Ross James Jennings (13 November 1944 – 25 March 2016) was a New Zealand actor, becoming one of New Zealand's most experienced television producers and directors, whose credits included The Mad Dog Gang, Close to Home, Moynihan, Inside Straight, feature film I Live with Me Dad, Australian TV series Special Squad and Acropolis Now, NZ's soap Homeward Bound, New Zealand's first reality series, Police Ten 7, Middlemore, Strip Search, Heroes and Melody Rules.
Early life Born in Hāwera in 1944, Jennings was raised by his mother in Taihape and Hāwera, his father having died during World War II.
Acting career As a member of the NZ Players and Children's Art Theatre, Ross Jennings toured NZ as an actor before being granted a QE2 Arts Council Grant to study acting in England where he worked at Salisbury Theatre and took on minor television and film roles, before returning to New Zealand in 1969, where his first child, a daughter was born.
He joined the NZBC in 1973, and the Drama Department within 18 months, mentored by producer Tony Issac.
He was appointed Head of Drama for TVNZ in the late 70's and left for Australia to work with Grundy Productions and finally to head Crawford Production's Development Department in 1982. During this period he produced his first feature film, I Live with Me Dad.
His return to New Zealand in 1987, after having 2 more children with second wife Carmel, saw him develop, create and produce some of New Zealand's most successful television amongst which was ‘Middlemore’, as well as NZ's longest running reality series, 'Police Ten 7', Heroes, which re-created everyday New Zealanders heroic stories and the hugely successful Strip Search.
He devised, created and produced TVNZ's highly successful 36 hr live to air Millenium Show as well as devising, creating and producing Māori Television's ANZAC Day show - a 17-hour, annual, live to air programme which played a large part in the resurgence of the ANZAC Day revitalisation in NZ, as well as becoming Māori Television's flagship programme.
In his final year, he wrote, co-directed, and produced the live, outdoor performance of The Passion Play staged at the Villa Maria winery in Māngere in 2015.
His final series, which he devised to demystify the running of NZ Parliament, Inside Parliament, was in production when he died.
Death and funeral Ross Jennings died on 25 March 2016, aged 71. His death was preceded by that of his mother-in-law, Edna Peters, 96, who died the same day. He left behind his wife, Carmel Jennings, whom he ran his production company, Just The Ticket Productions with, also a television and film producer, and six children.
The family held funerals on consecutive days the following week at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Pukekohe.
Filmography Film TitleYearCredited asNotesDirectorProducerExecutiveproducerThe Scarecrow1982I Live with Me Dad1988Kahu & Maia1994Once Were Warriors1994Script development
Television The numbers in writing credits refer to the number of episodes.
TitleYearCredited asNetworkNotesDirectorProducerExecutiveproducerRichard John Seddon - Premier1973NZBCTelevision documentary filmAssistant to the producerClose to Home1975–76 (782)Television OneProducer The Mad Dog Gang Meets Rotten Fred and Ratsguts1978Television filmAll Things Being Equal1978Skyways1979 (4)Network 7The Mad Dog Gang Spooks Wilkie, Wink Wink and the Wobbler1980Television OneTelevision filmProduction assistantOpen File1981Kingi's Story1981Television filmAssociate producerJocko1981The Monster's Christmas1981Television OneTelevision filmAssociate producerLoose Enz1982Casualties of Peace1983Television filmPrisoner1983–84 (12)Network TenSpecial Squad1984Associate producerCarson's Law1984 (2)Inside Straight1984 (1)Television OneSpace Knights1989Channel 2Betty's Bunch1990Homeward Bound1992 (2)TV3Melody Rules1994–95City Girls2004TV2Air Force2005TV OneDocuseriesGhost Hunt2005–06TV2Wayne Anderson: Singer of Songs2005Documentary filmRedemption Hill2006Wayne Anderson: Singer of Songs2006MockumentaryWayne Anderson: Glory Days2009PrimeMockumentaryLife's a Riot2009TV OneTelevision film
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