Russell Kiefel

Kiefel was born in Tully, Queensland in 1951, to Alf, an accountant, and Patsy, a homemaker.

He has two younger sisters, including former chief justice of Australia Susan Kiefel.

After moving to Brisbane, Kiefel attended Sandgate High School.

During his teenage years, he became interested in acting and was a member of the La Boite Theatre Company.

Kiefel moved to Sydney so he could attend the National Institute of Dramatic Art, and he graduated in 1974.

Kiefel was a prolific stage actor and worked with various theatre companies throughout his career, including Sydney Theatre Company (STC), Bell Shakespeare, and Queensland Theatre Company.

After graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Kiefel started his screen acting career with a role in the 1977 feature film The Singer and the Dancer.

His earliest roles were with the Old Tote Theatre Company in productions at the Sydney Opera House from 1977.

Kiefel began his screen acting career with a role in Gillian Armstrong's 1977 feature film The Singer and the Dancer.

He followed this with roles in Breaker Morant (1980), Twelfth Night (1986), Call Me Mr. Brown (1990) and television film The Leaving of Liverpool (1992).

Kiefel appeared in several television dramas, including Home and Away, Fireflies and Stingers.

Throughout the 1980s, Kiefel worked with the State Theatre Company of South Australia.

He made 13 appearances for the STC.

He appeared in Our Town, and the Australian and American seasons of A Streetcar Named Desire and Travelling North.

He went on to appear in the 1980 film Breaker Morant, Neil Armfield's 1986 film version of Twelfth Night, Call Me Mr. Brown, which was made in 1985 but not released until 1990, telemovie The Leaving of Liverpool, and comedy drama feature Children of the Revolution.

He had starred in the show three times previously, including the original production in 1983.

New play And I'm the Queen of Sheba was Kiefel's final stage performance.

It opened at the Browns Mart Theatre on 17 November.

In November 1987, Kiefel played Valantin, alongside Barry Otto, in Egil Kipste's production of Kiss of the Spider Woman for the Nimrod Theatre Company.

Kiefel began working with the Queensland Theatre Company in 1988 in productions of Night and Day and The Recruiting Officer.

He was also associated with the Belvoir company and appeared in several productions for them, including Ray's Tempest, Stuff Happens, Hamlet, The Power of Yes, The Business and Run Rabbit Run.

Other film roles included No Escape (1994), Radiance (1998), Dogwatch (1999) and Fresh Air (1999).

While appearing as Surly in the company's 1996 production of The Alchemist, Kiefel had to leave during one show after learning that his wife had gone into labour.

His co-star Sam Wilcox took over his role for the second act.

Later stage roles saw Kiefel appear in Tom Holloway's And No More Shall We Part for the Griffin Theatre Company.

He starred in an episode of Twisted Tales in 1998.

Among his various guest appearances were episodes of Wildside, Blue Heelers and Something in the Air.

In 2008, Kiefel played Lloyd Ross in Infamous Victory: Ben Chifley's Battle for Coal.

He starred in the 2009 production of The Alchemist at the Sydney Opera House.

He starred in the 2009 production of The Alchemist at the Playhouse, Sydney Opera House.

This time he played the role of Master Lovewit.

He joined the cast of Neighbours in the recurring role of Russell Brennan in 2015.

Kiefel worked with various theatre companies throughout his stage career, appearing in numerous productions.

His earliest roles were with the Old Tote Theatre Company.

He appeared in both the Australian and American seasons of A Streetcar Named Desire and Travelling North.

Kiefel was closely associated with Belvoir and appeared in several productions for them, including Run Rabbit Run and The Blind Giant is Dancing.

Russell John Kiefel (1951 – 20 November 2016) was an Australian stage, film and television actor.

Kiefel fell ill while appearing in And I'm the Queen of Sheba at the Browns Mart Theatre in Darwin, and he died on 20 November 2016.

In 2016, Kiefel performed in The Blind Giant is Dancing for Belvoir.

Kiefel played the role of Frank and had been involved in the production since April 2016.