Ken James (actor) facts for kids

Ken James (born 16 November 1948) is a former Australian actor and celebrity chef. He is famous for playing Mark Hammond in the children's TV show Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. This role made him a star in Australia and around the world.

After Skippy, Ken James continued to act in movies, television, and plays for 36 more years. He also worked with the Victorian Police Force for 20 years, helping to train detectives.

In 2009, he was diagnosed with a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After treatment, his cancer went into remission, which means the signs and symptoms of the cancer are gone.

Early Life and First Acting Role

Cleveland Street Boys High School, where Ken James went to school.

Ken James was born in Sydney, Australia. He finished his schooling at Cleveland Street Boys High School. While in school, he loved being in school plays. This made him want to become an actor.

When he was 12, a neighbor showed him a newspaper ad for young actors. That same year, in 1960, James got his first acting job in a children's show called The Adventurers.

Career Highlights

Famous TV Roles

After Skippy ended in 1970, James starred in another show called Barrier Reef as the character Kip Young.

He then had main roles in several other popular Australian TV shows, including:

• Tony Wild in The Box (1974–1977)
• Tom Walker in Glenview High (1977–1978)
• Simon Young, an air traffic controller, in Skyways (1979–1980)
• Mike O'Brien in Sons and Daughters (1984–1985)

He also appeared in episodes of many other series, like Matlock Police and Prisoner.

Cooking and Other Work

James loves to cook. For over 10 years, he was a celebrity chef on the TV show Good Morning Australia with host Bert Newton.

He also taught acting at the Australian Television Academy for 10 years. For a while, he was a Master of Ceremonies (MC) for events like weddings.

In 2012, he acted in a play called Ladies Night. The cast toured all over Australia for six months. The next year, he directed another play, Calendar Girls.

Starring in Skippy the Bush Kangaroo

When he was 16, Ken James was chosen to play Mark Hammond in Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. At the same time, he was offered a spot at the famous acting school, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). He started at NIDA, but left after only four days when he found out the Skippy TV series was definitely going ahead.

He starred in 91 episodes of the show over three and a half years. Skippy was a huge hit and was shown in 128 countries. It is still popular today.

His co-star, Garry Pankhurst, who played Sonny, was only 10 years old. Garry found being a famous child actor overwhelming and left acting after the show ended. James said Garry was a natural actor with a great memory.

The actors on Skippy were not paid residuals. This means they did not get money when the show was replayed over the years. James has said he was upset about this.

Personal Life

Ken James has two children from his first marriage. In 2001, he met Rosemarie Stuhlener, and they married in 2011. They are a living apart together couple, which means they are married but choose to live in their own separate homes.

James has helped many charities, including Life Education and Variety.

In 2009, he found a lump on his neck and was diagnosed with cancer. The cancer later spread, but after receiving treatment, he became cancer-free. Several of his Skippy co-stars also faced cancer, including Ed Devereaux, Liza Goddard, and Tony Bonner.

Helping the Police

From 1993 to 2013, James worked with the Victorian Police Force as an unsworn member. This means he was not a police officer but helped them in other ways.

He started by role-playing in training exercises for detectives. For example, he would pretend to be a witness to a crime. Later, he gave lectures to police officers to help them improve their communication skills. The police force gave him several awards for his help.

Acting Credits

Television

Film

Self appearances

Theatre

As actor

As director