kay lenz   

KAY LENZ, who portrays Sandy, Roger Cobb's lovely ex-wife in 'House' has been entertaining audiences all her life. Having made her successful television debut at the tender age of two months, Kay continued to act, and while most girls her age were busy playing hopscotch and jumping rope, Kay was displaying her talents in another arena as well -- that of the Rodeo.

Born in Los Angeles on the 4th March 1953, Kay was the only child of producer/commentator Ted Lenz and model/radio engineer Kay Miller Lenz. While her father was producing the Al Jarvis 'Hollywood on Television' show, it was decided that guest Dottie O'Brien, a Capitol recording artist, should hold a real baby while singing a lullaby. At eight weeks old, Kay's career was launched in the arms of O'Brien, who struggled to keep her singing voice above the wails of the infant. The hilarious first time performance brought Kay her first fan mail.

Front that moment on, she literally grew up in front of the TV cameras, appearing in many of the TV commercials produced by her father, and as a guest performer on nearly every children's and teenage show in Hollywood.

At the age of 11, she acted and sang in 'My Genie and Me,' a little theatre musical that ran for 165 showings. Two tears later, she starred with Henry Darrow and Monte Markham in the Pasadena Playhouse of 'Dark of the Moon.'

Throughout her childhood, Kay's passion for acting was split with her love of the rodeo. When she wasnt in school or acting, Kay could invariably be found on the local rodeo circuit. However at the age of 17, she found herself having to choose between a career in the rodeo or a career as an actress -- acting won out.

Kay went on to appear in the series' 'The Monroes,' 'The Andy Griffith Show,' 'Ironside,' and 'The Tammy Grimes Show,' before graduating from Grant High School in Van Nuys, Ca.

Kay is probably best known for her sensitive portrayal of a young hippie in the title role of the hit film 'Breezy,' in which she starred opposite William Holden. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the role propelled her into the limelight and led to a succession of other film roles including 'White Line Fever,' 'The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday,' 'The Passage,' 'Mean Dog Blues,' 'Prisoners of the Lost Universe,' 'Trial by Terror,' 'American Graffiti,' and 'Fast Walking.'

In television, Kay starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of 'Lisa Bright and Dark,' which earned her widespread critical acclaim; and in the movies of the week 'Playmates' and 'Weekend Nun,' in addition to 'Summer Without Boys,' 'Heart in Hiding,' 'Journey from Darkness,' 'The Initiation of Sara,' 'Seeding of Sara Burns,' 'Father Brown, Detective,' and 'Rich Man, Poor Man.' She has also had featured roles in the episodic TV shows 'Finder of Lost Loves,' 'Matt Houston' and 'Cagney and Lacey.'

Actress

Adventures of Ragtime, The (1998) .... Detective Hill

Gun, a Car, a Blonde, A (1998) .... Peep/Madge

Journey of the Heart (1997) (TV) .... Marvelle

"Tick, The" (1995) TV Series (voice) .... American Maid

Gunfighter's Moon (1995) .... Linda Yarnell

Against Their Will: Women in Prison (1994) (TV) .... Lisa

aka Against Their Will (1994) (TV)

Trapped in Space (1993) .... Gillings

Falling from Grace (1992) .... P.J. Parks

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) TV Series .... Maggie Zombro (1992-1993)

Shakespeare's Plan 12 From Outer Space (1991)

Hitler's Daughter (1990) (TV)

Headhunter (1990)

Streets (1990) .... Sargent

Murder by Night (1989) (TV)

Physical Evidence (1989) .... Deborah Quinn

Fear (1988) .... Sharon Haden

aka Honor Betrayed (1988)

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) .... Karen Sheldon

Stripped to Kill (1987) .... Cody

House (1986) .... Sandy

Heart of the City (1986) (TV)

Prisoners of the Lost Universe (1983) (TV) .... Carrie

Trial by Terror (1983)

Fast-Walking (1982) .... Moke

Swan Lake (1982) (voice)

Escape (1980) (TV) .... Barbara Chilcoate

Hustler of Muscle Beach, The (1980) (TV) .... Jenny O'Rourke

Passage, The (1979) .... Leah Bergson

Seeding of Sarah Burns, The (1979) (TV) .... Sarah Burns

Sanctuary of Fear (1979) (TV) .... Carol Bain

aka Father Brown, Detective (1979) (TV)

aka Girl in the Park (1979) (TV)

aka Sanctuary of Death (1979) (TV)

Mean Dog Blues (1978) .... Linda Ramsey

"How the West Was Won" (1978) TV Series .... Doreen (1978)

Initiation of Sarah, The (1978) (TV) .... Sarah Goodwin

"Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II" (1976) TV Series .... Kate Jordache

Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday (1976) .... Thursday

aka Wildcat (1976)

"Rich Man, Poor Man" (1976) (mini) TV Series .... Kate

aka "Rich Man, Poor Man - Book I" (1976) (mini)

Moving Violation (1976) .... Cam Johnson

White Line Fever (1975) .... Jerri Kane Hummer

Journey from Darkness (1975) (TV) .... Sherry Williams

F.B.I. Story: The FBI Versus Alvin Karpis, Public Enemy Number One, The (1974) (TV) .... Shirley

aka FBI Story - Alvin Karpis, The (1974) (TV)

Underground Man, The (1974) (TV) .... Sue Crandell

Unwed Father (1974) (TV) .... Vicky Simmons

Summer Without Boys, A (1973) (TV) .... Ruth Hailey

Lisa, Bright and Dark (1973) (TV) .... Lisa Schilling

Breezy (1973) .... Breezy

Weekend Nun, The (1972) (TV) .... Audree Prewitt

aka Matter of the Heart (1972) (TV)

Notable TV guest appearances

"Touched by an Angel" (1994) playing "Rocky McCann" in episode: "Journalist, The" (episode # 3.13) 12/1/1996

"Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1993) playing "Constance Hunter" in episode: "Whine, Whine, Whine" (episode # 2.21) 5/14/1995

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) playing "Maggie Zombro"(episode # 1.18)

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) playing "Maggie Zombro"(episode # 1.17)

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) playing "Maggie Zombro"(episode # 1.8)

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) playing "Maggie Zombro"(episode # 1.7)

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) playing "Maggie Zombro"(episode # 1.21)

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) playing "Maggie Zombro"(episode # 1.16)

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) playing "Maggie Zombro"(episode # 1.20)

"Reasonable Doubts" (1991) playing "Maggie Zombro"(episode # 1.19)

"Midnight Caller" (1988) in episode: "Someone To Love" 11/14/1989

"Hardball" (1989) in episode: "Till Death Do Us Part" (episode # 1.1) 9/21/1989

"Midnight Caller" (1988) in episode: "After It Happened" 12/13/1988

"Simon & Simon" (1981) playing "Melissa" in episode: "Simon & Simon Jr." (episode # 8.7) 11/19/1988

"Charles in Charge" (1984) playing "Joan Robinson" in episode: "Undergraduate, The" (episode # 3.4) 1988

"Simon & Simon" (1981) playing "Susan Killian" in episode: "Second-Story Simons" (episode # 6.19) 2/26/1987

"Hunter" (1984) playing "Alicia Fiori" in episode: "Scrap Metal" (episode # 2.15) 2/1/1986

"Starman" (1986) playing "Katherine Bradford" in episode: "Probe, The"

"MacGyver" (1985) playing "Kelly Nielson" in episode: "Last Stand" (episode # 1.4) 10/27/1985

"Murder, She Wrote" (1984) playing "Jennie Wells" in episode: "Armed Response" (episode # 1.19) 3/31/1985

"Simon & Simon" (1981) playing "Lolita" in episode: "Almost Foolproof" (episode # 4.14) 1/3/1985

"Moonlighting" (1985) playing "Melissa" in episode: "Come Back Little Shiksa"

"Fall Guy, The" (1981) playing "Kim Donnelly" in episode: "Losers Weepers" (episode # 4.1) 9/19/1984

"Hill Street Blues" (1981) playing "Whitney Barnes" in episode: "Other Side of Oneness, The" (episode # 4.15) 2/9/1984

"Whiz Kids" (1983) playing "Helen Langton" in episode: "Amen to Amen-Re" (episode # 1.12) 1/28/1984

"Simon & Simon" (1981) playing "Kris Caulfield" in episode: "Bloodlines" (episode # 3.15) 1/19/1984

"Magnum P.I." (1980) in episode: "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime" 1983

"Fall Guy, The" (1981) playing "Kim Donnelly"

"Cannon" (1971) playing "Sally" in episode: "Avenger, The" (episode # 4.7) 10/3/1974

"McCloud" (1971) playing "Eve" in episode: "Barefoot Girls of Bleecker Street, The" 9/22/1974

"Gunsmoke" (1955) in episode: "Foundling, The" (episode # 19.18) 2/11/1974

"Medical Center" (1969) in episode: "Conspirators, The" 1974

"Streets of San Francisco, The" (1972) playing "Sarah Holt" in episode: "Harem" (episode # 2.7) 1973