After graduating from Indiana University in Bloomington, Kline studied at the Juilliard School in New York. In 1972, Kline joined the Acting Company in New York which was run by John Houseman. With this company, Kline performed Shakespeare across the country. On the stage, Kline has won two Tony Awards for his work in the musicals "On the Twentieth Century" (1978) and "The Pirates of Penzance" (1981). After working on the Television soap Search for Tomorrow, Kline went to Hollywood where his first film was Sophie's Choice. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. His work in the ensemble cast of The Big Chill would again be highly successful, so that when Lawrence Kasdan wrote Silverado, Kline would again be part of the cast. With his role as Otto "Don't call me Stupid!" West in the film A Fish Called Wanda, Kline would win the Oscar for Supporting Actor. Kline could play classic roles such as Hamlet in Hamlet; or a swashbuckling actor like Douglas Fairbanks in Chaplin; or a comedic role in Soapdish. In all the films that he has worked in, it is hard to find a performance that is not well done. In 1989, Kline married actress Phoebe Cates.


Children: Owen Kline (full name, Owen Joseph Kline, b. October 14th 1991) and Greta Kline (full name, Greta Simone Kline, b. March 21st 1994). Kline has played presidents and their doubles twice to date: he played Dave and President Bill Mitchell in Dave (1993), and Artemus Gordon and President Ulysses S. Grant in Wild Wild West (1999). Turned down the role of Batman (1989). Brother of producer Kate Kline May. In 1975, he met with director Steven Spielberg about playing Matt Hooper in Jaws (1975) (Played by Richard Dreyfuss). Kevin said that he knew someone who was an oceanographer and thought he could play one. Spielberg then told him "I don't want someone who knows someone who is an oceanographer, I want someone who is an oceanographer". Richard Dreyfuss then got the part. Became the 2,272nd recipient of a bronze-edged star embedded in the pavement of Los Angeles' Hollywood Boulevard. Met future wife Phoebe Cates when she auditioned for the part of Chloe in The Big Chill (1983), that eventually went to 'Meg Tilly'. Son-in-law of Joseph Cates. Has a star in the St. Louis Walk of Fame located on the Delmar Loop. Has played dual roles in three of his films: Dave (1993), Wild Wild West (1999) and Fierce Creatures (1997). In each film, one of his characters has to impersonate the other one. Kevin is the first American actor to receive the Sir John Gielgud Golden Quill Award and was recently honored with the Lucille Lortel Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2004, he was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. Kevin Kline's father owned a toy and record store in Clayton, MO, called "The Record Bar.".