Actress Jamie Lee Curtis announced the death of her older sister, Kelly, on Facebook: “A warm aloha to my older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis. She passed away this morning. In her home. In nature. At peace. She was my first friend and lifelong confidant. She was jaw-droppingly beautiful, and a talented actress. 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.
“She will be remembered for her loving generosity, fierce opinions, endless curiosity, unique style, and her powdered, almond, crescent cookies at Christmas, hence her name, Auntie Cookie. Kelly always signed off any message or fare three well with a Hungarian blessing… Isten Veled, God is with you. Isten Veled to my sister of the sun and the moon, my Tai. I’ll see you on down the line.”
Film and Television History
Kelly and Jamie Lee played alongside each other in the 1983 comedy “Trading Places.” Additionally, she was Jamie Lee’s assistant on “Freaky Friday,” “Christmas With the Kranks,” and “You Again.”
Curtis played Lieutenant Carolyn Plummer in the first season of UPN’s series “The Sentinel.” She has also played one-off roles in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “The Equalizer,” “Hunter,” “Silk Stalkings,” “LateLine,” and “Judging Amy.”
She starred in the 1987 comedy “Magic Tricks” and the 1990 TV movie “Thanksgiving Day,” featuring Mary Tyler Moore. Curtis was also in “False Arrest” and “The Sect.”
Her most recent work was as the director of two documentaries. The 2018 “Marby Jets Are Go,” which chronicled the teenage days of an Australian high school track team, and the 2019 “Curling in Stanley.” This documentary captured the first “Sawtooth Outdoor Bonspiel” curling tournament in Stanley, Idaho.
Growing Up Curtis
The actress was born in Santa Monica in 1956. Her big-screen debut was in the 1958 film “The Vikings,” starring her parents Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.
She graduated from Skidmore College with a business degree and worked briefly as a stockbroker before establishing a career in performing arts. The actress trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
Curtis passed away on Saturday morning, May 30, 2026. She reportedly passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by nature.
A specific medical cause of death has not been publicly released by the family. She is survived by her husband, Scott Morfee, and sister Jamie Lee Curtis.
Sources:
Variety: Kelly Curtis, ‘The Sentinel’ Actress and Sister of Jamie Lee, Dies at 69
The TV Cave: Jamie Lee Curtis Confirms Death of Sister Kelly at Age 69
Featured Image Courtesy of Alan Light’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
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