Paula Kelly Passed Away!

Paula Kelly of Night Court fame passed away.

Paula Kelly, an actress who earned Emmy nominations for the roles on NBC's sitcom Night Court and the 1987 miniseries The Women of Brewster Place, died on February 8th in Whittier, California.

She suffered from obstructive pulmonary disease. She passed away at the age of 77.

Her death was announced by her family and the Los Angeles' Ebony Repertory Theatre.

Kelly, who was also a dance, choreographer, singer and director, hade her breakthrough role of Helene in the 1969 film, Sweet Charity. She shared the screen with actress/activist Shirley MacLaine and Chita Rivera in such musical numbers as "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" and the showstopper, "Hey, Big Spender." She'd already played the role in a West End stage production.

She also had film credits including, The Andromeda Strain (1971), Uptown Saturday Night (1974) and Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored (1995),

Kelly appeared on numerous TV sitcoms from the 1970s into the 1990s. She had roles on Sanford & Son, Medical Center, The Streets of San Francisco, Police Woman and The Richard Pryor Show.

She played in Good Times as an arrogant doctor who treated a young Janet Jackson.

She earned an Emmy nomination as the first public defender in the first season of Night Court. She played the role of Liz Williams and had stayed on the show through the first season.

She also had a role in the Harpo Productions miniseries The Women of Brewster Place in which she played as lesbian named Theresa.

Kelly had took time away from the big screen to focus on stage and choreography.

She did return to the screen in the 2010s and played numerous roles on the small screen.

In passing she leaves behind her partner George Parkington, her aunt Pearl Mackey of Jacksonville, Florida; niece Dina McCarthy and nephew Lehman Brockett.