 Born in Hawera in 1944, Jennings was raised by his mother in Taihape and Hawera, his father having died during World War II.As a member of the NZ Players and Children's Art Theatre, Ross Jennings toured NZ as an actor before being granted a QE2 Arts Council Grant to study acting in England where he worked at Salisbury Theatre and took on minor television and film roles, before returning to New Zealand in 1971.He joined the NZBC in 1973, and the Drama Department within 18 mths, mentored by producer Tony Issac.