Brian Kelly (actor)

Brian Kelly (February 14, 1931 – February 12, 2005) was an American actor best known for his role as Porter Ricks, the widowed father of two sons on the NBC television series Flipper, and as Scott Ross in the ABC adventure series Straightaway, with co-star John Ashley.

Early years
Kelly was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Republican Governor of Michigan Harry F. Kelly and the former Anne Veronica O'Brien. Kelly had three sisters and two brothers, one of whom was his identical twin. His nephew (sister's son) is actor Brian d'Arcy James. He was of Irish descent.

Kelly served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. Kelly graduated in 1953 from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. He attended the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor for a year before settling on acting. During his college years, Kelly modelled and acted in radio and television commercials in Detroit.

Acting career
Kelly headed to Hollywood in the late fifties after choosing acting as his career. Following minor roles in Adventures in Paradise, The Beverly Hillbillies, and The Rifleman, Kelly starred in two short-lived television series, NBC's 21 Beacon Street (1959), with Dennis Morgan and Joanna Barnes, and ABC's Straightaway (1961-1962) with costar John Ashley.



Kelly was chosen to play Porter Ricks, recently-widowed father of Sandy Ricks (Luke Halpin) from the 1963 family film Flipper, in the 1964 sequel Flipper's New Adventure, in preparation to assuming that role in the capacity of Chief Warden at Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve in the family-oriented action and adventure television program Flipper that same year, where Porter would also have a second son, Bud (Tommy Norden). Kelly is remembered today for his strong and convincing portrayal of a morally responsible single dad. Kelly was quoted at the time as saying that he loved the role because of its family-friendly qualities. The success of Flipper, which was filmed in Miami and the Bahamas, led to a brief movie career, including a lead in Around the World Under the Sea (1966).

In 1970, Kelly sought to change his image by playing the role of Robin Stone in The Love Machine, based on the novel by Jacqueline Susann. Just prior to filming, he was involved in a motorcycle accident which left his right arm and leg paralyzed. John Phillip Law took over the role. Kelly--whom Susann had called "the perfect Robin Stone" --won a legal settlement in the case but the accident ended his acting career.

He used money from the settlement to build homes and then to produce films. He served as executive producer of Blade Runner (1982) and associate producer of Cities of the Wild (1996).

Marriages and death
Kelly married actress Laura Devon in 1962. They were divorced in 1966 after Laura discovered that her husband tried to produce a science fiction spin-off of Flipper set in space. In 1972, he married Valerie Ann Romero, with whom he had a daughter Hallie in 1975 and a son Devin in 1980, who was named for his first wife Laura Devon. Kelly died in February 2005 of pneumonia in Voorhees Township in South New Jersey. He was survived by his two grandsons Paco Gutierrez and Nando Trask.