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American actress (1934–1998)
| Claire Kelly | |
|---|---|
 Kelly (right) with Leigh Snowden (left) and Mike Connors in a promotional picture for Tightrope | |
| Born | Claire Ann Green (1934-03-15)March 15, 1934 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | July 1, 1998(1998-07-01) (aged 64) Palm Springs, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1955–1972 |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 |
 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (February 2022) |
Claire Kelly (March 15, 1934 – July 1, 1998) was an American actress and model.
Early life
Born Claire Ann Green, the daughter of a wealthy California rancher, she was trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York.
Kelly started out as a model in Miami, and appeared several times on the cover of McCall's, continuing her modelling career throughout the 1950s. She made the cover of Picture Week in 1956, and was a 1958 Deb Star.
Career
Kelly went on to roles in films such as Snowfire (1958), The Badlanders (1958), Party Girl (1958), Ask Any Girl (1959), and A Guide for the Married Man (1967). In The Badlanders, a Western remake of the film noir The Asphalt Jungle, she played "the Angela role immortalized by Marilyn Monroe" in the original film. In 1959, she was publicized as "the screen's most exciting discovery since Rita Hayworth". In 1964-65, she appeared in several episodes of the television series Burke's Law.
Personal life
From 1951 to 1955, Kelly was married to singer-comedian George DeWitt. She was credited as Claire DeWitt in Son of Sinbad. They had a son, Nicholas.
On November 6, 1954, Kelly's three-year-old son, Nicholas Christopher DeWitt, died after fighting for three days in an iron lung at Variety Children's Hospital in Miami, Florida, the victim of a rare anesthetic hazard, which happened after he was bitten on the lip by Duke, a cocker spaniel owned by former featherweight champion Willie Pep, and his heart stopped beating as doctors repaired the damage with 25 stitches.
On March 27, 1960, she married actor Perry Lopez in North Hollywood. After they divorced, she married banking heir Robert Alan Kenaston, son of actress Billie Dove, on October 21, 1961, in Juarez, Mexico. They had a son, Robert Burns Kenaston. They divorced on July 22, 1963. She later married Robert Murphy, and was married to him until her death.
Kelly has had relationships with Lance Reventlow and Conrad Hilton Jr.. She once dismissed Prince Aly Khan as "gauche" and Elvis Presley as "a mere child".
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Son of Sinbad | Tartar Girl | Uncredited |
| 1956 | The Best Things in Life Are Free | Chorus Girl | Uncredited |
| 1956 | Scandal Incorporated | June Trapping | |
| 1958 | Underwater Warrior | Anne Winnmore | |
| 1958 | Snowfire | Carol Hampton | |
| 1958 | The Badlanders | Ada Winton | |
| 1958 | Party Girl | Genevieve Farrell | |
| 1959 | Ask Any Girl | Lisa | |
| 1965 | The Loved One | Whispering Glades Hostess | |
| 1967 | A Guide for the Married Man | Harriet Stander | |
| 1969 | Childish Things | Sharon | |
| 1969 | What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? | Elva | |
| 1970 | Up Your Teddy Bear | Miss Boota, sculptress |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | The Bob Cummings Show | Miss Kelly | Episode: "The Wolf Sitter" |
| 1956 | The People's Choice | Melinda | Episode: "Aunt Gus Leaves Sock" |
| 1956 | Kings Row | Little Egypt | Episode: "Carnival" |
| 1957 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Episode: "The Mickey Farmer Case" | |
| 1957 | The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin | Episode: "Frontier Angel" | |
| 1958 | Love That Jill | Episode: "Tonight's the Night" | |
| 1959 | Northwest Passage | Lucy | Episode: "The Killers" |
| 1960 | Tightrope! | Linda Costain | Episode: "Three to Make Ready" |
| 1960 | Bachelor Father | Laura Evans | Episode: "Kelly and the College Man" |
| 1960 | The Texan | Gail Henshaw | Episode: "Lady Tenderfoot" |
| 1961 | Surfside 6 | Pat Wheeler | Episode: "Ghost of a Chance" |
| 1964–1965 | Burke's Law | 2nd Model / Samantha | 2 episodes |
| 1967 | The Monkees | Dr. Sisters | S1:E29, "Monkees Get Out More Dirt" |
| 1969 | The F.B.I. | Secretary | Episode: "Gamble with Death" |
| 1972 | Love Story | Landlady | Episode: "Night of the Tanks" |
References
- ^ "Claire Kelly - The Private Life and Times of Claire Kelly". Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
- Schwartz, Ronald (January 1, 2001). Noir, Now and Then: Film Noir Originals and Remakes, (1944-1999). Greenwood Press. p. 89. ISBN 978-0-313-30893-2.
- "Claire Kelly, Actress, Rewed". The New York Times. United Press International. March 30, 1960. p. 42. ProQuest 115018799. Retrieved January 4, 2021 – via ProQuest.
- "Actress granted divorce". Ames Daily Tribune. Iowa, Ames. United Press International. July 23, 1963. p. 2. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
- "Robert E. Murphy Obituary (2002) The Sacramento Bee". Legacy.com. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
External links
- Claire Kelly at IMDb