Jamie Lee Curtis took to social media to share that her big sister, actress Kelly Curtis, has passed away.
Videos by Suggest
The 69-year-old died “in her home. In nature. At peace,” Jamie Lee, 67, wrote on Facebook on May 30.
“She was my first friend and lifelong confidant. She was jaw droppingly beautiful, and a talented actress,” Jamie Lee added in her tribute. “She played a mean game of hearts, collected turtles, loved her family, nature, music, thrifting, travel, Facebook, and Pokémon Go. She was proud of her Danish roots and Hungarian Jewish ancestry and was a devoted American patriot.”
The cause of death wasn’t disclosed.
The sisters, the daughters of classic Hollywood power couple Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, shared the screen just once, in Trading Places (1983), in which Kelly had a small role. She went on to serve as Jamie Lee’s assistant on Freaky Friday (2003), Christmas With the Kranks (2004), and You Again (2010).
According to IMDb, Kelly also had roles in high-profile films like 1991’s The Devil’s Daughter, directed by horror master Dario Argento. Meanwhile, she made her screen debut alongside her parents in The Vikings (1958).
Kelly Curtis Worked as a Stock Broker Before Turning to Acting
Kelly Lee Curtis was born in Santa Monica on June 17, 1956. After earning a business degree from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, she worked as a stockbroker.
Of course, acting ended up calling to her.
She later studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. In 1982, she appeared onstage in Say Goodnight, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
However, the small screen ended up being Kelly’s home as an actress. She landed a recurring role on The Sentinel, playing Lieutenant Carolyn Plummer on the first season of the popular UPN series.
She also popped up as a guest star on popular series like The Equalizer, Hunter, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Judging Amy.
More recently, she directed the 2018 high school track documentary Marby Jets Are Go.
She is survived by her husband of 35 years, theatrical producer Scott Morfee, and her sister. Other survivors include her brother-in-law, actor-director Christopher Guest, and her half-siblings, Alexandra, Allegra, Ben, and Nicholas, per THR.