Kevin Kline was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Margaret and Robert Joseph Kline, who owned a multitude of stores, with his father being of German Jewish descent and his mother of Irish ancestry. Following his attendance at Indiana University in Bloomington, Kline pursued further education at the esteemed Juilliard School in New York. In 1972, he joined the prestigious Acting Company in New York, founded by the renowned John Houseman. As a member of this company, Kline had the opportunity to perform Shakespeare across the United States.
Throughout his illustrious stage career, Kline has garnered numerous accolades, including two Tony Awards for his exceptional work in the musicals "On the Twentieth Century" (1978) and "The Pirates of Penzance" (1981). Prior to transitioning to the silver screen, Kline made his television debut on the long-running soap opera Search for Tomorrow (1951).
Kline's Hollywood career began with the critically acclaimed film Sophie's Choice (1982),for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. His subsequent ensemble cast performance in The Big Chill (1983) was also highly successful, leading to his inclusion in Lawrence Kasdan's Silverado (1985).
Kline's breakout role as Otto "Don't call me Stupid!" West in the comedy film A Fish Called Wanda (1988) earned him the Academy Award for Supporting Actor. He has since demonstrated his versatility by taking on a wide range of iconic roles, including Hamlet in Hamlet (1990),Douglas Fairbanks in Chaplin (1992),and a comedic turn in Soapdish (1991). Notably, every performance he has given has been consistently well-received.
In his personal life, Kline married actress Phoebe Cates in 1989.
