American actress (–)
Kellie Suzanne Waymire (July 27, – November 13, ) was an American stage, television, and film actress. She was known for her television roles on Six Feet Under, Friends, and Star Trek: Enterprise.
Waymire was born in Columbus, Ohio to Jack and Vickie Waymire. She had two siblings, Tony and Rebecca. The family moved frequently, living in Lake Tahoe, Nevada; Denver, Colorado; Tampa, Florida; and Houston, Texas. In Houston, Waymire attended Lamar High School where she became interested in acting and was the drama club's president.[2] She then attended Southern Methodist University (SMU) where she won the Greer Garson Award.[3]
Waymire completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater at SMU, and earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego in [4]
After graduating from college, Waymire moved to New York City.[2] She began her television career in the role of Emily Haynes on the soap opera One Life to Live in [1]
In , she moved to Los Angeles[2] and continued her career in a number of primetime television shows, including The Practice, Judging Amy, The X-Files, Wolf Lake, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NYPD Blue, and Yes Dear.[5]
Waymire was predominantly cast in offbeat or humorous roles. Two of her highest-profile roles were recurring ones on Six Feet Under, where she played Melissa, a prostitute; and on Star Trek: Enterprise, as Crewman Elizabeth Cutler.[6] She had previously portrayed the role of Lanya in Star Trek: Voyager in the episode "Muse". She guest-starred in the Season 9 Seinfeld episode "The Blood", as a sickly mother who wants someone to take care of her son in the event of her death.[7]
In , Waymire was cast as a regular in the short-lived Fox sitcom The Pitts.[1] It was canceled after four weeks.[8] Among her final onscreen roles were guest spots on Friends (in the episode "The One Where Ross Is Fine", aired a month before her death), Everwood, and Wonderfalls, the last two of which aired after her death.[6] The latter was dedicated to her memory. She appeared in a number of feature films, including a role as Jane in the comedy-drama Playing by Heart ().[1]
In addition to her film and television work, Waymire was active in regional theater around the United States.[1] She played the lead in A.R. Gurney's play Sylvia at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre in She appeared in a revival of the Noël Coward play Present Laughter at the Pasadena Playhouse in , and in many other stage productions across the country.[9] At the time of her death, she was starring as Anne in the stage adaptation of Kate Crackernuts at the 24th Street Theatre in Los Angeles.[2]
On November 13, , Waymire died in her home in Venice, Los Angeles, California of cardiac arrest caused by an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia, likely related to mitral valve prolapse, a condition with which she had been diagnosed as a teenager. Her funeral was held on November 23, , in West Milton, Ohio.[2][10] Her partner at the time of her death was actor and Ovation Award winning set designer Gary Judson Smoot.[1]
On December 8, , a public memorial was held at the Ralph Freud Playhouse, housed in Macgowan Hall at UCLA.[6]
The Kellie Waymire Scholarship Fund, through the UC San Diego Foundation, was established in her honor.[2][11]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playing by Heart | Jane | ||
| Dig a Hole, Find a Finger | |||
| Buddy Boy | Ireland | ||
| Sunset Strip | Mary | ||
| Screenland Drive | Nina | ||
| Maniacts | Beth Windsor | ||
| The Vest | Mom | Short | |
| Something More | Mrs. Avery | Short |