Biography
Sean Kinney, originally from Fort Worth, Texas, began performing at the age of seven. His first appearance was a pantomime in a grade school show, which earned a standing ovation and sparked his passion for show business. Inspired by a Charlie Chaplin film, he aspired to become a physical comedy filmmaker like Chaplin. At ten years old, he landed his first lead role as Ebenezer Scrooge, launching a continuous involvement in community theater and school productions. He attended Texas Wesleyan University on a double Armstrong Scholarship for music and theater. After a role on "Walker Texas Ranger," Sean relocated to Los Angeles, working under the legendary Roger Corman to learn film production while continuing to perform comedy, improv, and stunts. His directing career expanded from theater to commercials, documentaries, music videos, and feature films.
Sean has produced music videos for artists such as Robert Palmer, Dede (which reached #1 on MTV International in Scandinavia and Japan), and Riddle the Sphinx, earning three Telly Awards and an Accolade Award. He directed and starred in "First Impressions," a five-minute silent black-and-white Vaudeville comedy that premiered at the World Famous Silent Movie Theater in Los Angeles and won Second Best of the Fest at the 1996 Tacoma Tortured Artist Film Festival. Sean also co-developed, with twelve others through improv, the long-running Los Angeles cult comedy musical "Butt Pirates of the Caribbean" alongside the Troubadour Theatre Company, which received a 1998 Garland Award for Outstanding Performance of the Year. His commercial work includes a Clio Award in 1997 and the Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions Awards, along with Golden Grahams at the International Tournee of Breakfast in 1998.
He regularly performed with the sketch comedy group ACTUAL SIZE!, which he also directed and wrote for; the troupe appeared in the Big Stinkin' Comedy Festival, the NoHo Arts Festival, and frequently at the renowned Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard. Sean co-created and co-produced Hollywood’s first comedy festival, the Hollywood HaHa Festival, and served as the live mascot "Uncle Clyde" in the long-running Uncle Clyde's Comedy Contest, which he also co-created. His first feature film, "Rubbernecking" (also known as "Accidents Don't Happen"), which he co-directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and co-starred in, was showcased at the 1999 IFFM, the 2000 New York Independent International Film & Video Festival, and the 2001 AngelCiti Film Festival. Despite numerous international accolades, Sean treasures most the Gold Star awarded by his kindergarten teacher in 1975.
Following his many successes, Sean began consulting on various projects and founded 1 Stooge Entertainment, a creative consulting company renowned for delivering innovative ideas and solutions to studios and independent producers across production, advertising, marketing, and branding, with a specialty in comic twists and stylized action.
Using his distinctive lateral thinking methods, Sean has secured contracts with nearly every major Hollywood studio, including Disney, Miramax, Touchstone, Pixar, ESPN, Hollywood Pictures, ABC, Disney Classics, Marvel, Warner Brothers, ABC Sports, Buena Vista, Disney Creative, and Disney Technical Services.
Sean has also dedicated time to teaching improvisational comedy and serving as an Adjunct Professor at the New York Film Academy’s international program, where he instructs courses in Directing Actors and Editing.
Recently, Sean won three Telly Awards, including a People's Choice Award, for "Professional Pretender," a music video for the band Riddle the Sphinx, which also received an Honorable Mention at the LA Reels Film Festival and an Accolade Award. He earned another Telly for a viral commercial for Johnson Instruments. Sean continues to perform regularly on stage in Los Angeles and works freelance as a writer, director, and actor.
He aims to revive the Vaudeville style on the silver screen.
18 wins and 1 nominations
