Kay Ann Lenz (born March 4, 1953) is an American actress. She is the recipient of a Daytime Emmy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, as well as nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Saturn Award.
Lenz is best known for her title role in the film Breezy (1973), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female. She is also known for her roles in the film House (1985), as well as the television series Midnight Caller (1988–1989) and Reasonable Doubts (1991–1993). For her role in the episode "After It Happened" of Midnight Caller, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She started her career with the stage name Kay Ann Kemper, switching to Kay Lenz after her third role, a brief appearance in American Graffiti (filmed in 1972).
Early years Lenz was born in Los Angeles, California, to Ted Lenz, an actor and producer, and Kay Miller Lenz, who worked as a radio engineer and professional model. She attended Ulysses S. Grant High School. Her television debut was as a baby, held by Betty White on the Hollywood on Television program, produced by her father.
Career Lenz began working as a child actress, beginning with appearances in three episodes of This Is the Life when she was 14. She went on to appear in such television shows as The Andy Griffith Show (in the episode "Opie's Group" (1967) under the stage name Kay Ann Kemper) as well as in stage productions. She made a brief appearance billed as Kay Ann Kemper in American Graffiti (1973) as Jane, a girl at a dance. She achieved recognition for her title-role performance as the free spirit who captivates William Holden in Breezy (1973), directed by Clint Eastwood.
Lenz made guest appearances in The Streets of San Francisco, Gunsmoke, MacGyver, McCloud, Cannon, and Petrocelli, and played a lead role in the film White Line Fever (1975) before being cast in 1976 in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. She reprised her role for the sequel, Rich Man, Poor Man Book II (1977). Since the 1980s, she has played guest roles in numerous television series. She appeared in Albert Brooks' short film for a Season 1 episode of Saturday Night Live.
In 1984, she appeared in Rod Stewart's music video for the song "Infatuation". She won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1989 for Midnight Caller. She was also nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for her role as flinty lawyer Maggie Zombro in the police/legal drama Reasonable Doubts.
Personal life Lenz was the first wife of singer-actor David Cassidy. Of their April 3, 1977, wedding, Lenz says:I wasn’t used to that state-of-stardom lifestyle... When we eloped it was on the national news. All of a sudden I was getting mail from women telling me that they had three of his children.
The couple divorced on December 28, 1983.
In November 2018, Lenz and her partner, Dr. Mark Brown, MD, lost their home in the Woolsey Fire in Malibu, California.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1973 American Graffiti Jane as Kay Ann Kemper 1973 Breezy Edith Alice Breezerman Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Female 1973 Lisa, Bright and Dark Lisa Schilling 1975 White Line Fever Jerri Kane Hummer 1976 Moving ViolationTCM "Moving Violation" Cam Johnson 1976 The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday Thursday 1978 Mean Dog Blues Linda Ramsey 1979 The Passage Leah Bergson 1981 Swan Lake Odille Voice role 1982 Fast-Walking "Little" Moke 1983 Prisoners of the Lost Universe Carrie Madison 1983 Trial by Terror Karen Armstrong 1985 House Sandy Sinclair Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress 1987 Death Wish 4: The Crackdown Karen Sheldon 1987 Stripped to Kill Detective Cody Sheenan 1988 Fear Sharon Haden 1989 Headhunter Katherine Hall 1989 Physical Evidence Deborah Quinn 1990 Streets Sargent 1991 Shakespeare's Plan 12 from Outer Space Sebastian 1992 Falling From Grace P.J. Parks 1994 Trapped in Space Gillings 1995 Gunfighter's Moon Linda Yarnell 1995 Shame II: The Secret Ginny Nominated — CableACE Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries 1997 Peep/Madge 1998 Detective Hill 2003 Southside Claire Coleman 2013 The Secret Lives of Dorks Mrs. Susie Gibson 2017 The Downside of Bliss Mary 2019 More Beautiful Things Have Been Broken Cassandra 2024 Sallywood Kathryn Corrigan
Television Year Title Role Notes1967The Andy Griffith ShowPhoebe (but mistakenly credited as Joy)Episode: "Opie's Group" (as Kay Ann Kemper)1967The MonroesMaudie BuchnerEpisode: "Teaching The Tigers to Purr" (as Kay Ann Kemper) 1972 Ironside Stephanie Tucker Episode: "Cold Hard Cash"1972The Weekend NunAudreeABC Movie of the Week 1973 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Lucy Episode: "A Girl Named Tham" 1973 A Summer Without BoysRuth HaileyABC Movie of the Week 1973 The Streets of San Francisco Sarah Holt Episode: "Harem" 1974 Love Story Sara Episode: "Time for Love" 1974Gunsmoke Lettie Episode: "The Foundling" 1974The ABC Afternoon Playbreak DorieDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Special for episode: "Heart in Hiding" 1974 Unwed Father Vicky Simmons ABC Movie of the Week 1974Nakia Barbara Episode: "The Hostage" 1974 Kodiak Episode: "Death Chase " 1974McCloud Eve Randall Episode: "Barefoot Girls of Bleeker Street" 1974 Medical Center Kitty Palumbo Episode: "The Conspirators" 1974 The Underground Man Sue Crandell TV movie 1974 The F.B.I. Story: The FBI Versus Alvin Karpis, Public Enemy Number One Shirley TV movie 1974 Cannon Sally Episode: "The Avenger" 1974 The One Shirley TV movie 1975 Journey from Darkness Sherry Williams TV movie 1975Petrocelli Janet / Mary Wade Episode: "Face of Evil" 1976 Rich Man, Poor Man Kate Jordache Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie 1976 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Self 1 episode 1976 Jigsaw John Miriam Buckley Episode: "Eclipse" 1977Rich Man, Poor Man Book II Kate Jordache Miniseries 1978 How The West Was Won Doreen 3 episodes 1978 The Initiation of Sarah Sarah Goodwin TV movie 1979 Good Morning America Self Episode dated July 24, 1979 1979 The Seeding of Sarah Burns Sarah Burns TV movie 1979 Sanctuary Of Fear Carol Bain TV pilot for unmade series, starring Barnard Hughes1980 EscapeBarbara ChilcoateTV movie1980The Hustler of Muscle BeachJenny O’RourkeTV movie 1982 Insight L.J. Episode: "Matchpoint" 1984 Whiz Kids Helen Langton Episode: "Amen to Amen-Re"1984 Hill Street Blues Whitney Barnes Episode: "The Other Side of Oneness" 1984–1988 Simon & Simon Kris Caulfield/Lolita 4 episodes 1984–1987 Hotel Gail Matthews/Mary Morowsky 2 episodes 1984 Magnum P.I. Sally DeForest Episode: "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime" 1984 The Fall Guy Kim Donnelly Episodes: "Losers Weepers" (Pts 1 and 2)1984Cagney & LaceyLinda MackEpisode: "Victimless Crime" 1984 Matt Houston Cassie Stanley Episode: "Stolen" 1985 Murder She Wrote Nurse Jennie Wells Episode: "Armed Response" 1985 Finder of Lost Loves Ellen Ross Episode: "Last Wish" 1985 Riptide Brenda Malloy Episode: "Still Goin' Steady" 1985 MacGyver Kelly Neilson Episode: "Last Stand" 1986 Heart of the City Kathy Priester 2 episodes 1986 Hunter Alicia Fiori Episode: "Scrap Metal" 1987 Mr. Belvedere Sharon Rogers Season 3 Episode #18: "Kevin's Older Woman" 1987 Charles in Charge Joan Robinson Episode: "The Undergraduate" 1987 Houston Knights Elizabeth Episode: "Home Is Where the Heart Is" 1987 Starman Dr. Katherine Bradford Episode: "The Probe"1987 Moonlighting Melissa Episode: "Come Back Little Shiksa" 1988 Midnight Caller Tina Cassidy 3 episodesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (1989)Nominated —Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (1990) 1989 Hardball Connie Villanova Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part"1989 ABC Afterschool Special Bonnie Green Episode: "Private Affairs"1989 Murder by Night Karen Hicks TV movie 1991 Reasonable Doubts Maggie Zombro Recurring role (season 1); main role (season 2); 32 episodesViewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series (1993)Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1993) 1992–1993 Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa Cowlamity Kate Cudster Voice role 1993 An Evening at the Improv Self-Host Episode #12.8 1994 The Tick American Maid Voice role; 25 episodes 1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Constance Hunter Episode: "Whine Whine Whine" 1996 Touched by an Angel Rocky McCann Episode: "The Journalist" 1997 Journey of the Heart Marvelle Television film 1999 Mysteries and Scandals self Episode about William Holden 2000ER Karen Palmieri Episode: "Homecoming" 2000The Magnificent Seven Ella Gaines Episode: "Obsession" 2000–2001 Cover Me Lisa Ramone 2 episodes 2001 Once and Again Stephanie Arlen 2 episodes 2002 Linda Cavanaugh Episode: "Guilt" 2003 The Agency Police Interrogator Episode: "Coventry" 2003 JAG Judge Smith Episode: "A Merry Little Christmas" 2007 House, M.D. Mrs Bradberry Episode: "Alone" 2008 NCIS Connie Quinn Wheeler Episode: "Silent Night" 2009 Cold Case Hillary Rhodes Episode: "November 22" 2010 The Closer Mrs Tatem Episode: "In Custody" 2011 Southland Naomi Chester Episode: "Fixing a Hole" 2013 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Laura Sidle Episode: "Forget Me Not" 2014 Bones Harriet White Episode: "Big in the Philippines" 2015 Adventure Time Bird Woman/Gunther Voice role; 1 episode
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