Oliver Conant

Oliver Conant (born November 15, 1955) is an American actor known for playing "Benjie" in American coming-of-age films Summer of '42 (1971) and Class of '44 (1973).

Oliver Conant was born on November 15, 1955, in New York City, New York. At the age of 15, he was cast as "Benjie" in Robert Mulligan's drama Summer of '42,alongside Jennifer O'Neill (Dorothy), Gary Grimes (Hermie), Jerry Houser (Oscy), and Christopher Norris (Miriam). Based on the memoirs of screenwriter Herman "Hermie" Raucher, the film follows a teenage boy who, during the summer of 1942 on Nantucket Island, embarks on a one-sided romance with a young woman, Dorothy, whose husband has gone off to fight in World War II.

Conant was seen playing the same character in the film's sequel Class of '44 (1973) (directed by Paul Bogart).

Conant was also in Jean Kerr's 1973 Broadway farce Finishing Touches, with Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Lansing, James Woods, and others.

After a three decades or so hiatus from acting, Conant re-emerged on off and off-off Broadway stages in productions ranging from Gene Ruffini's dystopian Homeland, Anne Fizzard's back-stage comedy Good Opinions, and Tuvia Tenenbom's absurdist satire Kabbalah. He serves as Producing Director for Queens Shakespeare Inc., a new classical repertory company based in Flushing, New York.

In 2008, Conant appeared in a New York production of "Elizabeth Rex"—a play by Timothy Findley—at the Nicu's Spoon Theater.