Kelly Bishop: Bio And Career Highlights

February 28, 1944

Colorado Springs, Colorado, US

82 Years Old

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Kelly Bishop is an American actress and dancer, known for her sharp wit and commanding stage presence. Her versatile career spans decades in theater, film, and television, earning her critical acclaim.


She achieved widespread recognition for her Tony Award-winning role as Sheila Bryant in the original Broadway production of A Chorus Line. This pivotal performance established her as a formidable talent.

Family ties in Denver, Colorado, shaped Kelly Bishop's early life, where her mother, Jane, a ballet enthusiast, encouraged her artistic pursuits. Bishop began training to be a ballet dancer, with her mother even playing piano in exchange for tuition.


At 18, Bishop moved to New York City, joining a year-round ballet company at Radio City Music Hall. She later refined her technique at the American Ballet Theatre School and the San Jose Ballet School, cultivating an early passion for performance.

A string of high-profile romances has marked Kelly Bishop's personal life, including her first marriage to Peter Miller, which ended in 1975. Her most enduring relationship was with TV talk show host Lee Leonard.


Bishop was married to Leonard from 1981 until his death in 2018. They shared a loving partnership but had no biological children together.

Kelly Bishop's breakthrough piece arrived with her portrayal of Sheila Bryant in the original Broadway production of A Chorus Line. Her powerful performance earned her a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical in 1976.


Subsequently, she captivated audiences as Marjorie Houseman in the hit film Dirty Dancing and became a beloved fixture as matriarch Emily Gilmore on the acclaimed television series Gilmore Girls. She also reunited with Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino for the series Bunheads.

“There's nothing permanent, except change.”