Actress Kelly Lee Curtis, the older sister of Jamie Lee Curtis and the eldest daughter of Hollywood legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, has died.
She was 69.
Jamie Lee Curtis announced the heartbreaking news in an emotional Instagram post on Saturday, May 30, revealing that her sister died at her California home.
The cause of death has not been shared.
“A warm aloha to my older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis. She passed away this morning. In her home. In nature. At peace,” Jamie wrote alongside a black-and-white photo of Kelly.
The Oscar-winning actress described her sister as much more than a sibling. She called Kelly “my first friend and lifelong confidant.”
“She was jaw-droppingly beautiful and a talented actress,” Jamie continued. “She played a mean game of hearts, collected turtles, loved her family, nature, music, thrifting, travel.”
Jamie also said Kelly was proud of her Danish roots and Hungarian Jewish ancestry, calling her a devoted American patriot.
The Halloween star remembered her sister for her generosity, bold personality and unforgettable style.
Kelly, she said, 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.”
Jamie ended the tribute with a Hungarian blessing Kelly often used.
“Kelly always signed off any message or fare thee well with a Hungarian blessing … Isten Veled, God is with you. Isten Veled to my sister of the sun and the moon, my Tai. I’ll see you on down the line,” she wrote.
Kelly was born in Santa Monica, California, into one of Hollywood’s most famous families.
Her father, Tony Curtis, was one of the biggest movie stars of his era. Her mother, Janet Leigh, became a screen icon, especially remembered for her role in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.
Kelly was the eldest daughter of Tony and Janet, followed by Jamie. Tony Curtis also had four other children from later marriages: daughters Alexandra and Allegra with Christine Kaufmann, and sons Nicholas and Benjamin with Leslie Allen. Nicholas died in 1994 at age 23.
Kelly’s own acting career began early. She appeared in an uncredited role alongside her parents in the 1958 film The Vikings.
Years later, she appeared with Jamie in the 1983 comedy Trading Places.
Kelly continued working in television through the 1980s and 1990s, with roles in shows including The Equalizer, Hunter, Silk Stalkings, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and The Sentinel, where she had a recurring role during the first season.
She also worked behind the scenes as Jamie’s assistant on several of her sister’s films.
Kelly is survived by her husband, Scott Morfee.
Though she came from a family of Hollywood icons, Jamie’s tribute painted a picture of Kelly as someone deeply loved for the personal things: her humor, her loyalty, her curiosity, her traditions and the quiet bond she shared with the sister who called her a lifelong confidant.