Compact, feisty and fierce character actor David Patrick Kelly was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Margaret Elizabeth . His range of roles in a wide variety of genres has earned him great respect in Hollywood as he is a wonderfully captivating actor. One of his most popular and influential performances came with the unsettling screeching cries of "Warriors, come out to plaaayyy", from his debut on-screen role!
Graduated from Bishop Gallagher High School in Harper Woods, Michigan.
He is a skilled mandolin and guitar player and appears accompanying himself in Spike Lee s Crooklyn singing a song he improvised for the film and on the CDs for two Broadway shows, "Twelfth Night" and "Working". He also sang and played mandolin on the 2012 Grammy Award winning soundtrack of ONCE, the Broadway musical.
He is an avid martial artist with a Second Degree Black Belt (Nidan Rank) in Seido Karate and a practitioner of three forms of Tai Chi (Chen, Yang, Palm).
Plays a character with the name "Luther" in two Walter Hill movies, The Warriors and 48 Hrs. .
He received an 1998 OBIE award for Sustained Excellence for his work in classic, avant garde, and new plays.
He is a vegetarian inspired by George Bernard Shaw, Tolstoy, and the Beat Poets.
The famous "Warriors come out to play" scene was improvised by him in collaboration with Walter Hill who told him to just "come up with something" when he felt the scripted scene wasnt working. He then gathered up some empty beer bottles he found under the board walk and created the taunting dialogue based on a neighbor who used to intimidate him.
He is one of seven children. His sister, Susan Kelly, is an author and expert in child protective services. His brother, Robert C. Kelly, is a Vietnam Veteran and energy company executive. His brother, John F. Kelly, was a State Senator in Michigan for 16 years. His sister, Margaret Kelly, is an award-winning graphic designer. His sisters Maureen and Kathleen are grade school teachers.
Graduated Cum Laude Bachelor of Fine Arts from University Of Detroit. He was also a student of Marcel Marceau and Mira Rostova.
Daughter, Margarethe Jane Kelly, born November 26, 2008.
Plays Ukelele and sings "Banks Of The Ohio" on the soundtrack to JohnTurturros "Romance and Cigarettes".
He is of Irish descent. His grandfather is from the village of Lisnashershane near Cork. His great-grand-uncle, Father William Corby, was the third President of Notre Dame University and Chaplain to New Yorks Fighting 69th Irish Brigade at Gettysburg.
