Hollywood is mourning the loss of actress Kelly Curtis, the eldest daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh and sister to Oscar-winning Jamie Lee Curtis. Kelly passed away at the age of 69 at her home in Idaho on Saturday morning. The cause of death has not been disclosed. Jamie Lee Curtis shared heartfelt tributes to her sister in two touching posts on social media.
In her first message, Jamie Lee wrote: “A warm aloha to my older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis. She passed this morning. At home. Surrounded by nature. At peace with herself.” She reflected on Kelly’s vibrant life: “She was my first friend, a lifelong confidante, stunningly beautiful, and a talented actress. She loved playing Hearts, collecting turtles, spending time with family, exploring nature, traveling, music, thrift shopping, Facebook, and Pokémon Go. She cherished her Danish roots and her Hungarian-Jewish heritage and was deeply patriotic.”
Jamie Lee also remembered Kelly’s generosity and unique quirks: “She will be remembered for her loving heart, strong convictions, insatiable curiosity, distinctive style, and her almond crescent cookies dusted with powdered sugar at Christmas—hence her nickname, Aunt Cookie. She always ended messages with a Hungarian blessing… Isten Veled, God be with you. Isten Veled, my sister of sun and moon, my Tai. We will meet again along the way.”
In her second post, Jamie Lee recounted their childhood: “Growing up, Kelly and I were close but also competed for the attention and love of our divorced parents. We were very different and lived apart for many years. She returned for my wedding and has truly never left since.” She added, “At one point, when she was between jobs, she worked for me as my ‘sister-aunt-assistant’ and became an integral part of our family life. I miss her deeply today, but I take comfort knowing she has found peace.”
Kelly Curtis was born on June 17, 1956, in Santa Monica. She made her first screen appearance in the 1958 film The Vikings, starring her parents, before studying acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Kelly appeared alongside Jamie Lee in Trading Places (1983) and went on to roles in Magic Sticks (1987), The Devil’s Daughter (1991), and Mixed Blessings (1998). She also assisted Jamie Lee on the sets of Freaky Friday, Christmas with the Kranks, and You Again.
On television, Kelly starred in The Sentinel (1996–1999) and made guest appearances on shows including The Equalizer, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Judging Amy. In recent years, she focused on documentary filmmaking, directing sports-themed films like Marby Jets Are Go (2018) and Curling in Stanley (2019).
