Biography

Kent Robert Mackenzie (6 April 1930 – 16 May 1980) was an English-American film director and producer who is mainly remembered for his film The Exiles, which was about Native American young people in Los Angeles. He also was involved with Dimension Films in making educational films such as Can a Parent Be Human? Mackenzie was born on April 6, 1930, in Hampstead, England. His mother was English, and his father was Dewitt Mackenzie, who was head of the London Bureau of the Associated Press. After finishing school, Kent Mackenzie enlisted in the air force and later ended up in Hollywood, where, after gaining a scholarship, he made Bunker Hill, his first film. His next film The Exiles was released in 1961.In later years, he worked as an editor on television documentaries and medical and industrial films and shorts. During the 1960s and 1970s, he taught film-making to high school classes. He also directed some films for Dimension Films.Since the mid 1970s, he suffered from seizures. He died on 16 May 1980 in Marin County, California as a result of his medication and related complications.