Kelly Curtis, the eldest daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh and sister of Academy Award-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis, has died at the age of 69.
Jamie Lee announced the death of her sister, who passed away Saturday morning at her home in Idaho. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed. She released a touching statement about her sister.
«"My deepest condolences to my older sister, Kelly Lee Curtis," wrote Jamie Lee. "She passed away this morning. In her home. In the great outdoors. In peace.".
«"She was my first friend and lifelong confidant. She was stunningly beautiful and a talented actress. She was an excellent heart player, a turtle collector, and loved her family, nature, music, thrift shopping, traveling, Facebook, and Pokémon Go. She was proud of her Danish and Hungarian-Jewish heritage and was a devoted American patriot.".
Curtis continued, "She will be remembered for her generosity, her unwavering convictions, her endless curiosity, her unique style, and her crescent-shaped macaroons at Christmas, hence her nickname, Auntie Cookie. Kelly always ended any message or farewell with the Hungarian blessing... Iysten Weled, God be with you. Iysten Weled to my sister of the sun and moon, my Taya. See you later.".
In her second post, Jamie Lee shared her thoughts on their relationship as children.
«"My sister and I were very close as children, but there was competition between us for the attention and love of our divorced parents. We were completely different and lived apart for many years, but she came back to be with me at my wedding and never really left again," she wrote.
«"She worked for me for a while when I was unemployed, as my sister-aunt, and became an integral part of my family. Today, I miss her, but I find comfort in knowing she has found peace.".
Kelly Curtis was born on June 17, 1956, in Santa Monica. Her screen debut was in 1958 in in the film "Vikings"« , which also starred her parents, after which she continued her acting studies at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
Kelly starred alongside her sister Jamie Lee in the film «"Switch places »" (1983), and then played leading roles in films such as «Magic Wands» (1987), «The Devil's Daughter» (1991) and «Mixed Blessings» (1998) She also worked as her sister's assistant on the set Freaky Friday films« , «Christmas with the Kranks» и «"You Again"» .
Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh with their daughters Kelly, 2 1/2, and newborn Jamie Lee - January 16, 1959 - Photo AP.
On television, she starred in the series "The Guardian" (1996-1999), and also appeared in episodes of "The Equalizer," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and "Judging Amy.".
Kelly's most recent work has been directing documentaries, particularly sports documentaries. «Marby Jets Are Go» (2018) and «Curling In Stanley » (2019).
Jamie Lee Curtis (right) and Kelly Curtis at the Los Angeles premiere of "Hitchcock" in November 2012. — AP Photo
Kelly Curtis is survived by her husband, playwright Scott Morphy.