Sarah Veronica Rose “Patsy” Kelly (January 12, 1910 – September 24, 1981) was an American actress. She gained notice in the 1930s in a series of Hal Roach-produced comedy shorts pairing her with Thelma Todd (and, after Todd's death, ZaSu Pitts), with Kelly as the Deadpan Snarker, alongside other notable performances like Topper Returns. Later in life she experienced a career resurgence, with memorable supporting roles in Rosemary's Baby and Freaky Friday (1976).
Unusually for the time when she entered show business, Kelly made no secret of her lesbianism, for a long time being in a relationship with actress Wilma Cox. She also admitted to an affair with Tallulah Bankhead, for whom she worked as an assistant.
Kelly died of cancer at the age of 71.
Works with Patsy Kelly:
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Film
- 1933 Going Hollywood: Jill
- 1934 The Countess Of Monte Cristo: Mimi Schmidt
- 1934 The Girl from Missouri: Kitty Lennihan
- 1934 The Partys Over: Mabel
- 1934 Transatlantic Merry Go Round: Patsy Clarke
- 1935 Go Into Your Dance: Irma “Toledo” Knight
- 1935 Every Night At Eight: Daphne O’Connor
- 1935 Page Miss Glory: Betty
- 1935 Thanks A Million: Phoebe Mason
- 1936 Private Number: Gracie
- 1936 Molly The Second: Molly Kelly
- 1936 Sing Baby Sing: Fitz
- 1936 Pigskin Parade: Bessie Winters
- 1937 Nobodys Baby: Kitty Reilly
- 1937 Pick A Star: Nellie Moore
- 1937 Ever Since Eve: Sadie Day
- 1937 Wake Up And Live: Patsy Kane
- 1938 Merrily We Live: Etta
- 1938 There Goes My Heart: Peggy O’Brien
- 1938 The Cowboy And The Lady: Katie Callahan
- 1939 The Gorilla: Kitty
- 1940 Hit Parade Of 1941: Judy Abbott
- 1941 Road Show: Jinx
- 1941 Topper Returns: Emily
- 1941 Broadway Limited: Patsy Riley
- 1941 Playmates: Lulu Monahan
- 1942 Sing Your Worries Away: Bebe McGuire
- 1942 In Old California: Helga
- 1942 Ladies Day: Hazel Jones
- 1943 My Son the Hero: Gertie Rosenthal
- 1943 Danger Women At Work: Terry Olsen
- 1960 Please Dont Eat The Daisies: Maggie
- 1960 The Crowded Sky: Gertrude Ross
- 1964 The Naked Kiss: Mac, the Head Nurse
- 1966 The Ghost In The Invisible Bikini: Myrtle Forbush
- 1967 C Mon Lets Live A Little: Mrs. Fitts
- 1968 Rosemary's Baby: Laura-Louise McBirney
- 1969 The Pigeon: Mrs. Macready, the Landlady (Made-for-TV Movie)
- 1970 The Phynx: Patsy Kelly
- 1976 Freaky Friday (1976): Mrs. Schmauss
- 1979 The North Avenue Irregulars: Rose
Short Films
- 1931 The Grande Dame: Peggy O’Rourke
- 1933 Beauty And The Bus: Patsy
- 1933 Back To Nature: Patsy
- 1933 Air Fright: Patsy
- 1934 Babes In The Goods: Patsy Kelly
- 1934 Soup And Fish: Miss Patsy Kelly
- 1934 Roamin Vandals: Patsy Kelly
- 1934 Maid In Hollywood: Patsy
- 1934 Ill Be Suing You: Miss Kelly
- 1934 Three Chumps Ahead: Patricia “Patsy” Kelly
- 1934 One Horse Farmers: Patsy
- 1934 Opened By Mistake: Patsy
- 1934 Done In Oil: Patsy Kelly
- 1934 Bum Voyage: Patsy
- 1935 Treasure Blues: Patsy Kelly
- 1935 Sing Sister Sing: Patsy Kelly
- 1935 The Tin Man: Patsy Kelly
- 1935 Their Night Out Screen Test: Mrs. Hardy
- 1935 The Misses Stooge: Patsy Kelly
- 1935 Slightly Static: Patsy
- 1935 Hot Money: Miss Patsy Kelly
- 1935 Top Flat: Patsy Kelly
- 1936 An All American Toothache: Veronica Patricia Kelly
- 1936 At Sea Ashore: Patsy Kelly
- 1936 Hill Tillies: Patsy
- 1936 Pan Handlers: Patsy
- 1947 Babies Theyre Wonderful: The Babysitter
Television
- 1959 Twenty Six Men: Big Kate (1 episode)
- 1960 Laramie: Bea (1 episode)
- 1960 The Untouchables: Slapsie Sadie (1 episode)
- 1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents': Minnie Redwing (1 episode)
- 1962 The Dick Van Dyke Show: Third Juror (1 episode)
- 1962 Pete And Gladys: Katy (1 episode)
- 1963 Arrest And Trial: Catalina Sorelli (1 episode)
- 1964 Burke's Law: Agatha Beauregard/Big Mouth Annie (2 episodes)
- 1966 Vacation Playhouse: Miss Primrose (1 episode)
- 1966-67 The Wild Wild West: Prudence Fortune/Mrs. Bancroft (2 episodes)
- 1967 The Man from U.N.C.L.E.: Mama Sweet (1 episode)
- 1967 Laredo: Abbie Heffernan (1 episode)
- 1968 Bonanza: Mrs. Neeley (1 episode)
- 1969 Love, American Style: Mrs. Hennessy (1 episode)
- 1970 Barefoot In The Park: Old Lady (1 episode)
- 1975-76 The Cop And The Kid: Brigid Murphy
- 1979 The Love Boat: Mabel Higgins (2 episodes)
Stage
- 1928-29 Three Cheers: Bobbie Bird
- 1931 The Wonder Bar: Electra Pivonka
- 1971-73 No No Nanette: Pauline
- 1973-74 Irene: Mrs. O’Dare
