Australian Actor Gerard Kennedy dies at 93

Critically acclaimed Australian actor Gerard Kennedy died on April 21, 2025, at age 93 in a care home in Gosford, New South Wales. His career in film and television lasted more than 50 years.

Kennedy was born on March 8, 1932, in Perth, and he began acting in theatre before moving to television. He became known for his role as Kragg in the 1960s series Hunter. Originally written as a villain, the character was changed due to Kennedy's popularity. He won the 1969 Logie Award for Best New Talent.

He was best known for playing Detective Frank Banner in Division 4 from 1969 to 1975. The role earned him two Gold Logie Awards in 1970 and 1971.


Kennedy also appeared in shows such as Tandarra, Against the Wind, Skyways, and The Flying Doctors. His film credits included Newsfront (1978), The Lighthorsemen (1987), Wolf Creek 2 (2013), and Underbelly (2008).

His final acting role was in 2015 in the TV series Glitch. In total, he appeared in over 80 productions and won two Silver Logies and three Penguin Awards from the Television Society of Australia, recognizing excellence in performance and contribution to television.

Entertainment reporter Craig Bennett and actor Liz Burch described him as quiet and respectful. Bennett recalled that Kennedy kept his awards out of sight and was not focused on recognition, and was easy to work with.

Kennedy is survived by his daughter, Chrisanya.