- Born
- Birth nameKevin Delaney Kline
- Height1.87 m
- Kevin Kline was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Margaret and Robert Joseph Kline, who owned several stores. His father was of German Jewish descent and his mother was of Irish ancestry. After attending Indiana University in Bloomington, Kline studied at the Juilliard School in New York. In 1972, Kline joined the Acting Company in New York which was run by John Houseman. With this company, Kline performed Shakespeare across the country. On the stage, Kline has won two Tony Awards for his work in the musicals "On the Twentieth Century" (1978) and "The Pirates of Penzance" (1981). After working on the Television soap Search for Tomorrow (1951), Kline went to Hollywood where his first film was Le choix de Sophie (1982). He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. His work in the ensemble cast of Les Copains d'abord (1983) would again be highly successful, so that when Lawrence Kasdan wrote Silverado (1985), Kline would again be part of the cast. With his role as Otto "Don't call me Stupid!" West in the film Un poisson nommé Wanda (1988), Kline would win the Oscar for Supporting Actor. Kline could play classic roles such as Hamlet in Hamlet (1990); or a swashbuckling actor like Douglas Fairbanks in Chaplin (1992); or a comedic role in La télé lave plus propre (1991). In all the films that he has worked in, it is hard to find a performance that is not well done. In 1989, Kline married actress Phoebe Cates.- IMDb mini biography by: Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>
- SpousePhoebe Cates(March 5, 1989 - present) (2 children)
- Children
- ParentsMargaret KlineRobert Joseph Kline
- Usually has a mustache in comedies and is clean-shaven in dramas
- Speaks French fluently.
- Is one of the few actors in history to receive the Academy Award for a comedic acting role (Un poisson nommé Wanda (1988)).
- His father owned a toy and record store in Clayton, Missouri, called "The Record Bar".
- Met future wife Phoebe Cates when she auditioned for the role of Chloe in Les Copains d'abord (1983), which eventually went to Meg Tilly.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California December 3, 2004.
- It is these children we must admire... Their honesty and bravery are models for us all. Their stories and their role here today - advocating for their cure, their own future - must be heard. - In reference to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International Children's Congress 2001.
- I think every American actor wants to be a movie star. But I never wanted to do stupid movies, I wanted to do films. I vowed I would never do a commercial, or a soap opera - both of which I did as soon as I left the Acting Company and was starving.
- I've never felt completely satisfied with what I've done. I tend to see things too critically. I'm trying to get over that. I've got the Jewish guilt and the Irish shame and it's a hell of a job distinguishing which is which.
- [on improving his chess game for a role] I can now predict four or five moves ahead. I can see that I'm going to lose much sooner.
- [on Le choix de Sophie (1982)] There was a tremendous ensemble feeling. There was never any sense that anything but what was best for a scene was at stake. We were all treated equally, with a tremendous amount of caring.
- Ricki and the Flash (2015) - $350,000
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