Ben Kurland
Encyclopedia
Benjamin David Kurland is an American
actor
. He was born in Boston
, Massachusetts
to parents Jim and Robyne Kurland. He and his older brother Zack Kurland grew up in Newton, Massachusetts
.
He first started acting at age 11, performing in a local theatre production of Anne of Green Gables
. During the summer, he attended the prestigious Walnut Hill School
. While in 7th grade at The Fessenden School
, Ben was encouraged by a teacher to try out for a part in the all school play, Little Shop of Horrors
. Despite his young age, Ben was cast as the lead in the show. The following year, Ben was performing again in Oliver!
while simultaneously working with cousin Jaime Ray Newman
in Boston University's production of Stop the World: I Want to Get Off. Before attending high school, Ben had been in over a dozen plays.
At Choate Rosemary Hall, Ben continued to pursue acting. He was cast as Jerry in a production of The Zoo Story
, which was guest directed by Edward Albee
himself. This made national news when an article featuring Kurland and Albee was published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times
. After graduation, Ben attended Emerson College
's Theatre program. However, he soon transferred to the University of Southern California
School of Theatre. While at USC, he was briefly on the USC Ice Hockey Team, and performed in several student films. He graduated from USC in 2006.
In his final year at USC, Ben starred in TAPS, and won first prize at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in 2006. Since then, Ben has been seen on TLC, Spike TV
, and starred in Sinners
, a drama from Eleven Eleven Pictures (Best Picture, Swansea Bay Film Festival 2007). In 2007 He worked on a pilot MANHATTAN MASSAGE for Proud Films and ROADS, a film from the director of TAPS. In 2008 Ben was cast in a supporting role in the film Fire Bay
, alongside veteran actor Michael Biehn
(Aliens, Terminator, The Abyss) and Academy Award Nominee Robert Forster
. Ben most recently was in The Artist
starring John Goodman
, James Cromwell
and Penelope Ann Miller
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He was born in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to parents Jim and Robyne Kurland. He and his older brother Zack Kurland grew up in Newton, Massachusetts
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
.
He first started acting at age 11, performing in a local theatre production of Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908. Set in 1878, it was written as fiction for readers of all ages, but in recent decades has been considered a children's book...
. During the summer, he attended the prestigious Walnut Hill School
Walnut Hill School
Walnut Hill School for the Arts is a private boarding school for the arts located in Natick, Massachusetts.-Boarding School:Walnut Hill was founded in 1893 as a college preparatory school for women and a feeder school to Wellesley College. It became coeducational and arts-focused in the late 1970s...
. While in 7th grade at The Fessenden School
Fessenden School
The Fessenden School is an independent day and boarding school for boys, founded in 1903 by Frederick J. Fessenden, and located at 250 Waltham Street, West Newton, Massachusetts, United States, on a campus....
, Ben was encouraged by a teacher to try out for a part in the all school play, Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors (musical)
Little Shop of Horrors is a rock musical, by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood. The musical is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman...
. Despite his young age, Ben was cast as the lead in the show. The following year, Ben was performing again in Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
while simultaneously working with cousin Jaime Ray Newman
Jaime Ray Newman
Jaime Ray Newman is an American actress and singer. Newman is best known for starring as Kristina Cassadine in soap opera General Hospital, as Kat Gardener in ABC's Eastwick, and as Dr. Tess Fontana in Syfy's Eureka....
in Boston University's production of Stop the World: I Want to Get Off. Before attending high school, Ben had been in over a dozen plays.
At Choate Rosemary Hall, Ben continued to pursue acting. He was cast as Jerry in a production of The Zoo Story
The Zoo Story
Not to be confused with Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives the book about Lowry Park ZooThe Zoo Story is American playwright Edward Albee's first play; written in 1958 and completed in just three weeks...
, which was guest directed by Edward Albee
Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III is an American playwright who is best known for The Zoo Story , The Sandbox , Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , and a rewrite of the screenplay for the unsuccessful musical version of Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's . His works are considered well-crafted, often...
himself. This made national news when an article featuring Kurland and Albee was published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. After graduation, Ben attended Emerson College
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
's Theatre program. However, he soon transferred to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
School of Theatre. While at USC, he was briefly on the USC Ice Hockey Team, and performed in several student films. He graduated from USC in 2006.
In his final year at USC, Ben starred in TAPS, and won first prize at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in 2006. Since then, Ben has been seen on TLC, Spike TV
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
, and starred in Sinners
Sinners (film)
Sinners is a 2007 motion picture, based on true story and written and directed by Tory Christopher. Eleven Eleven Pictures produced the feature. The film stars Ben Kurland, Matthew Christopher, and Sean Hoagland.-Plot:...
, a drama from Eleven Eleven Pictures (Best Picture, Swansea Bay Film Festival 2007). In 2007 He worked on a pilot MANHATTAN MASSAGE for Proud Films and ROADS, a film from the director of TAPS. In 2008 Ben was cast in a supporting role in the film Fire Bay
Fire Bay
Fire Bay is a film currently in development. It is set at the time of the Kennedy administration and the basic story involves a CIA black op invasion of Cuba, seven men are recruited into a "secret army" from the streets of Miami and they join their Brigade's ferocious, heroic battles on the bloody...
, alongside veteran actor Michael Biehn
Michael Biehn
Michael Connell Biehn is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in James Cameron's science fiction action films The Terminator as Kyle Reese, Aliens as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks, and The Abyss as Lt. Coffey. He has also acted in such films as Tombstone, The Rock, and Planet Terror...
(Aliens, Terminator, The Abyss) and Academy Award Nominee Robert Forster
Robert Forster
Robert Forster is an American actor, best known for his roles as John Cassellis in Haskell Wexler's Medium Cool, and as Max Cherry in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, the latter of which gained him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.- Early life :Forster was born Robert Wallace...
. Ben most recently was in The Artist
The Artist (film)
The Artist is a 2011 French romance film directed by Michel Hazanavicius, starring Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo. The story takes place in Hollywood between 1927 and 1932 and focuses on a declining male film star and a rising actress, as silent cinema grows out of fashion and is replaced by the...
starring John Goodman
John Goodman
John Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...
, James Cromwell
James Cromwell
James Oliver Cromwell is an American film and television actor. Some of his more notable roles are in Babe , for which he earned Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Star Trek: First Contact , L.A...
and Penelope Ann Miller
Penelope Ann Miller
Penelope Ann Miller , sometimes credited as Penelope Miller, is an American actress...
.
Sources
- http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50D17FD3A5C0C728FDDA90994D1494D81
- http://www.versacefilm.com/taps.html
- http://www.benkurland.com
- http://www.film-festival.org/pdf/2006Awards.pdf
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2273287/
- http://smile.withoutabox.com/films/taps
- http://www.uscicehockey.com/archive.asp
- http://www.mov6.com/title/tt0836704/
- http://www.manpaper.com/ViewCelebInfo_16866.html