This was compounded by the premature death of his father Bertie in 1931. By this point Kenneth had already attempted to become a civil engineer's apprentice in Shrewsbury after finishing school.
He also pursued careers in the RAF and at Sainsbury's, but neither was a fit. It was only after an ill-fated trip to Canada (which saw Kenneth unable to enter the country due to not having the correct paperwork) that life began to have true direction.
At 20, his star was born. A chance decision saw Kenneth ask for a job at the Windmill Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue. The audacious request was granted – on the now-ironic promise that he never become an actor – and the rest is history.