Actor / Director Profile

Cute, bubbly and adorable blonde actress Kelli Maroney was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kelli began her career acting and studying at the Guthrie Theater in her native Minneapolis. Maroney then went to New York to study at the National Shakespeare Company Conservatory. Two weeks after she arrived in Manhattan Kelli was cast as evil adolescent Kimberly Harris on the daytime soap opera "Ryan's Hope." Maroney went on to play the vengeful Tina Clayton Lord Roberts on "One Life to Live." She was quite funny and spirited as perky cheerleader Cindy in the hilarious teen comedy smash "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Kelli achieved her greatest enduring cult popularity with her delightful turn as the endearingly daffy and spunky Samantha in the terrific science fiction end-of-the-world treat "Night of the Comet." Maroney has appeared in several enjoyably lowbrow pictures for prolific exploitation flick director Jim Wynorski; she's especially memorable as the sweet Alison Parks in the entertaining slasher romp "Chopping Mall." She cheerfully poked fun at her own B-movie starlet image in "Scream Queen Hot Tub Party." Kelli delivered a very strong and impressive portrayal of schizophrenic femme fatale Meredith (Merre) Lake in the superior made-for-cable-TV mystery thriller "Face Down." Maroney both acted in and co-produced the acclaimed award-winning short movie "sam and mike." She has made guest appearances on the TV shows "Simon & Simon," "Murder, She Wrote," "The Pretender," and "Chicago Hope." Outside of her film and TV credits, Maroney has also acted on stage: she portrayed stripper Brandy in the long-running hit "Pink" at the Renegade Theater and took over for Carrie Ann Moss for the 1940s period piece "Outward Bound" at the Hudson Backstage. Moreover, Kelli has studied with famed acting coach Cameron Thor and further honed her craft by doing improv at the legendary Groundlings in Los Angeles. After a regrettable five year absence in front of the camera, Kelli Maroney made a welcome comeback in the comic short "Audition."