 1979, air traffic controller Simon Young in Skyways from 1979 to 1980, and Mike O'Brien in Sons and Daughters from 1984 to 1985.[10][11] He has also appeared in Matlock Police, Pugwall, Prisoner, and made guest appearances in multiple other TV shows.[11]

James is passionate about cooking and has worked on Good Morning Australia with Bert Newton for over 10 years as a celebrity chef. He was also involved in the marketing campaign of the cooking aid Ecopot.[12][13]

James worked as a drama tutor at the Australian Television Academy for 10 years, and also as a Master of Ceremonies for the Royal Children's hospital, weddings and private functions after a friend John Knowles suggested it and put an ad in the yellow pages. James didn't receive much work as an MC, although he was the Master of Ceremonies for John Knowles' remarriage wedding.[14]

James worked as an adjudicator at the Ararat One Act Play Festival in August 2013, awarding first prize to Erica Smith and Jeanette and Meg Dunn, who performed Snuffuff's Emporium of Odds, Sods and Collectibles at Nuworks Theatre.[15]

In August 2013, James was involved in the filming of a comedic advertisement for Sport Rider Pride Mobility Scooter on the original grounds of the Skippy set, Sydney's Waratah Park. The comedic advert involved James hurting his back while repairing a motor bike in front of the Ranger's headquarters. Geoff Harvey then rides into the scene on a Pride Mobility Scooter and convinces James to try riding it. James' on scene grandson tells James and Harvey that 'Jerry' is at the gate and needs help, before the two drive off scene on mobility scooters.[16][17]

James' last acting role was in the play Ladies Night in 2012 alongside Steven Tandy and Alli Pope produced by Jally Entertainment. The Australia tour of the play was 6 months long, and began with a fundraiser Gympie, Queensland for the charity Little Haven. After the initial fundraiser, the cast went on to perform in 52 other locations including:

Queensland locations Gympie, Logan, Noosa, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Capella, Mackay, Proserpine, Cairns, Ingham, Charters Towers, Ayr, Gladstone, Biloela, Boonah, Ipswich and Redcliffe

New South Wales locations Tenterfield, Quirindi, Gunnedah, Tamworth, Narrabri, Dubbo, Gulgong, Bathurst, Griffith, Broken Hill, Orange, Queanbeyan, Goulburn, Coffs Harbour and Redlands

Victoria locations Benalla, Swan Hill, Horsham, Werribee, Rosebud, and Bendigo

South Australia locations Hilton, Tanunda, Marion, Gawler and Golden Grove

Western Australia locations Esperance, Bruce Rock, Bunbury, Gosnells, Carnarvon, Shark Bay, Geraldton, Moora, Mandurah and Katanning.[18]

After the conclusion of the Ladies Night tour, James directed Calendar Girls for Jally Entertainment in January and February 2013.[9][19]

James has two children from his first marriage of 24 years, Adrian (born 1973) and Becky (born 1977). In 2001, James met Rosemarie Stuhlener (born 1950), a retired Telstra manager who lives in Geelong, and the two were engaged in 2003. James and Stuhlener were married in 2011.[2][20] James and Stuhlener do not live with each other and do not intend to, making them a 'Living-apart-together' (LAT) couple.[21][22]

James has made contributions to multiple charities including Life Education, Variety, and Bali’s Jodie O’Shea Orphanage.[2]

James was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2009 after he noticed a lump on his neck while shaving.[20] This cancer then escalated to stage 4 and spread to his bones in 2011, requiring radiotherapy and chemotherapy in order to be treated. James began a chemotherapy course in April 2011 and is now cancer-free, after successfully completing chemotherapy. His diagnosis followed the cancer death of former Skippy cast member Ed Devereaux (oesophagus) in December 2003, and the diagnoses of other Skippy cast members Liza Goddard (breast) and Tony Bonner (prostate) in 1997 and 2004 respectively.[23][24]

• The official Ken James site
• Ken James at IMDb