Shane Jacobson is an Australian actor, director, writer, and comedian, best known for his performance
as the eponymous character Kenny Smyth in the 2006 film Kenny.
In 2006, he won the Australian Film Institute's Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for
that performance.
Career Jacobson began his career on the stage at
the age of 10 with amateur theatre, and also performed in the Melbourne Gang Show.
At age 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.
In 2007, Jacobson filmed two Australian feature films Cactus, Directed by Jasmine Yuen-Carrucan
which was released in cinemas May and Newcastle, directed by Dan Castle which was 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 Jacobson plays Boots who takes his father, Charlie 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.
Running for only two seasons with the aforementioned hosts airing from 28 September 2010 on Nine
Network to 13 September 2011.
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.
It aired on Sunday 22 April 2012.
In 2013, Jacobson co-hosted the The Great Australian Bake Off an Australian reality
television baking competition.
Jacobson also starred in the 2013 ABC drama The Time of Our Lives.
Filmography Awards
Jacobson has won several awards: 2006 Australian Film Institute award for Best
Actor in a Leading Role for Kenny 2006 Film Critics Circle of Australia awards
for Best Actor in a Lead Role and Best Screenplay for Kenny
2006 Inside Film Award for both Best Feature Film and Best Script
2007 Film Ink Magazine Awards for Best New Comer
2007 Australian Star of the Year Award at the Australian International Movie Convention.
2008 Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, for his role as Nicely-Nicely
Johnson in the stage production Guys and Dolls.
References
External links Official website
Shane Jacobson at the Internet Movie Database