Frank Bren
Encyclopedia
Frank Bren is an Australian actor, playwright, and scholar of film history. He has written books (on the history of Polish and Hong Kong cinema), written plays, and acted in Australian film and television roles.
, 1989) is one of the premier resources on the history of Polish cinema.
His book (with Law Kar), "Hong Kong Cinema: A Cross-Cultural View" (The Scarecrow Press, 2004) is one of the few books to thoroughly document the very early history of Hong Kong cinema, dating back to its beginnings in the 19th century.
Bren is currently writing a biography of French filmmaker and comedian, Pierre Étaix
.
Bren has also written articles on film for international journals such as Far Eastern Economic Review
, Screen International
, Films and Filming, as well as for newspapers such as Libération
and The Asian Wall Street Journal.
's film, "Sensitive New Age Killer". He also played a recurring role, twin brothers Colin Taylor and Alf Taylor, in the popular Australian TV series Neighbours
during the 1990s. In addition, he played "Mr. Nicholson" in the film "Hating Alison Ashley (film)
". He is currently preparing a biopic of Chinese-American film director Esther Eng.
In all, Bren has acted in over a dozen roles in Australian television series and movies, including The Flying Doctors
, Blue Heelers
, and Stingers
.
. He's also written and starred in about a dozen plays since 1967, with runs in London
, Amsterdam
, and Melbourne
.
Books and Articles
Frank Bren is a scholar of Polish and Chinese film history. His book, "World Cinema 1: Poland" (University of Illinois PressUniversity of Illinois Press
The University of Illinois Press , is a major American university press and part of the University of Illinois system. Founded in 1918, the press publishes some 120 new books each year, plus 33 scholarly journals, and several electronic projects...
, 1989) is one of the premier resources on the history of Polish cinema.
His book (with Law Kar), "Hong Kong Cinema: A Cross-Cultural View" (The Scarecrow Press, 2004) is one of the few books to thoroughly document the very early history of Hong Kong cinema, dating back to its beginnings in the 19th century.
Bren is currently writing a biography of French filmmaker and comedian, Pierre Étaix
Pierre Étaix
Pierre Étaix is a French clown, comedian and filmmaker. Étaix made a series of acclaimed short- and feature-length films in the 1960s, many of them co-written by influential screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière. He has won an Academy Award. Due to a legal dispute with a distribution company, these...
.
Bren has also written articles on film for international journals such as Far Eastern Economic Review
Far Eastern Economic Review
The Far Eastern Economic Review was an English language Asian news magazine started in 1946. It printed its final issue in December 2009. The Hong Kong-based business magazine was originally published weekly...
, Screen International
Screen International
Screen International is a multimedia film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by EMAP, a British b2b media company.The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global movie business...
, Films and Filming, as well as for newspapers such as Libération
Libération
Libération is a French daily newspaper founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Originally a leftist newspaper, it has undergone a number of shifts during the 1980s and 1990s...
and The Asian Wall Street Journal.
Film and TV
Frank Bren played Colin "The Snake" Adder in Mark SavageMark Savage
Mark Savage is an Australian film and television screenwriter and film director, specializing in independent horror, cult, action and exploitation-themed films. He is influenced by European and Asian genre cinema, and has written critical reviews and articles for the Herald Sun, Asian Cult...
's film, "Sensitive New Age Killer". He also played a recurring role, twin brothers Colin Taylor and Alf Taylor, in the popular Australian TV series Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
during the 1990s. In addition, he played "Mr. Nicholson" in the film "Hating Alison Ashley (film)
Hating Alison Ashley (film)
Hating Alison Ashley is a 2005 Australian comedy film based upon the 1984 novel of the same name produced by Elizabeth Howatt-Jackman and directed by Geoff Bennett...
". He is currently preparing a biopic of Chinese-American film director Esther Eng.
In all, Bren has acted in over a dozen roles in Australian television series and movies, including The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia....
, Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
, and Stingers
Stingers
Stingers was an Australian police drama television series. It ran for eight seasons on the Nine Network before it was canceled in late 2004 due to declining ratings and the late timeslot Channel Nine gave the program...
.
Plays
In 2007, Frank Bren wrote and starred in the play, "A History of Motion Pictures". which ran at La Mama Theatre (Melbourne)La Mama Theatre (Melbourne)
The La Mama Theatre is a theatrical venue located at 205 Faraday St, Carlton, Victoria. It opened in a former factory building on 30 July 1967 and still operates today under the direction of Liz Jones....
. He's also written and starred in about a dozen plays since 1967, with runs in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.