Paula Kelly obit

Paula Kelly, Actress And Broadway Dancer, Dies At 76

She was known for her Emmy-nominated performances in ‘Night Court’ and ‘The Women of Brewster Place.’

She was not on the list.

Actress and dancer Paula Kelly reportedly passed away on Sunday (February 9), according to Broadway World.

Kelly began her career as a Broadway performer and professional dancer and successfully expanded her talents into film and television. Born in Jacksonville, Florida but raised in New York City, Kelly was a member in both Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey’s dance companies.

On Broadway, Kelly performed as a stage actress in 1964’s Something More, 1969’s The Dozens and Sweet Charity, 1971’s Ovid’s Metamorphosis, and 1981’s Sophisticated Ladies, Duke Ellington’s musical revue, among others.

Later, and on television, Kelly earned Emmy Award nominations for her roles in Night Courtand The Women of Brewster Place. She also appeared in The Carol Burnett Show, Sanford and Son, Police Woman, Hill Street Blues, Golden Girls, and Kojak.

In 2016, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Lee Daniels chose Kelly as “The Photo That Influenced Me Most” for TIME Magazine. He wrote: “When I was a kid, this photo of the divine Paula Kelly inspired me to go to the movies to see Sweet Charity. Never in my life had I seen such elegance, raw talent and breathtaking honesty on screen. She is an unsung hero and the reason that I am here.”

Kelly is survived by her daughter, whom she shared with husband Donald Chaffey, who died in 1990. She was 76 years old.

A cause of death has not yet been released.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes

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

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

Year Title Role Notes

1973 The Carol Burnett Show Dance Instructor "6.22”

1970 The Young Lawyers Wilma "A Busload of Bishops"

1970 Medical Center Ellie James "The Rebel in White"

1973 Sanford and Son Olayia "Lamont Goes African"

1974 Medical Center Ames "Saturday's Child"

1975 Cannon Cora Bloom "The Wedding March"

1975 The Streets of San Francisco Carol "Men Will Die"

1975-77 Police Woman Linda Summers "The Company", "Wednesday's Child", "Once a Snitch"

1976 The Streets of San Francisco A. Chamberlain "The Thrill Killers: Parts 1 & 2"

1976 Peter Pan Tiger Lily TV film

1976-81 Insight Grace (Holy Ghost) "Jesus B.C.", "A Step Too Slow"

1977 The Richard Pryor Show Betty 'Satin Doll' "1.1"

1977 Kojak Janet Carlisle "The Queen of Hearts Is Wild"

1979 Good Times Dr. Kelly "Where Have All the Doctors Gone?"

1980 The Cheap Detective Inez Krowder TV short

1981 Trapper John, M.D. Betty Simons "Straight and Narrow"

1983 Chiefs Liz Watts "Part 3"

1983 Feel the Heat Sally Long TV series

1984 Night Court Liz Williams Main role

1984 Hot Pursuit Connie "Portrait of a Lady Killer"

1984-85 Santa Barbara Ginger Jones Recurring role

1985 Hill Street Blues Mrs. Eagleton "Davenport in a Storm"

1985 Finder of Lost Loves Alice Taylor-Hancock "Aftershocks"

1986 St. Elsewhere Sylvia "Cheek to Cheek"

1986 Amen Leona "Rolly Falls in Love"

1987 Uncle Tom's Cabin Cassy TV film

1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Lt. Lois Poole "Kung Fu: The Next Generation"

1987 The Golden Girls Marguerite Brown "The Housekeeper"

1989 The Women of Brewster Place Theresa TV miniseries

1989 Mission: Impossible Pepper Leveau "Bayou"

1990 American Playhouse "Zora Is My Name!"

1991 Baby Talk Claire "Give a Sucker an Even Break", "The Whiz Kid", "Tooth and Nail"

1992 Room for Two Diahnn Boudreau "Not Quite... Room for Two", "Little White Lies"

1994 South Central Sweets "Pilot", "Men", "Gun: Part 2", "Date"

1995 University Hospital Dr. Leslie Bauer "Shadow of a Doubt"

1996 Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story Mrs. Devers TV film

1999 Any Day Now "Family Is Family"