Celia Kaye

Celia Kaye (born February 24, 1942) is an American actress. She starred in the 1964 film adaptation of Island of the Blue Dolphins which won her a Golden Globe award.

Early life Kaye is of German and Cherokee descent and was born in Carthage, Missouri, to chemical engineer John W. Burkholder and his wife, Kathryn, who ran a private preschool. When she was one year old her family moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where her younger brother Johnny was born. She graduated with honors from Henry C. Conrad High School (now Conrad Schools of Science). In addition to her performing arts interests, which included learning dance and organ, she toured regionally as a diver and exhibition swimmer with the Wilmington swim club. She also worked as a model and is a graduate of the Philadelphia Modeling and Charm School. While working on the show she continued her education, attending Los Angeles City College at night and studying modern jazz at Eugene Loring's American School of Dance. When filming was done, Kaye remained and followed along with the post-production of her first feature film. Before her first movie was even released, she filmed two more projects for Universal Pictures as part of a seven year contract: Wild Seed and Fluffy.

Following the release of Island of the Blue Dolphins, she was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer in 1965, alongside Mia Farrow and Mary Ann Mobley. The movie itself received generally positive reviews as an entertaining but simplistic children's movie although her performance received more mixed reviews. Stanley Eichelbaum of the San Francisco Examiner called her performance two-dimensional, while Mae Tinee of the Chicago Tribune wrote that she "handles a difficult role with grace and ease."

Over the next few years, she appeared in a number of additional movies, television shows, and plays. She attended UCLA in the evenings, studying anthropology and social sciences. After the 1960s her roles became less frequent and smaller, including being a look-alike extra for Merle Oberon on The Day of The Locust. By 1978 she was referred to as a "former actress", although she has continued to have occasional roles.

Personal life Kaye married director John Milius on February 26, 1978. They had one child together and remain friends, although they were divorced by 1987.

Filmography Television Year Series Role Notes 1962 Tales of Wells Fargo Julie Trenton Episode: "The Traveler" 1963 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Celia / Pledge 1 episode each 1967 The Green Hornet Melissa Neal 2 episodes 1970 The Young Lawyers Helen Nudavik Episode: "Where's Aaron" 1973 Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Anne TV movie 2015 CLASS Rose Credited as Celia Milius 2019 Holey Moley Herself Episode: "An Outbreak of Ginger Fever"

Film Year Film Role Notes 1964 Island of the Blue Dolphins Karana Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress 1972 The Final Comedown Renee Freeman 1976 Rattlers Woman in Bathtub 1978 Big Wednesday Bride of the Bear 1988 Vampire at Midnight Sandra 2014 V/H/S: Viral Grandma Credited as Celia K. Milius 2015 The Lotus Gun Associate Producer; credited as Celia Milius