Kenneth Colster Blackburn (born 1935) is a New Zealand actor, director and writer. He has worked in film, television, radio and theatre in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom since 1963.
Early life Blackburn was born in April 1935, at the Bristol Royal Infirmary in England and was raised alongside his older brother John. He attended Clifton College from 1948 to 1952. After the Second World War ended, his family emigrated to New Zealand, where he completed his education at Wellington High School.
His experiences as a child in World War II England are documented in his memoir "Blitz Kids", about the Bristol Blitz, in which as a wartime refugee, he repeatedly ran away from billets, while trying to return to his family. The book was published in 1995, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of VE Day.
Career In the mid 1950s, Blackburn appeared in an early New Zealand Players production of Saint Joan. He then headed back to England, where he acted under American director Sam Wanamaker in Liverpool for a year, but soon relocated to New Zealand. Finding the early Australasian theatre scene unsustainable, Blackburn spent five years as a high school teacher, before the advent of Wellington's Downstage Theatre in 1964 afforded him to act full time for the following decade.
Blackburn's first television role was in the 1963 TV play All Earth to Love. In 1975 he appeared in soap opera Close to Home, as Clive Foster. He also had a main role in Hunter’s Gold, which aired internationally. In 1977, he appeared in Australian series Glenview High, as teacher Mr Phillips and New Zealand drama Moynihan. He also began starring in more prominent film roles, with a lead in 1978 film Skin Deep.
Blackburn's best-known screen role in New Zealand was as the boss in office sitcom Gliding On, from 1981 to 1985, and based on Roger Hall's hit play Glide Time. In the 1980s, he also appeared in miniseries Brotherhood of the Rose. Other television credits include Sea Urchins, Mortimer's Patch, The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson, and White Fang.
In the early 1990s, Blackburn appeared in a recurring role in long-running soap opera Shortland Street, playing Sir Bruce Warner. Further film roles included Bad Blood, Pictures, and 1996 Peter Jackson film The Frighteners. He also featured in drama Life is for Living (2015), which went on to win numerous festival awards. The same year, he appeared in two internationally-directed films, American western Slow West alongside Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn and British period drama Sunset Song.
Blackburn is best known internationally for his roles in American fantasy series Xena: Warrior Princess and Australian/American sci-fi series Farscape. His more recent television credits include New Zealand series The Brokenwood Mysteries and American fantasy series Legend of the Seeker, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Sweet Tooth.
Blackburn has also an extensive career as a stage performer, including appearing in self-devised show An Evening with Dickens and touring with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as narrator for A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 1999, his performance as Vladimir in Waiting for Godot earned him the Best Actor award at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards. In the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the performing arts.
In 2022, Blackburn featured in television commercials for Amazon and Kiwi Lager.
Personal life Blackburn lives in Wellington, New Zealand, together with his wife Carolyn.
Filmography Source:
Film Year Title Role Notes 1975 479 Robert James 1978 Skin Deep Bob Warner 1981 Pictures Commander James Gilchrist Bad Blood Thommo Robson 1984 Tommy Knockers Newt Berringer 1987 Ngati Agent 1988 The Grasscutter Inspector Lerwick 1989 The Roar Ken Scott 1992 Absent Without Leave Captain Barrett 1996 The Frighteners Dr Kamins 2005 King Kong Stage Manager 2010 One Hearse Town Jack Short film If We Are to be Eaten by Wolves Nicholas Short film 2011 Rest for the Wicked Mr Hayes Antonio's Secret Antonio Berglas Short film 2012 Strongman: The Tragedy Mr Tucker 2013 Life is for Living Albert Short film 2014 Movie Doctor Short film2015 Slow West Josh McKenzie Life is for Living Albert Fivell Short film Sunset Song Galt 2020 Poppy Uncle Fred Short film
Television Year Title Role Notes 1972 An Awful Silence Mr Redwood TV movie 1976 The Park Terrace Murder Mr Joynt TV movie 1976–1977 Moynihan Brian Crosby 8 episodes1977 Hunter's Gold Baddock 7 episodes The Mackenzie Affair Henry Tancred Miniseries, 2 episodes The Governor Admiral Henry Keppell 1 episode 1977–1978 Kirby's Company Bill Kirby 18 episodes 1978 Glenview High Reg Casey 1 episode 1979 Chopper Squad 1 episode Golden Soak Sergeant Reynolds Miniseries, 3 episodes Patrol Boat Commander Johns 1 episode A Place in the World Miniseries, 1 episode 1980 Close to Home Clive Foster 1 episode 1980; 1981 Mortimer's Patch Detective Inspector Chris Knight 2 episodes 1981 Comedy Playhouse 1982 Casualties of Peace Tripod TV movie1983 An Age Apart Doctor 1 episode Nearly No Christmas Undertaker TV movie 1984–1985 Gliding On The Boss 1985 Hanlon John Fraser QC 1 episode 1987 Steel Riders Inspector Hawley 2 episodes 1988 Erebus: The Aftermath Colin Nicholson Miniseries, 4 episodes1989 Brotherhood of the Rose Forbes Miniseries, 2 episodes The Flying Doctors Jake 1 episode 1990 Betty's Bunch The Charmer 9 episodes 1990–1991 Shark in the Park Superintendent 4 episodes 1991 Which Way Home Officer Carmody Miniseries The Sound and the Silence Elisha Gray TV movie Gold: The World's Play Shadrach TV movie 1991–1992 Gold Shadrach 4 episodes 1992 The Ray Bradbury Theater Policeman / Timulty 2 episodes 1992–1995 Shortland Street Sir Bruce Warner 66 episodes 1993 The Rainbow Warrior Gerard Curry TV movie 1993–1994 White Fang Hank Blair 32 episodes 1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Atreus 1 episode Letter to Blanchy Len 1 episode 1996 Xena: Warrior Princess King Menelaus 1 episode1998 Duggan Sensei 1 episode The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson Oscar Wyss 8 episodes The Legend of William Tell Commissioner Esdras 3 episodes 1999 Farscape Hybin 1 episode 2000 Dark Knight Duke of Bressingham 1 episode 2001 Atlantis High Mr Dorsey 1 episode 2003 The Strip Finn's Father 1 episode 2009 Until Proven Innocent Appeal Court Judge TV movie 2010 Legend of the Seeker Brother Joseph Season 2, 1 episode 2011 Whiskey Island (aka Emilie Richards) Joshua Miniseries, 1 episode Strongman Mr Tucker Docudrama What Really Happened: Women's Vote Speaker Miniseries 2013 The Forgotten General Sir James Allen Miniseries 2016 Hillary Sir Malcolm 1 episode 2015–2017 The Brokenwood Mysteries Edward Seasons 2–4, 3 episodes 2022; 2024 The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Tar-Palantir 4 episodes 2024 Sweet Tooth Paul Season 3, 1 episode 2025 Alice and Steve Barry
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2012 Path of Exile Eramir
Theatre Source:
As actor Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1955 Saint Joan Wellington Grand Opera House with New Zealand Players 1966 Operation Pigstick Prime Minister Polycork Downstage Theatre, Wellington 1967 The Cage 1968 Brand New Theatre, Wellington 1974 Macbeth Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1976 Christie in Love Downstairs Theatre, Unity Theatre, Wellington 1977 Knock Knock Circa Theatre, Wellington 1978 Candide Voltaire / Host Hannah Playhouse, Wellington with Downstage Theatre 1980 A Shotgun Wedding Circa Theatre, Wellington 1981 The Gin Game 1983 Chicago Mercury Theatre, Auckland Pass the Butler 1984 Glide Time TVNZ Enterprises 1997 The Sisterhood Circa Theatre, Wellington Taking Sides Travels with My Aunt 1999 Waiting for Godot Vladimir Julius Caesar Julius Caesar 2000 Double Beat Frank Donald Senior Downstage Theatre, Wellington, Circa Theatre, Wellington The Country Wife Circa Theatre, Wellington Rutherford The Seagull 2002 A New Zealand Homecoming: Te Hokinga Mai Tour of Canada & England 2004 Foolish Acts Various characters Circa Theatre, Wellington, Downstage Theatre, Wellington 2005 Democracy Herbert Wehner Circa Theatre, Wellington Bright Star Rev Edward Hill The Cherry Orchard Pischyk Milo's Wake Milo O'Connor 2007 Who Wants to Be 100? Alan Webster Court Theatre, Christchurch 2009 4 Flats Whites in Italy Harry Entertaining Mr Sloane Lead role Circa Theatre, Wellington 2011 Othello Duke / Clown / Gratiano Peach Theatre Company 2012 Death of a Salesman Ben / various characters 2013 Anne Boleyn Parrot / Courtier / Countryman Auckland Theatre Company Motel Motel Manager Basement Theatre 2014 The Caretaker Mac Davies Fortune Theatre, Dunedin 2015 Heroes Phillipe Auckland Theatre Company 2016 King Lear Gloucester Circa Theatre, Wellington 2017 Three Days in the Country Bolshintsov
As director / producer Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1964 Amahl and the Night Visitors Producer St Peter's Church on Willis, Wellington 1969 The Land of Smiles Producer Opera Centre with Opera Technique 1972 Flint Director Downstage Theatre, Wellington When Did You Last See My Mother Director Star Boating Club 1980 Time & Time Again Director Williams and Cooper Productions Silly Buggers Director Circa Theatre, Wellington
Publication Year Title Publisher Ref. 1995 Blitz Kids BBC
Awards Source: Year Work Award Category Result 1974 Ken Blackburn Polish Ministry of Culture Amicus Poloniae 1999 Waiting for Godot Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards Best Actor 2005 Ken Blackburn Queen's Birthday Honours MNZM for Services to the Performing Arts 2011 Antonio's Secret Las Vegas Short Film Festival Awards Best Actor 2014 The Caretaker Dunedin Arts Festival Best Actor Life is for Living Oklahoma Film Festival Awards Best Short Film 2015 Byron Bay Film Festival Best International Short Film Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film IFFEHC – Jakarta International Award of Outstanding Excellence World Film Awards – Jakarta Golden World Award Kiwi International Film Festival Best Kiwi Short Film 2017 Ken Blackburn NZ Actors Equity / MEAA Equity Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 Ken Blackburn 48 Hour Film Challenge Best Actor Award
References
External links
Roger Hall’s Who Wants to be 100?, Scoop, 11 February 2008.