Kay Ann Lenz was born on March 4, 1953, to a showbiz family. Her father, Ted Lenz, was a producer and commentator, and her mother, Kay Miller Lenz, was a model and radio engineer. Kay made her television debut at just eight weeks old, appearing on her father's TV show.
Growing up, Kay continued to appear on her father's TV shows and commercials, eventually moving on to stage work in the 1960s. She used the stage name Kay Ann Kemper and appeared in several episodes of the religious series "This Is the Life" in 1967.
Kay's breakthrough role came in 1973 when she was cast as Breezy in the film "Breezy," opposite William Holden. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for "Most Promising Newcomer."
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Kay appeared in a string of films, including "American Graffiti," "White Line Fever," "The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday," "Moving Violation," "Mean Dog Blues," "The Passage," "House," and "Falling from Grace." She also appeared in numerous TV movies and series, earning an Emmy nomination for her performance in the mini-series "Rich Man, Poor Man."
In the 1990s and 2000s, Kay continued to work steadily in film and television, appearing in projects such as "Fear," "The Head Hunter," "Physical Evidence," "Gunfighter's Moon," "Lois & Clark," "Touched by an Angel," "ER," "JAG," "Heartland," "Cold Case," and "Bones."
In recent years, Kay has appeared in films such as "The Secret Lives of Dorks" and "More Beautiful for Having Been Broken," and has continued to work in television, earning an Emmy nomination for her performance in the series "Reasonable Doubts."
