Kay Lenz
Kay Lenz | |
---|---|
![]() Lenz in Breezy (1973) | |
Born | Kay Ann Lenz March 4, 1953 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Other names | Kay Ann Kemper |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1973–present |
Spouse |
Kay Ann Lenz (born March 4, 1953)[1] is an American actress. A former child performer, Lenz has worked primarily in television and has won two Emmy Awards.[2]
Early years
Lenz was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Ted Lenz, a producer/commentator father and Kay Miller Lenz, a model/radio engineer mother. She appeared on television as a baby held by a guest on a program that her father produced.[3]
Career
Lenz began working as a child actress, beginning with appearances in three episodes of This Is the Life when she was 14,[3] She went on to appear in such television shows as The Andy Griffith Show (under the stage name Kay Ann Kemper), Opie's Group (1967) as well as in stage productions. She made a brief appearance ([4] billed as Kay Ann Kemper) in a small role in American Graffiti (1973) as Jane, a girl at a dance.[1] She achieved recognition for her title-role performance as the free spirit who captivates William Holden in Breezy, directed by Clint Eastwood.
Lenz made guest appearances in The Streets of San Francisco, Gunsmoke, MacGyver, McCloud, Cannon, and Petrocelli, and played a lead role in the film White Line Fever (1975) before being cast in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man in 1976, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. She reprised her role for the sequel, Rich Man, Poor Man Book II (1977). Since the 1980s, she has played guest roles in numerous television series.
In 1984 she appeared in Rod Stewart's music video for the song "Infatuation". She won an Emmy in 1989 for Midnight Caller.[5] She was also nominated for an Emmy for her role as flinty lawyer Maggie Zombro in the police/legal drama Reasonable Doubts.[6]
Personal life
Lenz was the first wife of singer-actor David Cassidy. They married on April 3, 1977,[5][7] and divorced on December 28, 1983.[8] She has no children.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes[9] |
---|---|---|---|
1973 | American Graffiti | Jane | as Kay Ann Kemper |
1973 | Breezy | Edith Alice Breezerman | Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Female[3] |
1973 | Lisa, Bright and Dark | Lisa Schilling | |
1975 | White Line Fever | Jerri Kane Hummer | |
1976 | Moving Violation[10] | Cam Johnson | |
1976 | The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday | Thursday | |
1978 | Mean Dog Blues | Linda Ramsey | |
1978 | The Initiation of Sarah | Sarah Goodwin | |
1979 | The Passage | Leah Bergson | |
1981 | Swan Lake | Odile | Voice role |
1982 | Fast-Walking | 'Little' Moke | |
1983 | Prisoners of the Lost Universe | Carrie Madison | |
1983 | Trial by Terror | Karen Armstrong | |
1986 | House | Sandy Sinclair | Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress |
1987 | Death Wish 4: The Crackdown | Karen Sheldon | |
1987 | Stripped to Kill | Detective Cody Sheenan | |
1988 | Fear | Sharon Haden | |
1989 | Headhunter | Katherine Hall | |
1989 | Physical Evidence | Deborah Quinn | |
1990 | Streets | Sargent | |
1991 | Shakespeare's Plan 12 from Outer Space | Sebastian | |
1992 | Falling From Grace | P.J. Parks | |
1992 | Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa | Cowlamity Kate Cudster | Voice role |
1994 | Trapped in Space | Gillings | |
1995 | Gunfighter's Moon | Linda Yarnell | |
1995 | Shame II: The Secret | Ginny | Nominated — CableACE Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries |
1997 | A Gun, a Car, a Blonde | Peep/Madge | |
1998 | The Adventures of Ragtime | Detective Hill | |
2003 | Southside | Claire Coleman | |
2017 | The Downside of Bliss | Mary |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1972 | The Weekend Nun | Audree | ABC Movie of the Week |
1974 | Gunsmoke | Lettie | Aired Feb 11, 1974, S19 E 18, "The Foundling", played an unwed mother |
1974 | The ABC Afternoon Playbreak | Dorie | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Special |
1974 | Nakia | Episode: "The Hostage" | |
1974 | McCloud | Eve Randall | Episode: "Barefoot Girls of Bleeker Street" |
1975 | Petrocelli | Janet / Mary Wade | Episode: "Face of Evil" |
1976 | Rich Man, Poor Man | Kate Jordache | Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie |
1976 | Jigsaw John | Miriam Buckley | 1 episode |
1977 | Rich Man, Poor Man Book II | Kate Jordache | Miniseries |
1978 | How The West Was Won | Doreen | 3 episodes |
1980 | Escape | Barbara Chilcoate | TV movie |
1984 | Magnum P.I. | Sally DeForest | 1 episode |
1985 | Murder She Wrote | Jenny Wells | 1 episode |
1986 | Hunter | Alicia Fiori | Episode: "Scrap Metal" |
1987 | Starman | Episode: The Probe | |
1988 | Midnight Caller | Tina Cassidy | 3 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (1989) Nominated —Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (1990) |
1991 | Reasonable Doubts | Maggie Zombro | Recurring role (season 1); main role (season 2); 32 episodes Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series (1993) Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1993) |
1994 | The Tick | American Maid | Voice role; 21 episodes |
1995 | Lois & Clark | Constance Hunter | Episode: "Whine Whine Whine" |
1996 | Touched by an Angel | Rocky McCann | 1 episode |
1997 | Journey of the Heart | Marvelle | Television film |
2000 | ER | Karen Palmieri | 1 episode |
2000 | The Magnificent Seven | Ella Gaines | 1 episode |
2000–2001 | Cover Me | Lisa Ramone | 2 episode |
2001 | Once and Again | Stephanie Arlen | 2 episodes |
2002 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Linda Cavanaugh | 1 episode |
2007 | House | Mrs Bradberry | 1 episode |
2008 | NCIS | Connie Quinn Wheeler | 1 episode |
2009 | Cold Case | Hillary Rhodes | 1 episode |
2010 | The Closer | Mrs Tatem | 1 episode |
2011 | Southland | Naomi Chester | 1 episode |
2013 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Laura Sidle | 1 episode |
2014 | Bones | Harriet White | 1 episode |
2015 | Adventure Time | Bird Woman/Gunther | Voice role; 1 episode |
References
- ^ a b "Kay Lenz profile at". Movies.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
- ^ "Kay Lenz Biography". All Media Guide via The New York Times.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b c Harris, Harry (February 27, 1974). "Kay Lenz Is Weeping Her Way To Stardom". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Ohio, Cincinnati. Knight Newspapers. p. 6. Retrieved February 24, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ IMDb American Graffiti, full cast and crew
- ^ a b Park, Jeannie; Michael Alexander (November 20, 1989). "After Riding a Lifetime of Ups and Downs, Kay Lenz Hits Her Stride with a Role in Midnight Caller". People. Vol. 32, no. 21. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
...David Cassidy when they married in 1977, just 2½ months after meeting on a blind date.
- ^ Everett, Todd (November 16, 1992). "Reasonable Doubts Try to Be Nice– What Does It Get You?". Variety. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ Nevada, Marriage Index 1956-2005)
- ^ California, Divorce Index 1966-1984
- ^ "Kay Lenz Biography (1953–)". Film Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ^ TCM "Moving Violation"