Emily Zemler
View all posts by Emily Zemler May 30, 2026
Kelly Curtis Ian Cook/Getty Images American actress Kelly Curtis, sister to Jamie Lee Curtis and daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, died on May 30 at age 69. The news was confirmed by Jamie, who shared a tribute on Instagram on Saturday morning. A cause of death was not immediately available.
“A warm aloha to my older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis,” Jamie wrote. “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 continued, “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.”
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Born June 17, 1956, in Santa Monica, California, Curtis began acting as a child, although it was not with professional intent. Her first onscreen appearance was in 1958 film The Vikings, which starred her parents, although the role was uncredited. Curtis graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in business in 1972 and initially worked as a stockbroker. She went on to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
Curtis began acting in earnest in the 1980s. She had in a small role in 1983’s Trading Places alongside her sister and appeared in 1987 German comedy film Magic Sticks. She played the lead in 1991 Italian horror film The Devil’s Daughter, which was co-written and produced by Dario Argento. Curtis had recurring role as Lieutenant Carolyn Plummer on the first season of UPN series The Sentinel and appeared in episodes of TV shows like The Equalizer, Hunter, Silk Stalkings, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
