Zen Gesner

The dashing, darkly handsome Zen Gesner brought swashbuckling into the 1990s starring in the title role in the syndicated series "The Adventures of Sinbad" (1996-98). Although a native of Southern California, the athletic actor was well trained to be the adventurer of lore, having excelled in fencing and stage fighting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. The son of actress Nan Martin, Gesner began acting professionally after attending Santa Monica High School, joining the South Coast Repertory Theatre in Orange County, CA. After attending LAMDA and serving as assistant to the fight director for the Royal Opera House in London, Gesner returned to the USA. He made his feature film debut playing the small--but noticed--role of an FBI agent in "Dumb and Dumber" (1996), directed by his brother-in-law Peter Farrelly. Gesner, who surfed extensively in his youth, also played a surfer in the Chris Isaak music video "Somebody's Crying" and reteamed with his in-law for a featured role in "Kingpin" (1996), opposite Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid.

• Also Credited As:
  Zen Brant Gesner
• Born:
  June 23, 1970 in Van Nuys, California, USA
• Job Titles:
  Actor

Family

• Father: Harry Gesner. born c. 1923
• Half-brother: Casey Martin Dolan. born on January 7, 1954
• Mother: Nan Martin. born on July 15, 1927; previously married to musician Robert Dolan
• Son: Finn Harry Gesner. born on July 24, 1997 in Capetown, South Africa
• Son: Rory Farrelly Gesner. born on October 9, 2000 in Santa Monica, California

Education

• London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA), London, England, acting
• Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, California

Milestones

• 1975 At age five was directed by mother in a short film (date approximate)
• 1996 Starred in syndcated series The Adventures of Sinbad
• 1996 Made first screen appearance playing an FBI agent in Dumb and Dummber , director by his brother-in-law Peter Farrelly
• 1996 Played a surfer in Chis Isaak music video, Somebody s Crying
• 1998 Had small role in There s Something About Mary
• 1998 Joined cast of ABC daytime drama All My Children (September)
• 2000 Appeared in Me, Myself & Irene
• After graduation from LAMDA served as assistant to the Fight Director of the Royal Opera House, London
• Joined South Coast Repertory Company (in California), after high school graduation
• Made Los Angeles debut opposite his mother in a radio play production of Leocadia