Kay Lenz

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.

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 was also nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for her role as flinty lawyer Maggie Zombro in the police/legal drama Reasonable Doubts.

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 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