Kenneth Thornett
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Kenneth Thornett | |
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| Born | Kenneth James Thornett 19 September 1925 Lambeth, London, England |
| Died | 4 January 1983 (aged 57) Kensington, London, England |
| Years active | 1940–1977 |
| Spouse(s) | Diana Johnson (m. 1946, divorced) |
Kenneth James Thornett (September 19, 1925 – January 4, 1983) was an English actor best known for playing Police Constable Dickins in British television series The Adventures of Black Beauty.
Theatre
Initially working in an estate agent upon leaving school, Thornett was seen by Francis L. Sullivan when playing in an amateur production of When We Are Married.[1][2] Joining a provincial tour of A Man with Red Hair, he made his London debut, aged 15.[3] After touring in Blossom Time, he joined the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and was a member of the Salberg Repertory Company from 1943 to 1945[4] before receiving his training with the Birmingham Alexandra Repertory.[5] During this time, Thornett met fellow actress Diana Johnson, marrying her in 1946 but divorcing sometime afterwards.
As a result of a printer's error, an 'n' was omitted from Thornett's first name Kenneth. Liking the look, he decided to adopt this as his acting name for numerous of his credits.[6]
His most memorable theatrical role was as Lofty in Seagulls Over Sorrento, accepting a tour in South Africa. In 1952, he headed out to Australia alongside fellow leads Frank Taylor and Michael Anderson to appear in the Melbourne premiere.[7] Thornett spent the next three-and-a-half years working in Australian theatre before returning to England. Back in Britain, his stage work included Agatha Christie's Alibi in Bournemouth in 1955,[8] Grand National Night in Eastbourne in 1956[9] and playing two leads in a nationwide tour of Separate Tables during 1957.[1][2][10][11] In 1958, he appeared on Broadway in The Visit.[12]
Screen
Thornett ventured into TV upon his return to the UK in the mid-1950s. Aside from Black Beauty, his appearances include ITV Play of the Week, BBC Sunday-Night Play, Edgar Wallace Mysteries, The Scales of Justice, No Hiding Place, First Night, Z-Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, Sherlock Holmes, The Wednesday Play, Doctor Who, Hugh and I, Comedy Playhouse, Softly, Softly, Doctor in the House, The Troubleshooters, Doctor at Large, Please Sir!, Jack the Ripper, Love Thy Neighbour, Upstairs, Downstairs and Rosie.
In film, he is also known for playing Councillor Gordon in Burke & Hare (1972).[13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.infotextmanuscripts.org/webb/webb_strand_puffin.pdf Goodnight Mrs. Puffin programme, Strand Theatre
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Ken was Anxious - he played Aussie in Australian play". Kensington and Chelsea News. 4 August 1961. p. 2. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ↑ "Presenting – Keneth Thornett". Sheerness Times Guardian. 27 June 1947. p. 2.
- ↑ "A 'Stranger' Comes to Town". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 9 June 1965. p. 10.
- ↑ "The Visit (Broadway)". Playbill: 26. 26 May 1958. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ↑ "Their World A Stage". The Daily News (Perth). 8 August 1953. p. 12. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ↑ "Playwright here by air for Melbourne premiere". The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney). 24 February 1952. p. 42. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ↑ "Poirot Comes to Life". The Daily Echo. 29 November 1955. p. 5. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ↑ "Did He Murder His Thirsty Wife-or Not?". Eastbourne Herald. 14 April 1956. pp. 12–13.
- ↑ "Love and Suffering on the Menu". The Guardian Journal. 20 February 1957. p. 4. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ↑ "Carl Clopet Players In "Separate Tables"". Wilmslow and Alderley and Knutsford Advertiser. 3 May 1957. p. 14. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ↑ "The Visit Original Broadway Play Cast 1958 | Broadway World". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ↑ "Burke & Hare (1972) : Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.com. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
External links
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