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Brian Kelly (actor)
Encyclopedia
Brian Kelly was an American
actor best known for his role as Porter Ricks, the widowed father of two sons on the NBC
television series Flipper
, and as Scott Ross in the ABC
advernture series Straightaway
, with co-star John Ashley
.
, Kelly was the son of former Republican
Governor of Michigan Harry F. Kelly
and the former Anne O'Brien. Kelly had three sisters and two brothers, one of whom was his identical twin.
Kelly served in the United States Marine Corps
during the Korean War
. Kelly graduated in 1953 from the University of Notre Dame
in South Bend
, Indiana
. He attended the University of Michigan Law School
in Ann Arbor
for a year before settling on acting. During his college years, Kelly modelled and acted in radio and television commercials in Detroit.
, The Beverly Hillbillies
, and The Rifleman
, Kelly starred in two short-lived television series, NBC's 21 Beacon Street
(1959), and ABC
's Straightaway
(1961–1962) with costar John Ashley
.
In 1964, Kelly was chosen to play Porter Ricks, Chief Warden at Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve in the family-oriented action and adventure television program Flipper. Kelly is remembered today for his strong and convincing portrayal of a morally responsible single dad. Kelly was quoted at the time as saying that he loved the role because of its family-friendly qualities. The success of Flipper, which was filmed in Miami and the Bahamas, led to a brief movie career, including a lead in Around the World Under the Sea (1966).
In 1970, Kelly sought to change his image by playing the lead role of The Love Machine
. During filming he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident which left his right arm and leg paralyzed. John Phillip Law
took over the role and wardrobe. Kelly won a legal settlement in the case but the accident ended his acting career. He used the money in the settlement to build homes and then to produce films. He served as executive producer of Blade Runner (1982) and associate producer of Cities of the Wild (1996).
, two days before his 74th birthday.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor best known for his role as Porter Ricks, the widowed father of two sons on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television series Flipper
Flipper (1964 TV series)
Flipper, from Ivan Tors Films in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television, is an American television program first broadcast on NBC from September 19, 1964, until April 15, 1967. Flipper, a bottlenose dolphin, is the companion animal of Porter Ricks, Chief Warden at fictional Coral Key Park...
, and as Scott Ross in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
advernture series Straightaway
Straightaway
Straightaway is a 26-week half-hour drama series which ran on ABC television during the 1961–1962 season –the story of two young men who operate a garage and engage in auto racing. John Ashley and Brian Kelly played race car designers Clipper Hamilton and Scott Ross, respectively. Scott...
, with co-star John Ashley
John Ashley (actor)
John Ashley was an actor who appeared in many films, most notably the American International Pictures' "Beach Party" films...
.
Early years
Born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Kelly was the son of former Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Governor of Michigan Harry F. Kelly
Harry Kelly (politician)
Harry Francis Kelly was an American politician. He served as the 39th Governor of Michigan from 1943 to 1947.- Early life :...
and the former Anne O'Brien. Kelly had three sisters and two brothers, one of whom was his identical twin.
Kelly served in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Kelly graduated in 1953 from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in South Bend
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. He attended the University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
for a year before settling on acting. During his college years, Kelly modelled and acted in radio and television commercials in Detroit.
Acting career
Kelly headed to Hollywood in the late fifties after choosing acting as his career. Following minor roles in Adventures in ParadiseAdventures in Paradise
Adventures in Paradise is an American television series which ran on ABC from 1959 until 1962. It starred Gardner McKay as Adam Troy, the captain of the schooner Tiki III which sailed the South Pacific looking for passengers and adventure. The show was created by James Michener...
, The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
, and The Rifleman
The Rifleman
The Rifleman is an American Western television program that starred Chuck Connors as homesteader Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son, Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show, filmed in black-and-white with a half hour running time, ran...
, Kelly starred in two short-lived television series, NBC's 21 Beacon Street
21 Beacon Street
21 Beacon Street was an American detective television series that originally aired on NBC from July 2 to September 10, 1959.Produced by Filmways, the summer replacement series consisted of 11 black-and-white 30-minute episodes starring Dennis Morgan as private investigator Dennis Chase...
(1959), and ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Straightaway
Straightaway
Straightaway is a 26-week half-hour drama series which ran on ABC television during the 1961–1962 season –the story of two young men who operate a garage and engage in auto racing. John Ashley and Brian Kelly played race car designers Clipper Hamilton and Scott Ross, respectively. Scott...
(1961–1962) with costar John Ashley
John Ashley (actor)
John Ashley was an actor who appeared in many films, most notably the American International Pictures' "Beach Party" films...
.
In 1970, Kelly sought to change his image by playing the lead role of The Love Machine
The Love Machine (film)
The Love Machine is a 1971 film adaptation of the Jacqueline Susann novel The Love Machine. Written by Samuel A. Taylor and directed by Jack Haley, Jr., it starred John Phillip Law, Dyan Cannon, Robert Ryan, Jackie Cooper, and David Hemmings.-Plot:...
. During filming he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident which left his right arm and leg paralyzed. John Phillip Law
John Phillip Law
John Phillip Law was an American film actor with over one hundred movie roles to his credit. He was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Phyllis Sallee and the brother of actor Thomas Augustus Law .He was best known for his roles as the blind angel Pygar in the science fiction cult...
took over the role and wardrobe. Kelly won a legal settlement in the case but the accident ended his acting career. He used the money in the settlement to build homes and then to produce films. He served as executive producer of Blade Runner (1982) and associate producer of Cities of the Wild (1996).
Marriages and death
Kelly married actress Laura Devon in 1962. They were divorced in 1966. He married Valerie Ann Romero in 1972, with whom he had a daughter Hallie in 1975 and a son Devin "DJ Adlib" in 1980. Kelly died in February 2005 of pneumonia in Voorhees, New JerseyVoorhees Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,126 people, 10,489 households, and 7,069 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,424.0 people per square mile . There were 11,084 housing units at an average density of 955.2 per square mile...
, two days before his 74th birthday.
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Thunder Island | Vincent Dodge | |
| 1964 | Flipper's New Adventure Flipper's New Adventure Flipper's New Adventure is an American feature film released on June 24, 1964 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, written by Art Arthur, and directed by Leon Benson... |
Porter Ricks | |
| 1966 | Around the World Under the Sea Around the World Under the Sea Around the World Under the Sea is a 1966 science fiction film directed by Andrew Marton and starring Lloyd Bridges, with Marshall Thompson, Shirley Eaton, Gary Merrill, and David McCallum... |
Dr. Craig Mosby | |
| 1968 | Shoot, Gringo... Shoot! | Chad Stark |
Television
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Flight | Episode: "Mercy Commando" | |
| Panic! | Randy Burke | Episode: "Fingerprints" | |
| 1959 | 21 Beacon Street | Brian | Episodes: "The Rub Out", "The Hostage" |
| Adventures in Paradise Adventures in Paradise Adventures in Paradise is an American television series which ran on ABC from 1959 until 1962. It starred Gardner McKay as Adam Troy, the captain of the schooner Tiki III which sailed the South Pacific looking for passengers and adventure. The show was created by James Michener... |
Captain Rivers | Episode: "The Haunted" | |
| 1960 | Insight Insight (TV series) Insight was an Emmy-winning syndicated television series produced by Paulist Productions that aired 250 episodes from 1960 to 1983. The series presented half-hour dramas illuminating the contemporary search for meaning, freedom, and love... |
Father Bergen | Episode: "Fisher of Men" |
| 1961–1962 | Straightaway Straightaway Straightaway is a 26-week half-hour drama series which ran on ABC television during the 1961–1962 season –the story of two young men who operate a garage and engage in auto racing. John Ashley and Brian Kelly played race car designers Clipper Hamilton and Scott Ross, respectively. Scott... |
Scott Ross | 24 episodes |
| 1963 | The Beverly Hillbillies The Beverly Hillbillies The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr.... |
2nd Policeman Officer Kelly |
Episodes: "Elly's Animals", "Jed Plays Solomon" |
| 1964–1967 | Flipper Flipper (1964 TV series) Flipper, from Ivan Tors Films in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television, is an American television program first broadcast on NBC from September 19, 1964, until April 15, 1967. Flipper, a bottlenose dolphin, is the companion animal of Porter Ricks, Chief Warden at fictional Coral Key Park... |
Porter Ricks | Nominated-TV Land Award for Favorite Pet-Human Relationship (2003) |
| 1970 | Company of Killers | Nick Andros | |
| Berlin Affair | Paul Strand | ||
| 1973 | Drive Hard, Drive Fast | Mark Driscoll |