Celia Kaye facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Celia Kaye
Senior yearbook photo
Born	Celia Kay Burkholder (1942-02-24) February 24, 1942 (age 83) Carthage, Missouri, US
Other names	Celia Milius
Years active	since 1962
Spouse(s)	John Milius (m. 1978; div. bef. 1987)

Celia Kaye (born February 24, 1942) is an American actress. She is best known for her main role in the 1964 movie Island of the Blue Dolphins. This movie helped her win a Golden Globe award.

Celia Kaye's Early Life

Celia Kaye was born in Carthage, Missouri. Her family later moved to Wilmington, Delaware, when she was one year old. She has both German and Cherokee heritage.

From a young age, Celia loved performing arts. She learned dance and played the organ. She was also a talented diver and swimmer. She even toured with a swim club in her region. Before becoming an actress, she worked as a model.

Celia Kaye's Acting Career

In 1959, Celia moved to California. She earned a scholarship to the Pasadena Playhouse, a famous acting school. She graduated from there in 1961. Soon after, she started acting on television.

First TV Roles

Celia got a big role in the TV show The New Loretta Young Show. She played Marnie, the daughter of the main character. While working on the show, she kept learning. She studied at Los Angeles City College at night. She also took modern jazz dance classes.

Becoming a Movie Star

Celia became a movie star when she got the lead role of Karana. This was in the 1964 movie Island of the Blue Dolphins. The movie was based on a popular book of the same name. About 1,500 people tried out for the role, but Celia was chosen!

Even though the producer didn't know about her Cherokee heritage when she was cast, the movie's publicity highlighted it. They pointed out that she looked "like an Indian with her dark hair and skin." After filming, Celia stayed to learn about how movies are put together. Before her first movie was even released, she filmed two more movies for Universal Pictures. These were Wild Seed and Fluffy.

Awards and Later Roles

After Island of the Blue Dolphins came out, Celia won an award. In 1965, she received the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer. She shared this award with Mia Farrow and Mary Ann Mobley.

Over the next few years, she appeared in more movies, TV shows, and plays. She also went to UCLA in the evenings. There, she studied anthropology and social sciences. After the 1960s, she had fewer acting roles. However, she has continued to act sometimes.

Celia Kaye's Personal Life

Celia Kaye married director John Milius in 1978. They had one child together. They later divorced, but they remain friends.

Celia Kaye's Filmography

Television Roles

Film Roles