Kelly appeared in numerous
Off-Broadway and
Off-Off-Broadway productions, primarily at
The Public Theater and
Second Stage Theatre. A product of regional repertory theater, Kelly has been a company member of the
Williamstown Theater Festival (Massachusetts), the Folger Theater (DC), Arena Stage (DC), and the Actors Theatre of Louisville among others. He toured with the
National Players, the oldest classical touring company in the United States. He starred on
Broadway opposite
Madeline Kahn's Billie in
Born Yesterday in 1989, and as Brick opposite
Kathleen Turner's Maggie in
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 1990. In 2003, he appeared at the
Mark Taper Forum (Los Angeles), originating the role of Richard in
Living Out by
Lisa Loomer. Kelly starred on
daytime TV in ''
Ryan's Hope as Senator Frank Ryan (1978–1981). He became well known for his role on the ABC television series crime drama Hardcastle and McCormick (1983–1986) as the ex-con Mark "Skid" McCormick. Aside from Hardcastle and McCormick, he has starred in such television series as Chicago Story, I Married Dora, Second Noah, Ponderosa and Walt Disney Presents The 100 Lives of Blackjack Savage (1991) which he also co-produced. He returned to daytime television on As the World Turns, playing Col. Winston Mayer (2007–2009). He guest-starred in some television series, such as Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Los Angeles, Memphis Beat, The West Wing, NCIS: Los Angeles, Supernatural, Major Crimes, Boston Legal, Las Vegas and Walker, Texas Ranger''. ==Stage==