David Patrick Kelly

Last updated
David Patrick Kelly
St.Jude .jpg
Born (1951-01-23) January 23, 1951 (age 73)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Alma mater University of Detroit (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, musician
Years active1976–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2005)​
Children1
Website davidpatrickkelly.com

David Patrick Kelly (born January 23, 1951) is an American actor, musician and lyricist who has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is best known for his role as the main antagonist Luther in the cult film The Warriors (1979). Kelly is also known for his collaborations with Spike Lee, in the films Malcolm X (1992), Crooklyn (1994), and Chi-Raq (2015), and with David Lynch, appearing in Wild at Heart (1990) as well as Twin Peaks (1990–91) and its 2017 revival.

Contents

Kelly's other credits include roles in 48 Hrs. (1982), Commando (1985), The Crow (1994), The Funeral and Last Man Standing (both 1996), The Longest Yard (2005), as President Harry S. Truman in Flags of Our Fathers (2006), and a recurring role in The Blacklist (2015).

Early life

Kelly was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Margaret Elizabeth (Murphy) Kelly (1915–2010) and Robert Corby Kelly Sr., an accountant. [1] [2] His father received a Bronze Star Medal for service during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. His grandfather, Daniel Murphy, was from Lisnashearshane, Duhallow, County Cork, Ireland. His great-granduncle was Father William Corby, chaplain of the Irish Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg. As detailed in Corby's book, Memoir of Chaplain Life: 3 Years With the Irish Brigade, Father Corby eventually became president of the University of Notre Dame. [3] [4]

Kelly was given a mandolin on Saint Patrick's Day 1964 by his mother and considers that to have been the greatest influence on his artistic life. [5]

As an undergraduate student, Kelly wrote the lyrics and music for four musicals produced in Detroit. These four productions were Lysistrata (by Aristophanes), The World from My Window (based on a book of children's poems), a project based on Gulliver's Travels (in the land of horses) and Home for Silent Clowns, a mime show with songs.[ citation needed ]

Kelly graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Detroit, and was a student of Marcel Marceau and Mira Rostova. [6]

Career

Film

In his debut role of Luther in Walter Hill's 1979 cult film The Warriors , Kelly screeches the famous line, "Warriors... come out to play-ee-ay!", which he improvised while clanging three empty beer bottles together. [7] [8] For the 1982 film 48 Hrs. , starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, Hill rewrote a role for Kelly and again named the character "Luther". [9]

Kelly's film credits include Commando (as Sully), The Crow , Crooklyn , Hammett , Dreamscape , The Adventures of Ford Fairlane , Last Man Standing , Songcatcher , K-PAX , The Longest Yard , Flags of Our Fathers , John Wick (reprising his role as Charlie in John Wick: Chapter 2 ), and Chi-Raq . Kelly played Dropshadow in David Lynch's film Wild at Heart , which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1990. He appeared in the 1996 video game Ripper . [9]

Television

Kelly's television guest appearances include Twin Peaks , Miami Vice , Moonlighting , Spenser: For Hire , Ghostwriter , Third Watch , Hack , Kidnapped , Law & Order , Law & Order: Criminal Intent , Law & Order: Special Victims Unit , Gossip Girl , Louie , Blue Bloods , The Blacklist , and Feed the Beast . [10] [ better source needed ]

Stage

He performed in a few off-off-Broadway theater productions during the 1970s and 1980s. These included Wilford Leach's C.O.R.F.A.X. (Don't Ask), produced at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in 1975, [11] and Ireneusz Iredyński's An Altar to Himself, as adapted by Michal Kobialka and Liz Diamond and directed by Virlana Tkacz at La MaMa in 1989. [12] He also appeared in the April 1974 production of Mr. Jello, written and directed by George Birimisa, [13] and then performed a song for which he wrote the music from Mr. Jello, at a benefit hosted by La MaMa to honor H.M. Koutoukas, called "For the Benefit of Harry", also in 1974. [14] In 1976, he performed in La MaMa's "Cracker Club Country Fair Gala" in segments from Paul Foster's Silver Queen and Leonard Melfi's Horse Opera. [15]

In 1998, Kelly played the role of Feste in the Lincoln Center production of Twelfth Night directed by Nicholas Hytner. [16] Kelly originated the role of Da in Once on Broadway, which was awarded the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical. Kelly sang and played mandolin on the Grammy Award-winning soundtrack for Once. [6]

Kelly has frequently appeared at the Hartford Stage Company in Hartford, Connecticut, starring in the title roles in Georg Büchner's Woyzeck and Molière's Tartuffe . He played Iago in Othello and Hoss in Sam Shepard's Tooth Of Crime. At the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he played the title role in Luigi Pirandello's Enrico IV and starred in an adaption of the Yuan dynasty classic Snow in June.

He has appeared in four plays by avant-garde playwright Richard Foreman: Pearls for Pigs, The Mind King, Film Is Evil/Radio Is Good, and The Cure. [17] [18] In 2015, he appeared as Michaud, alongside Keira Knightley, in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Thérèse Raquin in the Studio 54 space. [19]

In 2022, Kelly played the Narrator and the Mysterious Man in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods at Encores! and later at the St. James Theatre on Broadway and on the 2023 national tour. [20] [21] [22]

In 2024, Kelly played King Sextimus the Silent in Once Upon a Mattress at Encores!

Kelly played Morten Kiil in Amy Herzog's new adaptation of An Enemy of the People at Circle in the Square Theatre on Broadway, directed by Sam Gold.

Music

As a composer and musician, Kelly participated in New York's rock and cabaret scene, playing such venues as Max's Kansas City, Reno Sweeney's, CBGB, and The Lower Manhattan Ocean Club.[ citation needed ] He wrote the music for the titular song of George Birimisa's Mr. Jello, which was produced at La MaMa in 1974. [23]

In May 2008, he released an album of his original music titled David Patrick Kelly: Rip Van Boy Man, which contained new songs and live recordings from his club days in 1975. [24]

In 2024 he had a cameo as a cop on Warriors , a concept album by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis based on the 1979 movie The Warriors, in which he starred. [25]

Awards

Kelly received a Connecticut Critics Circle Award for his performance in Tartuffe at Hartford Stage, and was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for his performance in Nathan Louis Jackson's When I Come To Die at LCT3 in Manhattan. In 1998, Kelly received an Obie Award for sustained excellence for his theater work in classics, new plays, and the avant-garde. [6]

Personal life

Kelly married theater actress and writer Juliana Francis at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery in Manhattan on August 14, 2005. They have a daughter named Margarethe Jane Kelly born in 2008. [6]

Kelly has practiced the martial arts seido (karate) and three forms of tai chi for more than 35 years; he is a second-degree black belt in the former. [8]

Acting credits

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979 The Warriors Luther
1982 Hammett The Punk
1982 48 Hrs. Luther Kelly
1984 Dreamscape Tommy Ray Glatman
1985 Commando Sully
1987 The Misfit Brigade The Legionnaire
1988Cheap ShotsArnold Posner
1989 Penn & Teller Get Killed The Fan
1990 Wild at Heart Dropshadow
1990 The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Sam
1992 Malcolm X Mr. Ostrowski
1993Exterior NightBiff short film
1994 Crooklyn Tony 'Tony Eyes' / Jim
1994 The Crow T-Bird
1995 Heavy Grey Man In The Hospital
1995 Cafe Society J. Roland Sala
1996 Flirting with Disaster Fritz Boudreau
1996 The Funeral Michael Stein
1996 Last Man Standing Doyle
1997 Trojan War Bagman
1999 In Too Deep Rick Scott
2000 Songcatcher Earl Giddens
2001 K-PAX Howie
2002 Personal Velocity: Three Portraits Peter
2003JusticeMarty
2005 The Longest Yard Unger
2006 Flags of Our Fathers President Harry S. Truman
2007 Gardener of Eden Pa Harris
2014 John Wick Charlie, The Cleaner
2015 Chi-Raq General King Kong
2016To Keep the LightBrackett
2017 John Wick: Chapter 2 Charlie, The Cleaner
2018 O.G. Larry
2019 VFW Doug McCarthy
2020The Return of TragedyJohn Katebushshort film
2022 Asking for It Morrill

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979Sanctuary of FearAudience MemberTelevision film
1982 American Playhouse CopyboyEpisode: "Working"
1984 Tales from the Darkside Richard HallEpisode: "Slippage"
1985 Miami Vice JerryEpisode: "The Home Invaders"
1985 Moonlighting McBrideEpisode: "Somewhere Under the Rainbow"
1985 Our Family Honor Terry JurowEpisode: "The Casino"
1987 Spenser: For Hire Kevin Harley / Ned Lloyd2 episodes
1988 ABC Afterschool Special UnknownEpisode: "Date Rape"
1989 CBS Summer Playhouse LangleyEpisode: "B-Men"
1990–1991 Twin Peaks Jerry Horne9 episodes
1993 Ghostwriter 'Double-T'5 episodes
1998 Mad About You Cabbie With ChickenEpisode: "Season Opener"
2002 Hack Eddie O'DanielEpisode: "Favors"
2005 Third Watch Danny McGowanEpisode: "Forever Blue"
2007 Kidnapped KursoEpisode: "Acknowledgement"
2008 Law & Order Josh PerlbergEpisode: "Political Animal"
2008 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Bo LevyEpisode: "Reunion"
2008–2011 Gossip Girl Noah Shapiro3 episodes
2010 Louie Therapist2 episodes
2010 Madso's War Danny DriscollTelevision film
2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Orville UnderwoodEpisode: "Possessed"
2011 Bored to Death JerryEpisode: "Nothing I Can't Handle by Running Away"
2015 Blue Bloods Donald BerryEpisode: "Bad Company"
2015 The Blacklist Heinrich Gerst4 episodes
2016 Feed the Beast Ziggy Woichik8 episodes
2017 Twin Peaks Jerry Horne7 episodes
2018–2023 Succession Paul Chambers2 episodes
2022 Ray Donovan: The Movie Matty GallowayTelevision film

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996 Ripper Joey FalconettiInteractive movie

Theatre

Year [21] TitleRoleVenueNotes
1970 Hair ClaudeVest Pocket TheatreRegional
1975 The Rocky Horror Show u/s Eddie
u/s Dr. Scott		 Belasco Theatre Broadway
1977 Hair Claude Biltmore Theater
1978 Working Brett Meyer / Benny Blue / Charlie Blossom 46th Street Theater
1980 The Suicide Pervy ANTA Playhouse
1982 Is There Life After High School? Performer Ethel Barrymore Theatre
1994 The Government Inspector Osip Lyceum Theatre
1995 Henry VI Lord Talbot / Jack Cade Theater at St. Clement's Church Off-Broadway
1998AnadarkoRay MCC Theater
Twelfth Night Feste Vivian Beaumont Theater Broadway [26] [27]
2000 Uncle Vanya Ilya Ilyich Telegin Brooks Atkinson Theatre
2006 Festen Poul Music Box Theatre
2011When I Come to DieJames (Roach) Teagle The Duke on 42nd Street Off-Broadway
Once Da New York Theatre Workshop
2012 Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Broadway
2015 Thérèse Raquin Superintendent Michaud Studio 54
Alice by Heart King of Hearts / Dr Butridge / Jabberwocky / Duck / Mock Turtle MCC Theater Workshop
2018 Miss You Like Hell Higgins The Public Theater Off-Broadway
2022 Into the Woods The Narrator / The Mysterious Man New York City Center
2022–23 St. James Theatre Broadway
2023U.S. National TourTen city engagement
2024 Once Upon a Mattress King Sextimus the Silent New York City Center Off-Broadway
An Enemy of the People Morten Kiil Circle in the Square Theatre Broadway
Once Upon a Mattress King Sextimus the Silent Hudson Theatre
2024–2025 Ahmanson Theatre Los Angeles

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References

  1. ↑ Weddings: Margaret Elizabeth Murphy and Robert Corby Kelly, The New York Times . Accessed December 22, 2017.
  2. ↑ GrossePointeNews.com Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine ; accessed December 22, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Past Presidents/University of Notre Dame" . Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  4. ↑ Corby, William (1992). Memoir of Chaplain Life: 3 Years With the Irish Brigade. Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ "Luther from 'The Warriors' plays the dad in the Broadway musical Once. Entertainment Weekly . March 17, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Juliana Francis and David Kelly". The New York Times. August 14, 2005.
  7. ↑ Abramovitch, Seth (2022-10-18). "Director Walter Hill Regrets Cutting Gay Gang the Dingos From 1979's 'The Warriors'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  8. 1 2 Cohen, Finn (2017-10-05). "David Patrick Kelly, a Character Actor Vibrating on His Own Plane". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-09-10.
  9. 1 2 Biography for David Patrick Kelly at IMDb.
  10. ↑ David Patrick Kelly at IMDb
  11. ↑ La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: C.O.R.F.A.X. (Don't Ask) (1975)". Accessed July 18, 2018.
  12. ↑ La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: An Altar to Himself (1989)". Accessed July 18, 2018.
  13. ↑ La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Program and flyer: "Mr. Jello" (1974)" . Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  14. ↑ La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Special Event: 'For the Benefit of Harry' (1974)". Accessed July 18, 2018.
  15. ↑ La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Special Event: 'Cracker Club Country Fair Gala' (1976)". Accessed July 18, 2018.
  16. ↑ David Patrick Kelly at the Internet Broadway Database OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg .
  17. ↑ McGrath, Sean (January 3, 1998). "Fourteen Years of "Mind Attacks" With David Patrick Kelly". Playbill .
  18. ↑ Theater listings compiled by Ruth Gilbert (January 6, 1992). New York, p. 74.
  19. ↑ Thérèse Raquin Archived 2017-07-13 at the Wayback Machine . Roundabouttheatre.org. Accessed December 22, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Into the Woods". www.nycitycenter.org. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  21. 1 2 "David Patrick Kelly – Broadway Cast & Staff". IBDB. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  22. ↑ Harms, Talaura (December 6, 2022). "Broadway's Into the Woods Revival Will Journey Across the U.S. On Tour". Playbill. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  23. ↑ La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Mr. Jello (1974)". Accessed July 18, 2018.
  24. ↑ "CD Baby Rip Van Boy Man".
  25. ↑ Wiegand, Chris (2024-10-17). "The Warriors review – Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis come out to play with firecracker musical". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  26. ↑ Brantley, Ben (2000-05-01). "Chekhov Is Recast: Laughter Plays Painkiller". NY Times. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  27. ↑ Brantley, Ben (2006-04-10). "Haunting Memories of Daddy Dearest in 'Festen'". NY Times. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
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