Kevin Delaney Kline born October 24, is an American actor. In a career spanning over five decades, he has become a prominent leading man across both stage and screen. On television, Kline started his career in the soap opera Search for Tomorrow Since , he has voiced Calvin Fischoeder in the animated sitcom Bob's Burgers.
Kline was born on October 24, , in St. Louis that opened in He graduated from the Saint Louis Priory School in At its dedication, he performed selections from Shakespeare as a benefit. He began studying composing and conducting music, but switched to a theater and speech major for his last two years, and graduated in I could barely make it to class because this was my passion.
In , Kline won a scholarship to the newly formed drama division of the Juilliard School in New York. At Juilliard, he studied singing with Beverley Peck Johnson. In the ensuing years, Kline appeared many times in New York Shakespeare Festival productions of Shakespeare plays, including starring roles in Richard III , [ 16 ] Much Ado About Nothing , [ 17 ] Henry V , [ 18 ] and two productions of Hamlet , in [ 19 ] and which he also directed.
Kline finally ventured into film in in Sophie's Choice. He won the coveted role of the tormented and moody Nathan opposite Meryl Streep. Kline, whose Nathan convincingly demonstrates the greatest of tenderness toward Sophie, is also called upon to rail at her mercilessly.
In the tender scenes Mr. Kline makes himself very appealing; in the cruel ones, he does the best he can to affect a viciousness that, even on the page, seemed less than fully convincing. During the s and early to mids, Kline made several films with director Lawrence Kasdan starting with The Big Chill The film revolves around friends from college reuniting after the death of a friend. The film was a critical and commercial success. Newsday critic Lynn Darling wrote on July 13, , that Kline "has proved himself to be one of the most talented and versatile American actors of his generation.
