Paula Kelly (born October 21, 1943 in Jacksonville, Florida) is an Emmy Award-nominated
African-American dancer and actress in motion pictures and television. Daughter of a jazz musician, Ms. Kelly was raised in New
York City's Harlem where she attended the Fiorello Laguardia High School of Music & Art, majoring in music. She continued her
studies at the Juilliard School of Music majoring in dance under Martha Graham. Graduating with an M.S. degree, she performed as a soloist with major modern dance
companies such as Martha Graham, Donald MacKayle, and Alvin Ailey. She also performed as
guest artist and sometimes Assistant Choreographer for numerous Television Musical Specials, including "Sammy and Friends"
(Sammy Davis, Jr. special); co-choreographer of the BBC production of "Peter Pan" in
which she also performed as 'Tiger-Lily'; Quincy Jones' TV tribute to Duke Ellington, "We Love You Madly"; "The Richard Pryor
Show" (Emmy nomination); as well as Gene Kelly's "New York, New York" in which they
were featured in a duet performance. She was also the featured dancer in a solo on the Academy
Awards Show for nominated song,"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". She appeared on the London stage opposite actress
Juliet Prowse in 'Helen,' for which she won the London Variety Award for Best Supporting
Actress. Notable stage roles include the record breaking West Coast Premiere of "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" at the Mark Taper
Forum for which she was awarded the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, Variety, and the first of three NAACP Image Awards;
and the Duke Ellington Broadway musical, 'Sophisticated Ladies" co-starring Gregory Hines
and featuring the late Phyllis Hyman. Her extensive film credits include the
Bob Fosse-directed film Sweet Charity, Soylent Green, The Spook Who Sat By
The Door, The Andromeda Strain, Uptown Saturday Night,
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, Drop Squad and
Once Upon A Time. . . When We Were Colored. Kelly has also guest starred in a variety of television movies and sitcoms
including Sanford and Son, Golden
Girls, Good Times, Any Day Now,
and in the groundbreaking Oprah Winfrey-produced The Women of Brewster Place (based
on the novel by Gloria Naylor) in which she portrayed one half of a lesbian couple
(opposite Lonette McKee) struggling against homophobia in an inner city ghetto. Ms. Kelly
also had a recurring role as Liz Williams on Night Court (first season only).
Kelly posed in the August 1969 issue of Playboy magazine in a full-frontal (though
shadowed) dance posture and in a stop-motion nude dance sequence. Kelly was the first woman to ever be pictured in a full-frontal
nude pose in the magazine, with Liv Lindeland being the first Playmate.
Filmography
- Sweet Charity (1969)
- The Andromeda Strain (1971)
- Soylent Green (1973)
- The Spook Who Sat By The Door (1973)
- Night Court (1984, TV, season 1 only)
External links
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