Jeff Kevin


Jeffrey Kevin is an Australian actor, theatre director, choreographer, writer, and former drama lecturer best known for his role in the television soap opera Number 96, from 1972 to 1977 as Arnold Feather for 338 episodes.
His character was involved in some of the more-remarkable story lines in the program, including his marriage to Patti Olsen and her subsequent death at the hands of the "Pantyhose Strangler". He also fell in love with Robyn Ross, who he did not realise was transgender. That broke new ground for a TV serial, in that Ross was played by cabaret artist Carlotta, who was the first transgender actress to portray a transgender character anywhere in the world.

Career

Jeffrey Kevin was born in 1945 and started his performance career in theatre in the late 1960s and by the early 1970s, started appearing in several television guest appearances, including roles in the Crawford Productions police dramas Homicide and Division 4, and in police dramas The Long Arm and The Link Men.
In 1972, Kevin was cast in the comedic role of 19-year-old, unlucky-in-love Arnold Feather in the soap opera Number 96, although Kevin was 27 at the time. The role was created by series screenwriter Johnny Whyte. Feather continued in the role from mid-1972 until the series ended in August 1977. He also appeared in the series' 1974 spin-off film, Number 96. During 1977, Arnold's character was briefly phased out and replaced by his twin brother, Charles "Chook" Feather, also played by Kevin.
In the late 1970s, he acted in the serial The Sullivans and made an appearance in Skyways. In 1988, he briefly acted in the soap opera Home and Away as Catholic priest Father Rawlings.
In 2003, Kevin became a drama lecturer at Wollongong University he since retired, but as of 2021 and 2025 still works as an actor and director in occasionally local theatre.

Personal life

Kevin married English-born Australian actress and model, Suzanne Church, in August 1977. She had also appeared in Number 96, as Jane Chester.

Filmography

Theatre

source: AusStage database
ProductionWriter/CompanyYearShowsProduction StatusTypeReference
Two Programs of Short PlaysWriter-Michael Thomas/ NIDA production company1966 1non-world premiere/Australian Englishspoken word/one actEI = 153773
Point of DepartureJean Anouilh / NIDA19671non-world premierespoken word//historicalEI
Three Men on a HorseGeorge Abbott/John Cecil Holm19671non-world premiere spoken word/comedy farce
The Winter's TaleShakespeare1967 1non-world premiere spoken word/romantic/tragi-comedy3661
The Rise and Fall of Boronia AveunueTony Morphett19691Australian premiere productionspoken word/Australian National Identity
RootedAlexander Buzo/NIDA production19691Australian premiere productionspoken word/Australian National Identity
The Legend of King O'MalleyMichael Boddy19711non-world premiere/tour productionMusical theatre 1World premiereOperetta/Musical TheatreEI= 154327
King Edward William Leonard Marshall19711Australian premiere productionspoken word /one man show Gordon Chater248205
TruthDavid Young19711Australian premiere productionspoken word/historical
Childhead's DollWilly Young19711Australian premiere productionMusical-
Small Craft WarningsTennessee Williams/Independent Theatre19741non-world premierespoken word/drama
Star Turns19781Musical production
Bedroom FarceAlan Ayckbourn19809 shows National tour spoken word
Same Time, Next Year Bernard Slade19861non-world premierespoken word
Trumpets and RaspberriesDario Fo19871non-world premiere Comedy/Satire-
Juno and the PaycockSean O'Casey19881Professional, IrishComedy/TragedyEI 74287
Mother CourageBertolt Brecht19891non-world premiere Theatre ET 1829
Hating Alison Ashley Richard Tullock19891non-world premierespoken word/Youth theatre
The Christian BrothersRon Blair'19912non-world premieretheatre - spoken word-
The Cherry OrchardAnton Chekhov1991spoken wordEI 15845-
The Tragedy of Richard IIIShakespeare19923 showsTheatre
Twelfth NightShakespeare1993Theatre 145252-
A Christmas CarolCharles Dickens19932 shows Theatre
The Time is Not Yet RipeLouis Esson1996non-world premiereTheatre
HamletShakespeare20024 showsTheatre/drama EI 19224
KangarooAdaptation of D. H. Lawrence novel20031World premiereTheatre
The StrangerAgatha Christie20211World premieretheatre
The Last Resort20231Theatre -
Shakespeare R and Jas Director20251Theatre --