Kenneth Graham Ross (born 4 June 1941) is an Australian playwright, screenwriter, and lyricist best known for writing the 1978 stage play Breaker Morant, that was based on the life of Australian soldier Harry "Breaker" Morant. With the support of the South Australian Film Corporation this play was later adapted by Ross into a film of the same name in 1980. The film was nominated for the 1980 Academy Award for the screenplay adapted from another source. Early life Family Kenneth Graham Ross was born on 4 June 1941 in East Brunswick, Victoria. His great-grandparents were Hugh Ross (1807-1898), who arrived in Australia, as a free settler, at Van Diemen's Land in 1837, and Barbara Sutherland Ross (1832-1910), née McKenzie, who arrived in Australia, at Hobsons Bay, Victoria in 1851, and George Beckton (1826-1873), born in Scotland, and Elizabeth Beckton (1838-1900), née Peirson, born in Mansfield, Victoria. His grandparents were John Hugh Ross, Adelaide Eliza Ross, Leslie Sherlock Graham, and Queenie Nora Graham. His parents were Kenneth McKenzie Ross, and Alma Nora Ross. He has three children. Education Ross attended Caulfield Grammar School, in East St Kilda, Victoria, from 1951 to 1958, where one of his teachers recognised and strongly encouraged his creative writing talents. He also displayed strong debating skills whilst at school. Athlete Ross was a tenacious and courageous Australian rules footballer who played well above his weight, and was a superb middle distance runner, excelling at the 880 yards (or half-mile), now the 800 metres. After school After several years, already convinced that he had the skill to become a creative writer, he decided that he should travel to the UK and Europe, in order to gain experience of the world and, hopefully, determine what kind of writing to which he would devote his energies. To acquire sufficient funds to fund his explorations, he moved from Melbourne to Portland towards the end of 1961, and worked for his parents at Mac's Hotel, in Bentinck Street, Portland. To Europe In May 1963, he left for Italy on the SS Galileo Galilei, and on that voyage, he met and was befriended by the experienced Australian professional actress, Elaine Cusick, perhaps best known at the time for her performance in The One Day of the Year. She also acted intermittently as a mentor for Ross for many years. Once he had reached Italy, disembarking at Genoa, he set off across