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Paula Kelly

Paula Kelly

Actor · Died February 8, 2020, aged 76 · Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Paula Alma Kelly (October 21, 1942 – February 8, 2020) was an American actress, singer, dancer and choreographer in films, television and theatre.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 21, 1943
Died
February 8, 2020 (aged 76)
From
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 47 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

What are Paula Kelly's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Power and Society.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Power
22%
Society
20%
Survival
19%
Self
14%
Bonds
10%
Ideas
9%
Morality
7%
Oppression4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope4 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 3 · Dark 8

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 4 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 6 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 8

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Melancholic
7
Hopeful
5
Dread
3
Absurd
4
Other
8

How their films linger

Hopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous3
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Paula Kelly's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Paula Kelly's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

47 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Louis Armstrong: 100th Anniversary 1901-2001 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Host

  • Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story(1996)

    as Mrs. Devers

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored(1995)

    as Ma Pearl

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Drop Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Aunt Tilly

  • South Central (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 6 episodes · as Sweets

  • Bank Robber(1993)

    as Mother

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Room for Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 11 episodes · as Diahnn Boudreaud

  • Zora is My Name! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Actor

  • The Women of Brewster Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Theresa

  • The Women of Brewster Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Theresa

  • Kung Fu the next generation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Lt. Lois Poole

  • Uncle Tom's Cabin(1987)

    as Cassy

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • CBS Summer Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Lt. Lois Poole

  • Amen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling(1986)

    as Satin Doll

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Golden Girls(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Marguerite

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • That's Dancing!(1985)

    as From 'Sweet Charity' (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Finder of Lost Loves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Alice Taylor-Hancock

  • Hot Pursuit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Santa Barbara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 24 episodes · as Ginger Jones

  • Night Court(1984)

    Show 13 episodes · as Liz Williams

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Sophisticated Ladies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Performer

  • St. Elsewhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Sylvia

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Trapper John, M.D. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Peter Pan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Choreographer · as Tiger Lily

  • Drum(1976)

    as Rachel

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Police Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 2 episodes · as Linda Summers

  • Uptown Saturday Night(1974)

    as Leggy Peggy

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Three Tough Guys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Fay

  • Lost in the Stars(1974)

    Choreographer · as Rose

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Good Times(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Kojak(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Janet Carlisle

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • The Spook Who Sat by the Door(1973)

    as Dahomey Queen

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Soylent Green(1973)

    as Martha Phillips

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Trouble Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Cleo

  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 2 episodes · as A. Chamberlain

  • Top of the Heap(1972)

    as Black Chick

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Cool Breeze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Martha Harris

  • Sanford and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Andromeda Strain(1971)

    as Karen Anson

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Medical Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Ames

  • Sweet Charity(1969)

    as Helene

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • From Stage to Screen---A Director's Dilemma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Tiger Lily

Career shape

Star power in the 91st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 47 titles from 1951 to 2001; peak year 1972.

Biggest box office

Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)

$18M worldwide

Highest rated

The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973)

Midcredits 88th

Most popular right now

Soylent Green (1973)

Film career

19512001

Peak 1972 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting47 of 47: 45 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score77thOther crew2 of 47: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s3 · acting1970s18 · 18 acting · 2 crew1980s17 · acting1990s7 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Paula Kelly's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 19 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story (1996)

79th percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973)

Midcredits 88th · 74% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Paula Kelly's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 44 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Paula Kelly work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paula Kelly's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Phylicia Rashad shares the most, 2.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors