Elizabeth Kemp Biography

Elizabeth Kemp (born November 5, 1958) is an American actress and acting coach.

Early life

Kemp was born in Key West Florida, the daughter of Nancy Jean (Haycock) and Joseph Clifton Kemp, a business executive and Navy Officer/Test Pilot who was stationed at the Pentagon. Kemp showed talent as a child painter from the ages of 13 to 16, graduating from High School with a special award for Creative Achievement. At 16 Kemp traveled to the Rhode Island School of Design but was told to wait a year. She instead went to New York City and studied at The Art Students League and American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Career

Kemp was in the original cast of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which began at The Actors Studio. Her great mentor, Elia Kazan, took Tennessee Williams to see Kemp in this production and when Williams was looking for the actress to play Baby Doll in the world premiere of one of his last plays, Tiger Tail. After the performance Williams gave her the part; an experience that proved to be most extraordinary, in that she worked closely with Tennessee Williams daily in developing the role. Kemp's career has included playing opposite Christopher Reeve, Tom Hanks and Kevin Kline. Kemp has worked across the country at The California Actors Theatre in San Francisco, Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C., Center Stage in Baltimore and Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia.

Kemp received the GLAAD Award for her work on L.A. Law (1986).

As a director Kemp was responsible for many productions at The Actors Studio including "The Glass Menagerie", The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh and the world premier of Free Gift Inside by Edward Allan Baker. Kemp is directing the 2013 production of Waiting For Godot.

Off Broadway Kemp directed La Magnani at The Arclight Theater.

Internationally Kemp directed The Stronger and Homesick at Strindbergs Original Intima Theater in Stockholm and Dreamstories at The Claude LeLouche Theatre Cine 13 in Paris and at La Spazia Teatro in Rome.

Kemp became a Lifetime Member of The Actors Studio in 1975.

Kemp was interviews by Martin Scorsese alongside Al Pacino and many others for his Peabody awarding winning documentary film honoring the legendary Elia Kazan.

Features

CNN - Actress' Role of a Lifetime: Being A Mentor

The New York Times - Actors Use Dreams to Understand Characters They Play - The Role of Their Dreams

Washington Post - Gold Standard

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2015	Emperor of the Free World	Olympias	Filming
2014	Welcome to New York	Florence
2013	Manito: Brother's Sacrifice	Lori	Short, completed
2013	A Crack in Everything	Constance Marshall
2012	Thanks Dad	Mom	Winner Final 8 "TROPFEST" 2012
2005	Pills	Margaret Nolan	Short Film
2003	Law & Order	Debbie Grimes	Television Series - Episode "Blaze"
2001	Law & Order	Laila Jacobs	Television Series - Episode "School Daze"
1995	Animal Room	Shelly's Mom
1992	Venice/Venice	Interviewee
1992	Mom I Can Do It	Jane Morris
1991	L.A. Law	Maggie Barnes	Television Series - Episode "The Nut Before Christmas"
1991	Murderous Vision	Ellen Green	T.V Movie
1990	Eating	Nancy
1990	Thirtysomething	Kate	Television Series - Episode "The Distance"
1990	Challenger	Jane Smith	TV Movie
1990	Family of Spies	Kay
1988	Police Story: Burnout	Patricia	TV Movie
1988	Vietnam War Story	Lynn	Television Series - Episode "Dusk to Dawn"
1988	Sticky Fingers	Nancy
1982	The Clairvoyant	Virna Nightbourne
1981	I Can Jump Puddles	Receptionist	Television Series - Episode "Getting Your Breath"
1980	He Knows You're Alone	Nancy
1979	Skyways	Rosemary	Television Series - Episode "Bird Strike"
1973-1977	Love of Life	Betsy Crawford