Kent Kimball

Kent is the third child of Maurice (Mo) Kimball and Clarice Kimball and was born and raised in Los Angeles (Hollywood and North Hollywood.) His father was a newspaper and magazine publisher and editor. His mother was a talented pianist, organist, and composer. She spent all of WWII as a USO entertainer in San Diego where she met her husband who was stationed there while serving in the Navy. They both loved big band music, and Maurice had the pleasure of being master of ceremonies at several Glenn Miller Orchestra performances. Kent went to Third Street Elementary School and was a schoolmate of Natalie Cole, daughter of Nat King Cole. There were many classmates whose parents were actors, directors, producers, TV personalities, film editors, etc. Because many of these kids were spoiled and cantankerous, Kent didn't like what he saw and decided to never become a professional entertainer. However, during this same time he sang and played clarinet in school and church choirs and orchestras and often performed in talent shows and plays. He didn't formally study acting until many years later. He took ballroom dance lessons for several years from Mrs. Paul Henried at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Several of his dancing partners are well-known entertainment figures today. He attended high school in Fallbrook, California, the "Avocado Capitol of the World." While there, he was an officer in the FFA, a four year Madrigal Singer, and president/ student conductor of the 100 voice choir. He lettered in wrestling, swimming and diving (most valuable swimmer), and tennis. As a junior and senior he competed in the California State Tennis Tournament in Ojai, CA. Three of the tournament winners went on to have wonderful PRO tennis careers: Bob Lutz, Rosco Tanner, and Stan Smith. He also lettered in wrestling in college and had the dubious honor of being "killed" by the California State Champion in his weight class. Unfortunately, his girlfriend was present to witness this disaster. A very humiliating experience. Kent's father (Mo), published the magazine "Western Aerospace" and was president of the Southern California Aero Club. He was often taken to see test launches or roll outs of new rockets, jet aircraft, and spacecraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and other important aviation sites. As a kid, he was personally introduced to many heroes of aviation & aerospace including Buzz Aldrin, Chuck Yager, Jimmy Doolittle, "Pappy" Boyington, Louis Zamperini and Francis Gary Powers. He was always interested in photography and astronomy. His photos have made the front covers of several magazines and newspapers. Kent hiked up to the Griffeth Park Planetarium and Observatory scores of times to view its wonders. He built a Newtonian reflector telescope from scratch, even grinding the optics by hand, and then constructed an observatory on top of his house to permanently protect it. Then, merging his two loves, he became a deep sky celestial photographer. For two summers he lived and worked on Mt. Palomar, home of the world's largest optical telescope. It was on that mountain that he and two of his astronomer friends, witnessed the greatest meteor shower in recorded history....the Leonid meteor shower of November 1966. They were more or less "lucky" to be in the right place at the right time when they viewed approximately 180,000 meteors an hour as well as 12 fireballs that evening. The heavens were literally falling! It was the most spectacular and beautiful event in his lifetime. The observation results of that magnificent celestial show were published in the Harvard Astronomical Review. Kent attended Los Angeles City College, California State University Northridge, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and graduated from the University of Southern California in 1973. He studied Business Administration and Music. However, his real passion in college was always music. Music composition, conducting, vocal performance, music history and opera were his real loves. While in college he was able to take conducting classes from three of the greatest choral conductors in America: Charles Hirt, Roger Wagner, and Robert Shaw. These remain his conducting "heroes" to this day. Throughout college Kent was a Naval Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate and went on active duty immediately upon graduation. He went through Naval Flight Officer training and Flight School in Pensacola, Florida and served on several Naval Air Stations in California and Florida as well as the aircraft carrier USS Okinawa. He also spent time on the USS Constellation. He met his future wife Norilee Bergland at Hollywood Presbyterian Church where they were both members. She was a music major at California State University at Northridge. They have been married since June, 1974. Norilee is a high school choir and vocal teacher whose students often earn state and national recognition. They have four daughters: Kendra, Catherine, Hannah, and Julie. All five of the Kimball ladies are talented singers, dancers, and actors. Three of the five have advanced master's degrees in music, music education and/or theater. Kendra was an Equity Actor in NYC. Julie studies "improv" and performed at the esteemed Second City Improv Theater in Chicago. After the Navy, Kent went to work as a salesman in the communications and computer hardware industries, doing quite well. He advanced to Sales Team Leader, District Sales Manager, National Sales Training Instructor, National Sales Manager, International Sales Manager, and eventually became Vice President of Sales and Marketing. It was during this 18-year period that he traveled extensively, and it was difficult and sometimes impossible to fit much acting and music into his schedule. He traveled regularly and extensively all over the world. Since then however, he started a small company, K2 Landscaping, which allows him more time and freedom to pursue acting and music. Kent has performed in 68 plays and musicals, 41 TV commercials, 20 films, 24 operas and 21 voice overs.. Some of the film actors that Kent has appeared with include Andy Garcia, Tom Skerritt, Demi Moore, Cuba Gooding Jr., Ray Liotta, Sam Elliot, Chuck Norris, Christian Slater, Vera Farmiga, Antonio Banderas, Amber Heard, James Woods, Carmen Electra, Lainie Kazan, Samuel L. Jacksosn, Jessica Biel, Burt Reynolds, Cary Elwes, and Angie Harmen. Five of these actors are Oscar award winners. Click on (IMDB Kent Kimball) for details and specifics of his film resume. He has also appeared on television many times. His TV debut came at age 7 on "The Art Linkletter Show." He had the great pleasure of being chosen by Books In Motion to record/narrate the audio book of "Angel Fire" by Ron Franscell, selected by the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper among the 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century West (No. 74), a stunning list which includes "The Call of the Wild", "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Grapes of Wrath". He has been an executive on the Board of Directors of three opera companies on the West Coast and once served as General Director. Favorite opera roles performed include Baron Zeta in "The Merry Widow," Bartolo in "Le Nozze Di Figaro," Baron Douphol in "La Traviata," King Melchior in "Amahl and the Night Visitors," Pish Tush in "Makado", Buff in "Der Schauspieldirektor", Frank in "Die Fladermaus", Antonio in "The Gondoliers," Marco in "Gianni Schicci," Sargent in "Pirates of Penzance ," Sid in "La Fanciulla del West", and Ambrogio in "Barbiere di Siviglia". Favorite stage roles performed include Petrucchio/Fred in "Kiss Me Kate," King Henry in "The Lion in Winter," Juan Peron in "Evita", Captain Von Trapp in "The Sound of Music," Daddy Warbucks in "Annie," Judge Turpin in "Sweeney Todd," El Gallo in "Fantasticks," Captain E. J. Smith in "Titanic", Emile De Becque in "South Pacific, and the title roles in "The Robber Bridegroom," "The King and I," and "Phantom." Some of the outstanding conductors he has performed with include Christopher Hogwood, Gunther Schuller, Fabio Mechetti, Charles Hirt, Robert Shaw, Eckhart Preu, Roger Wagner, Helmut Rieling, Alice Parker, Howard Swan, Paul Salamunivitz, and Jester Hairston. As a soloist he has appeared with the Spokane Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Spokane Opera, Zephyr, Spokane String Quartet, The Festival at Sandpoint, and Opera Coeur d'Alene. He has also appeared with the Northwest Bach Festival (9 years), Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, Allegro, Century Singers, and the Westminster Chamber Orchestra. He has sung the National Anthem for NFL games in Cleveland, Ohio and Greenbay, Wisconsin , and for the opening day of the USA National Figure Skating Championships, all nationally televised. An accomplished conductor, Kent has directed many Bach cantatas, Handel's "Messiah," the Saint-Saëns "Christmas Oratorio," Daniel Pinkham's "Christmas Cantata," Halsey Stevens' "Magnificat," Vivaldi's "Gloria," Brahms' "Requiem," Schubert's "Mass in G," Schutz's "Seven Last Words," Mendelssohn's "Elijah", Haydn's "Lord Nelson Mass," Beethoven's "Mass in C Major," and many other great works, all with chamber orchestras and choirs of various sizes. He has conducted the Century Singers, Spokane String Quartet, the Hamblen Baroque Chorus, Northwest Sacred Music Chorale, Westminster Chamber Orchestra, and the Good News Singers in concerts. He can be seen in over 40 YouTube videos (youtube.com, Kent Kimball), mostly as a conductor but also as a soloist and as an actor. He was the founder and director of the Good News Singers. In a concert review, The Los Angeles Times said of his conducting, "Rhythmically precise, well-balanced performances. . . a model of beautiful choral blend and tone." He has written or arranged over 30 pieces of music. He has been the Director of Music at three churches throughout the United States. He enjoys mountain climbing (alpine, rock, and ice), and has climbed all over the world, including five of the seven summits. Business, climbing, and vacationing have made him a seasoned traveler and taken him to 82 countries on six continents. He lives by the lake with Norilee, in one of the most beautiful spots on earth - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.