Shane Jacobson

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Shane Jacobson
Jacobson in 2013
Born (1970-03-18) 18 March 1970 (age 54)
Essendon, Victoria, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Occupations
  • Actor
  • entertainer
  • director
  • writer
  • comedian
  • producer
  • chief scout of Victoria
Years active1999–present
Spouse
Felicity Hunter
(m. 2018)
Children4[1]
Websitewww.shanejacobson.com.au

Shane Jacobson (born 18 March 1970) is an Australian actor, director, writer, and comedian, best known as the "Dunny Man" for his performances as the eponymous character Kenny Smyth, a plumber working for a portable toilet rental company, in the 2006 film Kenny and the spin-off TV series, Kenny's World. In 2006, he won the Australian Film Institute's Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for that performance.[2] In 2017 and 2018 he presented Little Big Shots, on the Seven Network, based on the American series of the same title. In 2019, Jacobson became a judge on Australia's Got Talent.

Career

Jacobson began his career on the stage at the age of 10 with amateur theatre and the Melbourne Gang Show. At 18, he began his comedy career with regular theatre restaurant, musical theatre, stand-up and MC gigs. He was also hired to play to corporate functions, impersonating business icons and luminaries.

In 1999, Jacobson received a regular segment on Melbourne's Gold FM radio station, called The 60 Minute Challenge. He also created the character voice of Sergio the Hairdresser, who featured regularly on Gold FM's Breakfast Show. Jacobson's focus eventually moved towards the camera and he began acting in music videos, short films and television commercials whilst continuing to perform audience warm-ups for major TV networks.

In 2006, Jacobson starred in the Australian mockumentary film Kenny as Kenny Smyth, a Melbourne plumber who works for plumbing company Splashdown. The film was a critical and financial success, and is considered to be Jacobson's break-out role. In 2008, he reprised the role for Channel Ten's short-lived TV series Kenny's World.[3]

In 2007, Jacobson filmed two Australian feature films Cactus, directed by Jasmine Yuen-Carrucan and released in cinemas in May, and Newcastle, directed by Dan Castle and released later in 2008.

In April 2008, he began his role of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the major stage production Guys and Dolls. For this role, he won a 2008 Helpmann Award for "Best Supporting Actor in a Musical".

On 24 April 2009, Jacobson guest co-hosted Australian television program The Morning Show with Kylie Gillies, while the program's regular male co-host Larry Emdur was on holidays.

In 2009, Jacobson co-starred with Paul Hogan in Charlie & Boots, an Australian film in which Boots (Jacobson) takes his father, Charlie (Hogan) on a road trip to fish on the northernmost tip of Australia because of something his father told him they would do one day, when he was a kid. It had the best opening weekend for any Australian film in 2009 when it was released on Father's day. The film was shot on location and features many small towns in country Australia.

Jacobson was co-host of the short lived car show Top Gear Australia with Steve Pizzati and Ewen Page which ran for two seasons from 28 September 2010 on Nine Network to 13 September 2011.[4]

In June 2011, the Herald Sun revealed that Jacobson would be starring in the TV mini series Beaconsfield, the story of the Beaconsfield Mine collapse, playing the role of Brant Webb.[5] It aired on Sunday 22 April 2012.

In 2013, Jacobson co-hosted the first season of The Great Australian Bake Off an Australian reality television baking competition.[6]

Jacobson also starred as Luce Tivolli in the 2013 ABC drama The Time of Our Lives, which ran for two seasons (2013/2014).

In 2018, Jacobson joined the voice cast of Thomas & Friends, voicing an Australian steam engine called Shane.

In mid-2018 Jacobson hosted Little Big Shots Australia for Channel 7.

In 2019, Jacobson became a judge on Australia's Got Talent alongside Lucy Durack, Nicole Scherzinger and Manu Feildel. In June 2022, Jacobson was announced to be returning as a judge on Australia's Got Talent, alongside new judges Kate Ritchie, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams.[7][8]

In 2020, Jacobson starred in the Australian comedy-drama film Never Too Late which had been filmed in Adelaide, South Australia the previous year.[9]

In 2021, Jacobson was the narrator for the SBS documentary Inside Central Station.[10]

In 2022 he produced and performed in a celebrity tribute to Australian comedian and actor Paul Hogan, Roast of Paul Hogan, which was broadcast on Australia’s Seven Network.

Scouting

Shane Jacobson, Chief Scout of Victoria, with street art depicting himself and Scout Association founder Lord Baden-Powell

During his youth, Jacobson was a Scout[11] with 1st Keilor, 15th Essendon and Snowy Morcom Rover Crew. Jacobson credits Scouting shows, including Melbourne Gang Show and Bayside Showtime as first piquing his interest in the performing arts.

After two decades, Jacobson returned to Scouting in 2015, in a ceremonial position, as Scouts Victoria's Chief Scout.[12] The position of Chief Scout of Victoria had been held previously by Governors of Victoria. The position was offered to Jacobson as a high-profile former Scout with the star power to promote Scouting to Victorian and wider audiences.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Kenny Kenny Smyth Feature film

Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role

2008 Cactus Thommo Feature film
Newcastle Reggie Feature film
2009 Charlie & Boots Boots Feature film
2010 Santa's Apprentice Santa Claus (voice) Anomated film
2011 Surviving Georgia Johnnie
2012 The Bourne Legacy Factory manager Feature e
Beaconsfield Brant Webb TV film
Jack Irish: Bad Debts Barry Tregear TV film
Jack Irish: Black Tide Barry Tregear TV film
The Mystery of a Hansom Cab Detective Samuel Gorby TV film
2014 Jack Irish: Dead Point Barry Tregear TV film
The Apprentice Bob Short film (deleted Movie 43 segment)
2015 Oddball Swampy Feature film
The Dressmaker Alvin Pratt Feature film
2018 The BBQ Dazza Feature film
Guardians of the Tomb Gary Feature film
Brothers' Nest Terry Feature film
That's Not My Dog! Himself Feature film
Ladies in Black Mr Miles Feature film
2020 Never Too Late Bruce Wendell Feature film
2021 Inside Central Station Narrator

Television

Year Program Role Notes
2008 Kenny's World Kenny Smyth TV series
2010–11 Top Gear Australia Himself TV series, co-host
2013–14 The Time of Our Lives Luce Tivolli TV series, 21 episodes
2013 It's a Date Hugo TV series, episode: "Should You Date on the Rebound?"
2014 Fat Tony & Co. Detective Inspector Jim 'Big Kahuna' O'Brien TV miniseries, 9 episodes
2014 ManSpace Co-host TV series
2015 Open Slather Various roles TV series
2016–21 Jack Irish Barry Tregear TV series
2016 Who Do You Think You Are? Himself (featured) TV series
2017–present Little Big Shots Host TV series
2018–20 Thomas & Friends Shane (UK/US voice) TV series
2019–present Australia's Got Talent Judge TV series

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Guys and Dolls Nicely-Nicely Johnson
2014 Mother and Son Robert Beare Adaptation of the TV show
2018 The Rocky Horror Show The Narrator
2022 Hairspray Edna Turnblad

Bibliography

  • Jacobson, Shane (1 August 2013). The Long Road to Overnight Success. ABC Books. ISBN 9780730499985.
  • Jacobson, Shane (24 July 2017). Rev Head. ABC Books. ISBN 9780733338168.

Awards

Jacobson has won several awards:

References

  1. ^ "Actor and presenter Shane Jacobson says marriage was worth the wait". Herald Sun. 11 March 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  2. ^ Hilton, Samuel (12 December 2006). "2006 Australian Film Institute Awards". Ion Cinema. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  3. ^ Vagg, Stephen (18 August 2019). "Australian Movie Stars". Filmink.
  4. ^ "The Top Gear Motoring Ashes « Transmission – BBC Top Gear Australia". Archived from the original on 25 September 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  5. ^ Devlyn, Darren (24 June 2011). "Stars prepare to be buried alive in the mini-series Beaconsfield". Herald Sun. News Limited. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  6. ^ "The Great Australian Bake off". Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  7. ^ Knox, David (13 June 2021). "Neil Patrick Harris to judge Australia's Got Talent". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  8. ^ Mastroianni, Bianca (13 June 2021). "Neil Patrick Harris announced as an Australia's Got Talent judge alongside Kate Richie, Shane Jacobson and Alesha Dixon". News.com.au. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  9. ^ Maddox, Garry (16 April 2019) Life is still busy over 70 for stars of new 'triumph over ageing' film, The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Journey 'Inside Central Station: Australia's Busiest Railway'". Guide. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Famous Scouts:Shane Jacobson". Scouts Australia.
  12. ^ Doyle, Robert. "Tweet by Lord Mayor of Melbourne".

External links