This article is about the actress. For the Olympic skeleton racer, see Kelly Curtis (skeleton racer). For the fictional character from the Jurassic Park franchise, see List of Jurassic Park characters.

Kelly Curtis
Curtis in 1979
Born
Kelly Lee Curtis

(1956-06-17)June 17, 1956
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Died May 30, 2026(2026-05-30) (aged 69)
Bellevue, Idaho, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1958, 1983–2010
Spouses
  • Scott Morfee
    ​
    (m. 1989)​
  • John Marsh
    ​
    (before 2026)​
Parents
  • Tony Curtis (father)
  • Janet Leigh (mother)
Relatives Jamie Lee Curtis (sister)
Allegra Curtis (half-sister)

Kelly Lee Curtis (June 17, 1956 – May 30, 2026) was an American actress. She was known for her roles in Magic Sticks (1987) and The Devil's Daughter (1991).

Early life

Kelly Lee Curtis was born on June 17, 1956, in Santa Monica, California, the elder child of actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.[1] She was the older sister of actress Jamie Lee Curtis. Her paternal grandparents were Hungarian-Jewish immigrants,[2] and two of her maternal great-grandparents were Danish.[3] The rest of her mother's ancestry was German and Scots-Irish. She had four half-siblings from her father's later marriages: Alexandra Curtis, Allegra Curtis, Nicholas Curtis (who died of a drug overdose) and Benjamin Curtis.[4]

Curtis made her first appearance on film as a young girl in the United Artists action-adventure The Vikings (1958), which starred her parents. Her parents divorced in 1962, and her mother later married Robert Brandt.[5]

In 1978, she graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, with a degree in business, and worked briefly as a stockbroker.[6]

Career

Curtis studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.[7] An article in the Los Angeles Times of July 28, 1982, about the play Say Goodnight, Gracie reads, in part, "Kelly Curtis is Ginny, sadly resigned to not being smart but smartly settled for honest responses. Here, writing and performance transcend one-note designation. Seated quietly, Curtis delivers a touching monologue that would have been the heart of another and better play, rather than a disarming moment of inspired simplicity."[7]

She played Shirley in the comedy Magic Sticks (1987) and starred in the leading role of Miriam Kreisl in the horror film The Devil's Daughter (1991).[8]

She was a regular cast member as Lieutenant Carolyn Plummer during the first season of the crime-action television series The Sentinel (1996). Her guest appearances on TV included roles in The Renegades (1983), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and Judging Amy (1999). She also worked as a production assistant on several films with her sister, Freaky Friday (2003), Christmas with the Kranks (2004) and You Again (2010).[8]

Personal life and death

Curtis married Scott Morfee (born 1954) on September 14, 1989.[9][6] At the time the couple were working together on his musical theater piece, Shout and Twist, in which she appeared and also produced.[citation needed] She later married filmmaker John Marsh, with whom she made local documentaries.[10][11]

Curtis died at her home in Bellevue, Idaho, on May 30, 2026, at the age of 69. Her death was announced by her sister, Jamie Lee, on social media.[10]

Filmography

Film

Kelly Curtis film credits
Year Title Role Notes
1958 The Vikings Young Girl Uncredited
1983 Trading Places Muffy
1987 Magic Sticks Shirley
1987 Checkpoint Joyce
1991 The Devil's Daughter Miriam Kreisl Starring role
1992 Ex-Cop Officer
1998 Mixed Blessings Annie Weaver
1998 June Short film
Sources:[12][13]

Television

Kelly Curtis Television credits
Year Title Role Notes
1983 The Renegades Cynthia Holtson Episode: "Target: Marciano"
1986 The Equalizer Vicki Episode: "No Conscience"
1988 The Equalizer Paula Whitaker Episode: "No Place Like Home"
1989 Kojak: Ariana Whitley TV movie
1990 Thanksgiving Day Barbara Schloss TV movie
1991 Hunter Amy Rivers Episode: "The Reporter"
1991 False Arrest Mary Durand TV movie
1992 Silk Stalkings Sara Lawton Episode: "Curtain Call"
1993 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Miss Sarda Episode: "Captive Pursuit"
1994 Search and Rescue Susan TV movie
1996 The Sentinel Lt. Carolyn Plummer 7 episodes
1999 LateLine Shelly Episode: "Karp's Night Out"
1999 Judging Amy Leslie Wirth Episode: "Last Tango in Hartford"
Sources:[12][14]

Production crew

  • Freaky Friday (2003), production assistant[12]
  • Christmas with the Kranks (2004), assistant[12]
  • You Again (2010), assistant[12]

References

  1. ^ "Kelly Curtis Followed in Acting Footsteps of Famous Father". CBS News. New York City. September 30, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  2. ^ "Jamie Lee Curtis Interview: Starring as Herself: Embracing Reality". Reader's Digest. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  3. ^ There/Hollywood, page 6, 1985, by Janet Leigh
  4. ^ "Overview for Tony Curtis". tcm.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  5. ^ Gera, Makena (March 29, 2026). "Inside Psycho Star Janet Leigh's 4 Marriages, From Tony Curtis to Robert Brandt". People. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  6. ^ a b Schindehette, Susan (November 26, 1990). "Tony and Janet's Other Daughter, Kelly, Proves That Jamie Lee's Not the Only Curtis Kid with Acting Genes". People. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Mahoney, John C. "'Say Goodnight, Gracie' Off Target." Los Angeles Times. July 28, 1982. p. G2. Retrieved 2016-12-31. "Kelly Curtis is Ginny. [...] All participants have been associated with the Lee Strasberg Theater [sic] Institute."
  8. ^ a b "Kelly Curtis Movies & TV Shows List". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  9. ^ Smith, Liz. "The younger [sic] daughter of Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis was quietly wed Sept. 14." Los Angeles Times, November 14, 1989. p. P9. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
  10. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (May 30, 2026). "Kelly Curtis, Actress and Sister of Jamie Lee Curtis, Dies at 69". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  11. ^ "Kelly Lee Curtis Obituary May 30, 2026". Wood River Chapel. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Kelly Curtis List of All Movies & Filmography". Fandango. 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
  13. ^ Magic Sticks at The New York Times
  14. ^ "Kelly Curtis". Prime Video. Retrieved May 30, 2026.