Paula Kelly (actress) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paula Kelly
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Kelly in 1977
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Born |
Paula Alma Kelly
October 21, 1942 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
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Died | February 8, 2020 Whittier, California, U.S.
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(aged 77)
Nationality | American |
Education | Juilliard School of Music |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1964–2008 |
Spouse(s) |
Don Chaffey
(m. 1985; died 1990) |
Children | 1 |
Paula Kelly was a talented American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. She performed in movies, TV shows, and on stage.
Her career started in the mid-1960s on Broadway, which is a famous theater district in New York City. Her first Broadway show was Something More! in 1964. She also performed in other Broadway shows like The Dozens (1969) and Sophisticated Ladies (1981). Sophisticated Ladies was a musical based on the music of Duke Ellington, a famous jazz musician.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Paula Kelly was born in Jacksonville, Florida. Her father, Lehman Kelly, was a jazz musician. When she was six, her family moved to Harlem in New York City.
She went to the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art for high school, where she studied music. After high school, she continued her studies at the Juilliard School of Music. There, she focused on dance with a famous teacher named Martha Hill.
Paula graduated in 1964 with a master's degree. She then performed as a solo dancer with important modern dance groups. These included companies led by Martha Graham, Donald McKayle, and Alvin Ailey.
A Career in Entertainment
Paula Kelly was a guest artist and sometimes an assistant choreographer for many TV musical specials. She worked on shows like Sammy and Friends with Sammy Davis, Jr.. She also helped choreograph the BBC show Peter Pan, where she played the role of Tiger-Lily.
She performed a dance solo at the 41st Academy Awards in 1968. This was for the song from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Paula also performed on the London stage in Sweet Charity with Juliet Prowse. For this role, she won the London Variety Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Paula Kelly starred in the very popular show Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope in Los Angeles. She won several awards for this role, including the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award. She also received the first of her three NAACP Image Awards for her work.

Paula Kelly appeared in many films. Some of her movie roles include Sweet Charity, directed by Bob Fosse. She was also in Soylent Green, The Spook Who Sat by the Door, and Uptown Saturday Night. Other films include Lost in the Stars and Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored.
On television, Paula Kelly had a regular role as Liz Williams on the first season of Night Court. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for this part. She also appeared as a guest star in many TV movies and sitcoms. These include Sanford and Son, Kojak, Police Woman, and Good Times.
She also appeared in The Women of Brewster Place, a TV mini-series produced by Oprah Winfrey. Paula was nominated for another Emmy Award for her role in this series.
Personal Life and Passing
On September 15, 1985, Paula Kelly married British film director Don Chaffey. They had one daughter together. Don Chaffey passed away in November 1990.
Paula Kelly died on February 8, 2020, at the age of 77. She passed away from heart failure. After her death, she was cremated, and her ashes were given to her daughter.
Filmography
Movies
Year | Title | Role |
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1969 | Sweet Charity | Helene |
1971 | The Andromeda Strain | Karen Anson |
1972 | Cool Breeze | Martha Harris |
1972 | Top of the Heap | Black Chick |
1972 | Trouble Man | Cleo |
1973 | Soylent Green | Martha |
1973 | The Spook Who Sat by the Door | Dahomey Queen |
1974 | Three Tough Guys | Fay |
1974 | Lost in the Stars | Rose |
1974 | Uptown Saturday Night | Leggy Peggy/Mrs. Lincoln |
1976 | Drum | Rachel |
1986 | Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling | Satin Doll |
1993 | Bank Robber | Mother |
1994 | Drop Squad | Aunt Tilly |
1995 | Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored | Ma Pearl |
Television Shows
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1973 | The Carol Burnett Show | Dance Instructor | Episode: "6.22” |
1970 | The Young Lawyers | Wilma | Episode: "A Busload of Bishops" |
1970 | Medical Center | Ellie James | Episode: "The Rebel in White" |
1973 | Sanford and Son | Olayia | Episode: "Lamont Goes African" |
1974 | Medical Center | Ames | Episode: "Saturday's Child" |
1975 | Cannon | Cora Bloom | Episode: "The Wedding March" |
1975 | The Streets of San Francisco | Carol | Episode: "Men Will Die" |
1975–77 | Police Woman | Linda Summers | 3 episodes |
1976 | The Streets of San Francisco | A. Chamberlain | Episode: "The Thrill Killers: Parts 1 & 2" |
1976 | Peter Pan | Tiger Lily | TV movie |
1976, 1981 | Insight | Grace (Holy Ghost), Vilma Johnson |
2 episodes |
1977 | The Richard Pryor Show | Betty 'Satin Doll' | Episode: "1.1" |
1977 | Kojak | Janet Carlisle | Episode: "The Queen of Hearts Is Wild" |
1979 | Good Times | Dr. Kelly | Episode: "Where Have All the Doctors Gone?" |
1980 | The Cheap Detective | Inez Krowder | TV short |
1981 | Trapper John, M.D. | Betty Simons | Episode: "Straight and Narrow" |
1983 | Chiefs | Liz Watts | Miniseries, episode: "Part 3" |
1983 | Feel the Heat | Sally Long | unsuccessful television pilot |
1984 | Night Court | Liz Williams | Main cast (season 1) |
1984 | Hot Pursuit | Connie | Episode: "Portrait of a Lady Killer" |
1984–85 | Santa Barbara | Ginger Jones | Recurring role |
1985 | Hill Street Blues | Mrs. Eagleton | Episode: "Davenport in a Storm" |
1985 | Finder of Lost Loves | Alice Taylor-Hancock | Episode: "Aftershocks" |
1986 | St. Elsewhere | Sylvia | Episode: "Cheek to Cheek" |
1986 | Amen | Leona | Episode: "Rolly Falls in Love" |
1987 | Uncle Tom's Cabin | Cassy | TV movie |
1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Lt. Lois Poole | Episode: "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" |
1987 | The Golden Girls | Marguerite Brown | Episode: "The Housekeeper" |
1989 | The Women of Brewster Place | Theresa | Miniseries |
1989 | Mission: Impossible | Pepper Leveau | Episode: "Bayou" |
1990 | American Playhouse | unknown | Episode: "Zora Is My Name!" |
1991 | Baby Talk | Claire | 3 episodes |
1992 | Room for Two | Diahnn Boudreau | 2 episodes |
1994 | South Central | Sweets | 4 episodes |
1995 | University Hospital | Dr. Leslie Bauer | Episode: "Shadow of a Doubt" |
1996 | Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story | Mrs. Devers | TV movie |
1999 | Any Day Now | unknown | Episode: "Family Is Family" |
See also
In Spanish: Paula Kelly (actriz) para niños