Background
Kelly was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Republican Governor of Michigan Harry F. Kelly and the former Anne Veronica O"Brien.
Kelly was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Republican Governor of Michigan Harry F. Kelly and the former Anne Veronica O"Brien.
Kelly graduated in 1953 from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. He attended the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor for a year before settling on acting.
He was of Irish descent. Kelly served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. During his college years, Kelly modelled and acted in radio and television commercials in Detroit.
Kelly headed to Hollywood in the late fifties after choosing acting as his career.
Following minor roles in Adventures in Paradise, The Beverly Hillbillies, and The Rifleman, Kelly starred in two short-lived television series, National Broadcasting Company"s 21 Beacon Street (1959), with Dennis Morgan and Joanna Barnes, and American Broadcasting Company"s Straightaway (1961-1962) with costar John Ashley. In 1964, Kelly was chosen to play Porter Ricks, Chief Warden at Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve in the family-oriented action and adventure television program Flipper.
Kelly is remembered today for his strong and convincing portrayal of a morally responsible single dad. Kelly was quoted at the time as saying that he loved the role because of its family-friendly qualities.
The success of Flipper, which was filmed in Miami and the Bahamas, led to a brief movie career, including a lead in Around the World Under the Sea (1966).
In 1970, Kelly sought to change his image by playing the lead role of The Love Machine. During filming he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident which left his right arm and leg paralyzed. John Phillip Law took over the role and wardrobe.
He used the money in the settlement to build homes and then to produce films.
He served as executive producer of Blade Runner (1982) and associate producer of Cities of the Wild (1996). Kelly married actress Laura Devon in 1962.
Kelly died in February 2005 of pneumonia in Voorhees Township in South New Jersey, two days before his 74th birthday.