Kelly Jean Van Dyke

Actress

Birthday June 5, 1958

Birth Sign Gemini

Birthplace Danville, Illinois, U.S.

DEATH DATE 1991-11-17, Los Angeles, California, U.S. (33 years old)

Nationality United States

#6724 Most Popular

1958

Kelly Jean Van Dyke (June 5, 1958 – November 17, 1991) was an American actress and adult film performer.

She was the daughter of actor Jerry Van Dyke, niece of the actor Dick Van Dyke, and first cousin once removed of Shane Van Dyke.

As an actress, she was known for such television programs as My Mother the Car.

1991

In May 1991, Kelly married actor Jack Nance.

They had met in rehab, as both had struggled with drug and alcohol addictions.

Kelly was also "trying to shed nefarious connections to the porn industry in which she had dabbled under the name Nancee Kelley."

Kelly Van Dyke-Nance died by suicide on November 17, 1991.

Her husband, Jack Nance, was in Bass Lake, California filming Meatballs 4 at the time.

Van Dyke had relapsed and then resumed making pornography in order to fund her addictions.

During a phone call with Van Dyke, Nance stated he wanted to end their marriage as he could not watch her "destroy herself."

Van Dyke then said she would "kill herself if he hung up on her.” Moments later a storm took out the line and the phone went dead. Subsequently, it took over 45 minutes for Nance and director Bobby Logan to find a working phone. After reaching the nearest town's sheriff office, an officer contacted Los Angeles police. They broke in, finding that the 33-year-old Van Dyke had hanged herself.