Kelton Pell
Kelton Pell is an Indigenous Australian stage, TV and film actor, perhaps best known for his role as the court liaison officer, Sam Wallan in the SBS legal drama The Circuit set in north-western Australia. Pell is from Western Australia.
Career
Pell has been a stage presence in the theatre since 1985, performing for the Yirra Yaakin Noongar Theatre, the Black Swan Theatre Company and the Sydney Theatre Company. Many of these performances were of plays which grew from indigenous themes.[1]
In 2000 Pell along with Ningali Lawford and Phil Thomson wrote a show for the Yirra Yaakin Noongar Theatre called Solid, whose premiere performance was at the Perth International Arts Festival. Because of its sensitive indigenous subject matter, before the premiere the play was performed for, and to the approval of, 2000 Indigenous Australians.[2]
Recently Pell performed in several productions of the Stephen Page directed Bloodland, a play with a Romeo and Juliette type story. The play features traditional languages and Pidgin English, as well as song and dance.[3] As to versatility, he has even been in performances of Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Kelton Pell is a familiar face on Australian television, having been seen in the young TV show Bush Patrol and the SBS series, The Circuit, a legal drama set in the Kimberley. In 2012 he starred in an episode of the highly regarded TV series, Redfern Now, as a well-to-do Indigenous Australian living in Redfern, whose life seems to be exemplary, though he has been receiving government benefit money fraudulently.[4]
Screen career
| Year | Program | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Blackfellas | Willice | film |
| 1996 | The Adventures of the Bush Patrol | Wazza | TV series cast member |
| 2001 | One Night the Moon | Albert Yang, the tracker | musical non-feature film |
| 2002 | Confessions Of A Headhunter | Vinnie, the artist | short film |
| 2002 | Australian Rules | Tommy Red | film |
| 2007 | September | Michael Parker, Paddy's father | film |
| 2007-2010 | The Circuit | Sam Wallan, a court liaison officer | TV series cast member |
| 2009 | Last Ride | Lyle, a park ranger | film |
| 2011 | Mad Bastards | Mad Dog | film |
| 2011 | Cloudstreet | Bob Crab | TV mini-series |
| 2012 | Redfern Now | Raymond | TV series (1 episode) |
| 2013 | The Gods of Wheat Street | Odin Freeburn | Mini-series |
Awards
Pell has won the following awards:
- In 1991 WA Aboriginal Artist of the Year Award.
- In 1994 Swan Gold Award for Best West Australian Actor.
- In 1996 Contemporary Performing Arts Award for Best Collaboration.[5]
Private life
Pell is married to Susan Pell and together they have two children, Stephen and Marissa.
Another child, Tahlia, tragically took her own life in 2008 at the age of 20, an event which led to the production of a community service announcement for Kids Help Line, which features a song dedicated to Tahlia.[6]
References
- ↑ "Kelton Pell" (PDF). Sue Barnett & Associates. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
- ↑ Andrea Mitchell (26 October 2000). "Interview with Phil Thomson, SOLID's director". Retrieved 24 November 2012.
- ↑ "Bloodland". QPAC. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
- ↑ "Redfern Now - Raymond". the ABC. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
- ↑ "Meet the Cast: Kelton Pell". SBS. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
- ↑ "too many ... too soon". The CorriLee Foundation. Retrieved 24 November 2012. See the video