In Step with Kay Lenz

II IN STEP WITH BY JAMES BRADY KAY LENZ HEN SHE WAS just 19 and looked Born: younger, Kay March 4,1953, in Lenz starred as Los Angeles. a cute but sexy hippie in a movie Personal: called Breezy, op- Married to David posite William Holden and directed by Cassidy, 1977-82. Clint Eastwood. I asked Kay how in- timidating that had been for a kid. Films: Include Breezy, "I called him [Holden] 'Bill,'" she 1973; American recalled. "My God! And I was yelling, Graffiti, 1973; 'Hey, Clint!' I had so very little expe- Fast-Walking, rience, I couldn't even hit the marks 1982; Falling [where actors are supposed to stand From Grace, 1992. and move], but what a kind guy Wil- liam Holden was and what a very nice Television man Clint was. It was only the third Series: film he directed, but he was already a Guest role on No. 1 box-office star." Midnight Caller, Two decades later, Kay is in the hit 1988 (Emmy); extended NBC series Reasonable Doubts, play- guest role on ing a defense attorney opposite Marlee Reasonable Brady's Matlin and Mark Harmon. She didn't Doubts, 1991; get the job on a platter. In 1991, she Reasonable Bits was only a guest star, appearing in nine Doubts, 1992-. How Hollywood episodes as the lawyer Maggie Zombro can you get? Kay before signing on full-time this season. Television drives a Mercedes Miniseries: and has a house Being a guest star is tough, Kay says, in the hills near because you're really auditioning each Include Rich Man, that famous sign time, with no assurance that you'll be Poor Man, 1976; that spells out Rich Man, Poor called back the next week. Now, even Man, Book II, 1977. "Hollywood." though she has two Emmy Awards and When Kay and I spoke, Southern a bunch of nominations, she finally has Television California was a little job security. How important are Movies: going through one Emmys to an actor? Include The of Its periodic "Pros don't consider them impor- Weekend Nun, monsoons, and I tant," she said. "The first time I won, I 1972; Lisa, Bright wondered if she thought it was the most glorious day of and Dark, 1973; worried that the Heart In Hiding, house might one my life. The second time I won, I thought it was the most glorious day. 1974 (Emmy); dad was a DJ in San Francisco, then day be washed Unwed Father, down the hill. Then I didn't work again for months." 1974; The FBI an announcer in L.A.," she said. "My "No," she said, Because Reasonable Doubts is an Story-The FBI mother worked for CBS, but not as an "but I've got hour-long drama, there's no shortage vs. Alvln Karpis, actress—though she once was in a three leaks in the of work now for Kay. "The hours cer- Public Enemy commercial." Kay's introduction to dining room, and I Number One, just had It done." tainly add up—12- and 15-hour days," show-biz was on The Andy Griffith 1974; Sanctuary Show, at 13.1 asked what she recalled, As tor play, Kay she said. "But one of the great plea- of Fear, 1979; ot every hit TV said, "I own a sures of this show is everyone seems Prisoners of the and Kay laughed. "You know what I horse, and I ride. open to listen. Now, I'm considered the Lost Universe, show is about women remember?" she said. "The first time I I've ridden my expert on 'Maggie.' And as far as Mar- 1983; Murder by met him, Andy said, 'Hello,' and he whole life. There Night, 1989; was a choice lee and Mark, we're now great friends took off his sunglasses, and he had a and go around together and get along." How the West lawyers-it just seems black eye. He never explained how he once: Go to rodeo Was Won, 1990. school or act. I For five years, Kay was wed to the got it, and I never asked." acted." Kay has teen idol David Cassidy (she still has that way. Kay Lenz In the film Falling From Grace, Kay very pretty hair, only good words to say about him), and drew raves playing opposite John Mel- and I asked her she has never remarried. "No," Kay lencnmp and Mariel Hemingway. How what color it was. talks about her role She laughed. said, "no children. Maybe some day." did she and Mariel get on? "Great. "Clairol calls it That rare breed, a native Califor- She's so sweet. And we talked about Golden Apricot." nian, Kay was born in Van Nuys. "My on Reasonable Doubts. how on TV we both play attorneys."SB PAGE 14 • MAY 23,1993 • PARADE MAGAZINE.

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