{{short description|American actor}} {{Infobox person | name = David Patrick Kelly | image =St.Jude .jpg | image_size = 220px | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|1|23|mf=y}} | birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | alma_mater = University of Detroit (BFA) | occupation = {{hlist|Actor|musician}} | years_active = 1976–present | spouse = {{marriage|Juliana Francis|2005}} | children = 1 | website = {{URL|http://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.
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.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/14/fashion/weddings/14fran.html?pagewanted=print Weddings: Margaret Elizabeth Murphy and Robert Corby Kelly], ''The New York Times''. Accessed December 22, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://sports.grossepointenews.com/Obituary-38159.114135_Margaret-Elizabeth-Kelly.html GrossePointeNews.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105048/http://sports.grossepointenews.com/Obituary-38159.114135_Margaret-Elizabeth-Kelly.html |date=2016-03-04 }}; accessed December 22, 2017.</ref> His father received a Bronze Star Medal for service during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. His maternal 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. Father Corby eventually became president of the University of Notre Dame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://president.nd.edu/about-the-president/history-of-the-presidency/past-presidents|title=Past Presidents/University of Notre Dame|access-date=May 28, 2017|archive-date=August 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813173615/http://president.nd.edu/about-the-president/history-of-the-presidency/past-presidents/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Corby, William (1992). [https://archive.org/details/memoirsofchaplai00lawr ''Memoir of Chaplain Life: 3 Years With the Irish Brigade'']. Internet Archive.</ref>
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.<ref>[http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/03/17/david-patrick-kelly-warriors-luther-once-broadway "Luther from 'The Warriors' plays the dad in the Broadway musical ''Once'']. ''Entertainment Weekly''. March 17, 2012.</ref>
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|date=April 2016}}
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.<ref name="NewYorkTimes">[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/14/fashion/weddings/14fran.html "Juliana Francis and David Kelly"]. ''The New York Times''. August 14, 2005.</ref>
==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 was not in the script and which he improvised in collaboration with Walter Hill who asked him to come up with something.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abramovitch |first=Seth |date=2022-10-18 |title=Director Walter Hill Regrets Cutting Gay Gang the Dingos From 1979's 'The Warriors' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/walter-hill-regrets-cutting-gay-gang-dingos-the-warriors-1235239468/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> For the 1982 film ''48 Hrs.'', starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, Hill rewrote a role for Kelly and again named the character "Luther".<ref name=":0">{{IMDb name|446314|section=bio}}.</ref>
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''.<ref name=":0" />
===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'', ''Feed the Beast''<ref name="imdb">{{IMDb name|0446314}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=January 2023}}, and ''Only Murders in the Building''.
===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,<ref>La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. [https://catalog.lamama.org/Detail/Occurrences/1379 "Production: ''C.O.R.F.A.X. (Don't Ask)'' (1975)". Accessed July 18, 2018.]</ref> and Ireneusz Iredyński's ''An Altar to Himself'', as adapted by [https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/kobia001 Michal Kobialka] and [https://drama.yale.edu/facstaff/liz-diamond Liz Diamond] and directed by Virlana Tkacz at La MaMa in 1989.<ref>La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. [https://catalog.lamama.org/Detail/Occurrences/4193 "Production: ''An Altar to Himself'' (1989)". Accessed July 18, 2018.]</ref> He also appeared in the April 1974 production of ''Mr. Jello'', written and directed by George Birimisa,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.lamama.org/Detail/Objects/2025|title=Program and flyer: "Mr. Jello" (1974)|last=La MaMa Archives Digital Collections|access-date=October 17, 2018}}</ref> 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.<ref>La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. [https://catalog.lamama.org/Detail/Occurrences/1372 "Special Event: 'For the Benefit of Harry' (1974)". Accessed July 18, 2018.]</ref> 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''.<ref>La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. [https://catalog.lamama.org/Detail/Occurrences/1579 "Special Event: 'Cracker Club Country Fair Gala' (1976)". Accessed July 18, 2018.]</ref>
In 1998, Kelly played the role of Feste in the Lincoln Center production of ''Twelfth Night'' directed by Nicholas Hytner.<ref>{{IBDB name}}.</ref> 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''.<ref name="NewYorkTimes" />
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''.<ref name="PB1998">McGrath, Sean (January 3, 1998). [http://www.playbill.com/article/fourteen-years-of-mind-attacks-with-david-patrick-kelly-com-101084 "Fourteen Years of "Mind Attacks" With David Patrick Kelly"]. ''Playbill''.</ref><ref>Theater listings compiled by Ruth Gilbert (January 6, 1992). ''New York'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=f-MCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA74 p. 74].</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Shows-Events/Therese-Raquin.aspx ''Thérèse Raquin''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713144206/http://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Shows-Events/Therese-Raquin.aspx |date=2017-07-13 }}. Roundabouttheatre.org. Accessed December 22, 2017.</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Into the Woods |url=https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2021-2022/into-the-woods/ |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=www.nycitycenter.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=David Patrick Kelly – Broadway Cast & Staff |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/david-patrick-kelly-47739 |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=IBDB}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/broadways-into-the-woods-revival-will-journey-across-the-u-s-on-tour|title=Broadway's Into the Woods Revival Will Journey Across the U.S. On Tour|first=Talaura|last=Harms|work=Playbill|date=December 6, 2022|access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref>
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|date=December 2017}} He wrote the music for the titular song of George Birimisa's ''Mr. Jello'', which was produced at La MaMa in 1974.<ref>La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. [http://catalog.lamama.org/index.php/Detail/Occurrence/Show/occurrence_id/1390 "Production: ''Mr. Jello'' (1974)". Accessed July 18, 2018.]</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/davidpatrickkelly|title=CD Baby Rip Van Boy Man}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wiegand |first=Chris |date=2024-10-17 |title=The Warriors review – Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis come out to play with firecracker musical |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/oct/18/the-warriors-review-lin-manuel-miranda-and-eisa-davis-come-out-to-play-hamilton-walter-hill |access-date=2024-11-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
==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.<ref name=NewYorkTimes/>
==Personal life== Kelly married theater actress and writer Juliana Francis at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery in Manhattan on August 14, 2005. Their daughter Margarethe Jane Kelly was born in 2008.<ref name=NewYorkTimes />
Kelly has practiced the martial art seido (karate) and three forms of tai chi for more than 35 years; he is a second-degree black belt in seido.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Finn |date=2017-10-05 |title=David Patrick Kelly, a Character Actor Vibrating on His Own Plane |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/theater/david-patrick-kelly-actor-twin-peaks.html |access-date=2023-09-10 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
==Acting credits== ===Film=== {| class = "wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class = "unsortable" | Notes |- | 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 | |- | 1988 | ''Cheap Shots'' | Arnold 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 | |- | 1993 | ''Exterior Night'' | Biff | 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 | |- | 2003 | ''Justice'' | Marty | |- | 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 | |- | 2016 | ''To Keep the Light'' | Brackett | |- | 2017 | ''John Wick: Chapter 2'' | Charlie, The Cleaner | |- | 2018 | ''O.G.'' | Larry | |- | 2019 | ''VFW'' | Doug McCarthy | |- | 2020 | ''The Return of Tragedy'' | John Katebush | short film |- | 2022 | ''Asking for It'' | Morrill | |}
===Television=== {| class = "wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class = "unsortable" | Notes |- | 1979 | ''Sanctuary of Fear'' | Audience Member | Television film |- | 1982 | ''American Playhouse'' | Copyboy | Episode: "Working" |- | 1984 | ''Tales from the Darkside'' | Richard Hall | Episode: "Slippage" |- | 1985 | ''Miami Vice'' | Jerry | Episode: "The Home Invaders" |- | 1985 | ''Moonlighting'' | McBride | Episode: "Somewhere Under the Rainbow" |- | 1985 | ''Our Family Honor'' | Terry Jurow | Episode: "The Casino" |- | 1987 | ''Spenser: For Hire'' | Kevin Harley / Ned Lloyd | 2 episodes |- | 1988 | ''ABC Afterschool Special'' | Unknown | Episode: "Date Rape" |- | 1989 | ''CBS Summer Playhouse'' | Langley | Episode: "B-Men" |- | 1990–1991 | ''Twin Peaks'' | Jerry Horne | 9 episodes |- | 1993 | ''Ghostwriter'' | 'Double-T' | 5 episodes |- | 1998 | ''Mad About You'' | Cabbie With Chicken | Episode: "Season Opener" |- | 2002 | ''Hack'' | Eddie O'Daniel | Episode: "Favors" |- | 2005 | ''Third Watch'' | Danny McGowan | Episode: "Forever Blue" |- | 2007 | ''Kidnapped'' | Kurso | Episode: "Acknowledgement" |- | 2008 | ''Law & Order'' | Josh Perlberg | Episode: "Political Animal" |- | 2008 | ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' | Bo Levy | Episode: "Reunion" |- | 2008–2011 | ''Gossip Girl'' | Noah Shapiro | 3 episodes |- | 2010 | ''Louie'' | Therapist | 2 episodes |- | 2010 | ''Madso's War'' | Danny Driscoll | Television film |- | 2011 | ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' | Orville Underwood | Episode: "Possessed" |- | 2011 | ''Bored to Death'' | Jerry | Episode: "Nothing I Can't Handle by Running Away" |- | 2015 | ''Blue Bloods'' | Donald Berry | Episode: "Bad Company" |- | 2015 | ''The Blacklist'' | Heinrich Gerst | 4 episodes |- | 2016 | ''Feed the Beast'' | Ziggy Woichik | 8 episodes |- | 2017 | ''Twin Peaks'' | Jerry Horne | 7 episodes |- | 2018–2023 | ''Succession'' | Paul Chambers | 2 episodes |- | 2022 | ''Ray Donovan: The Movie'' | Matty Galloway | Television film |- | 2025- | ''Only Murders in the Building'' | Miller the Trash Guy | 3 episodes |- | 2025 | ''Sheriff Country'' | Mitchell | 1 episode |}
===Video games=== {| class = "wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class = "unsortable" | Notes |- | 1996 | ''Ripper'' | Joey Falconetti | Interactive movie |}
=== Theatre === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year<ref name=":1" /> ! Title ! Role !Venue ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1970 | ''Hair'' | Claude | Vest Pocket Theatre | Regional |- | 1975 | ''The Rocky Horror Show'' |u/s Eddie<br>u/s Dr. Scott |Belasco Theatre |rowspan=6|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 |rowspan=2|Off-Broadway |- |rowspan=2|1998 |''Anadarko'' |Ray |MCC Theater |- |''Twelfth Night'' |Feste |Vivian Beaumont Theater |rowspan=3|Broadway<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brantley |first1=Ben |date=2000-05-01 |title=Chekhov Is Recast: Laughter Plays Painkiller |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/01/theater/theater-review-chekhov-is-recast-laughter-plays-painkiller.html |work=NY Times |language=en-US |access-date=June 27, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Brantley |first1=Ben |date=2006-04-10 |title=Haunting Memories of Daddy Dearest in 'Festen' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/10/theater/reviews/haunting-memories-of-daddy-dearest-in-festen.html |work=NY Times |language=en-US |access-date=June 27, 2023}}</ref> |- |2000 |''Uncle Vanya'' |Ilya Ilyich Telegin |Brooks Atkinson Theatre |- |2006 |''Festen'' |Poul |Music Box Theatre |- |rowspan=2|2011 |''When I Come to Die'' |James (Roach) Teagle |The Duke on 42nd Street |rowspan=2|Off-Broadway |- | rowspan="2" |''Once'' | rowspan="2" |Da |New York Theatre Workshop |- |2012 |Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre |rowspan=2|Broadway |- |rowspan=2|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 |rowspan=2|Off-Broadway |- |2022 | rowspan="3" |''Into the Woods'' | rowspan="3" |The Narrator / The Mysterious Man |New York City Center |- |2022–23 |St. James Theatre |Broadway |- |2023 |U.S. National Tour |Ten city engagement |- |rowspan=3|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 | rowspan=2|Broadway |- | rowspan=2|''Once Upon a Mattress'' | rowspan=2|King Sextimus the Silent | Hudson Theatre |- | 2024–2025 |Ahmanson Theatre |Los Angeles |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://davidpatrickkelly.com/}} * {{IMDb name}} * {{IBDB name}} * {{IOBDB name|1481}} * [http://catalog.lamama.org/index.php/Detail/Entity/Show/entity_id/5207 Kelly's page on La MaMa Archives Digital Collections]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, David Patrick}} Category:1954 births Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American people of Irish descent Category:Living people Category:Male actors from Detroit Category:University of Detroit Mercy alumni