Actor, director. Born in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from Indiana University with a dual degree in speech and theater, Kline headed off to New York to enter the drama department at Julliard, which had just been created by actor John Houseman. Upon completion of the program, Kline joined Houseman's newly-formed group the Acting Company, along with William Hurt. Kline won starring roles in theater productions, both on and off Broadway, in Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The School for Scandal, Scapin, and The Hostage Company, as well as several minor roles for New York Shakespeare Festival. Reluctantly, Kline accepted a role on NBC's daytime soap opera, Search for Tomorrow, but soon returned to the theater and won Tony Awards for his roles in On the Twentieth Century(1978) and The Pirates of Penzance (1981). Kline won critical acclaim for his first film, Sophie's Choice, which was quickly followed by a role in the ensemble cast of Lawrence Kasdan'sThe Big Chill, one of the best-loved films of the 1980s (1983). Kline went on to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Otto West in A Fish Called Wanda (1988). In the 1990s, he showcased his comedic talents in Soapdish (1991) and In and Out (1997). He has two children with actress Pheobe Cates.