Celebrity

Who Is Camelia Kath? Everything About Terry Kath’s Wife

September 2, 2026

Camelia Kath is an American actress and writer. She is also known as the wife of Terry Kath. Terry was a singer and guitarist in the band Chicago.

She also built her own career in film and TV. Her acting work includes Terror on Tour, Fake Out, and The Killing Time. She later worked behind the scenes on The Nanny.

Quick Bio

Detail	Information
Full Name	Camelia Kath
Birth Name	Camelia Emily Ortiz
Date of Birth	September 22, 1953
Birthplace	Puerto Rico
Nationality	American
Profession	Actress and writer
Known For	The Killing Time, The Nanny, and marriage to Terry Kath
First Husband	Terry Kath
Daughter With Terry Kath	Michelle Kath Sinclair
Former Husband	Kiefer Sutherland
Daughter With Kiefer Sutherland	Sarah Sutherland
Later Husband	Jeff Lynne
Family Documentary	The Terry Kath Experience

Early Life of Camelia Kath

Camelia was born on September 22, 1953. Her birth name is Camelia Emily Ortiz. She later became known by the name Camelia Kath.

Little public information exists about her early years. Her parents and school life have stayed private. There are also few clear records about her childhood.

Her public story became clearer as an adult. She entered the film world in the early 1980s. She later worked in both movies and TV.

Her life also brought her close to famous artists. Some came from music. Others came from film and television.

Camelia Kath’s Acting Career

Camelia began acting in the early 1980s. She appeared in Terror on Tour in 1980. It was one of her first known screen roles.

She later worked on Fake Out in 1982. The film was a crime comedy. She had a voice role in the movie.

Her best known acting role came in 1987. She played Laura Winslow in The Killing Time. The crime film gave her a much larger role.

The movie also starred Beau Bridges and Kiefer Sutherland. Joe Don Baker and Wayne Rogers were also in the cast. The film became an important part of her career.

What Was Camelia Kath’s Role in The Killing Time?

The Killing Time came out in 1987. Camelia played Laura Winslow. She had one of the main roles in the story.

The plot follows a man with a false name. He takes the place of a new deputy. Crime and secrets soon cause more trouble.

Laura is tied to the main events of the film. Her role gave Camelia more screen time. It also became her best known acting part.

The film also changed her personal life. She met Kiefer Sutherland during the project. Their work link later became a personal one.

Camelia Kath and The Nanny

Camelia later worked behind the camera. She joined the team of The Nanny in the 1990s. The hit sitcom starred Fran Drescher.

The show ran from 1993 to 1999. Camelia worked as an executive assistant on some episodes. This gave her a new role in TV production.

She also earned a story credit. She helped with the episode The Dummy Twins. It aired during the final season.

This work showed another side of her career. She was not only an actress. She also had work in TV writing and production.

Camelia Kath and Terry Kath

Camelia became part of rock history through Terry Kath. Terry was one of the founding members of Chicago. He played guitar and also sang.

The couple had one daughter together. Her name is Michelle Kath Sinclair. Michelle was born in 1976.

Terry died on January 23, 1978. His death came from an accidental gunshot. He was only 31 years old.

Camelia then raised their young daughter. She later shared family stories about Terry. Those stories helped Michelle learn more about her father.

Who Was Terry Kath?

Terry Kath was born on January 31, 1946. He became known as a guitarist and singer. He was a founding member of Chicago.

The band first used another name. It was called Chicago Transit Authority. Terry helped shape its early sound.

His style mixed rock, blues, jazz, and soul. His guitar work stood out on many early songs. His deep voice also gave the group a unique sound.

Terry died on January 23, 1978. His death shocked his family and bandmates. Chicago chose to keep making music after his death.

His sound still remains part of the band’s history. Fans also continue to study his guitar work. His music helped shape Chicago’s early years.

Terry Kath’s Legacy and Documentary

Terry’s music stayed popular after his death. His daughter later wanted to know more about him. She had been very young when he died.

Michelle Kath Sinclair began to study his life. She spoke with people who knew him. She also looked at old family material.

Her work became a film. She directed The Terry Kath Experience. The documentary came out in 2016.

The film looks at Terry as a musician and father. It also shows his life away from the stage. Family members and musicians share their memories.

Camelia appears in the film as Terry’s widow. She is also Michelle’s mother. Her memories add a close family view.

The film helped new fans learn about Terry. It also gave Michelle a way to know her father. The project became a key part of his later legacy.

Camelia Kath and Kiefer Sutherland

Camelia later met Kiefer Sutherland. They worked together in The Killing Time. Their bond grew after they met on the film.

They married in 1987. Kiefer was still building his acting career. He later became famous for many film and TV roles.

One of his best known roles was Jack Bauer. He played the part in the TV series 24. The role made him a major TV star.

Camelia and Kiefer had one daughter. Sarah Sutherland was born in 1988. Their marriage ended in 1990.

Both went on with their own lives. Kiefer kept acting in film and TV. Camelia stayed linked to entertainment work.

Who Is Sarah Sutherland?

Sarah Sutherland is Camelia’s younger daughter. Her father is Kiefer Sutherland. She was born on February 18, 1988.

Sarah chose acting as her own career. She studied at New York University. She trained at the school’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Her best known role came in Veep. She played Catherine Meyer. The HBO comedy became a major hit.

Catherine was the daughter of Selina Meyer. Actress Julia Louis Dreyfus played Selina. Sarah appeared in many episodes of the show.

Sarah also comes from a famous acting family. Her grandfather was Donald Sutherland. Still, she built her own record through acting work.

Michelle Kath Sinclair and Her Career

Michelle Kath Sinclair is Camelia’s older daughter. Her father was Terry Kath. She was born in 1976.

Michelle lost her father when she was very young. She had only a few direct memories of him. She later wanted to learn more.

As an adult, she began to study his story. She spoke with family members and musicians. She also looked at old recordings and photos.

This work led to The Terry Kath Experience. Michelle directed and produced the film. It became her best known project.

The film gave her a way to study her father. It also helped fans learn more about Terry. The story felt personal because his daughter led it.

Michelle later married actor Adam Sinclair. She has kept much of her private life out of the press. Her film work remains her best known public project.

Camelia Kath and Jeff Lynne

Camelia later formed a bond with Jeff Lynne. He is a singer, writer, musician, and producer. He is best known for Electric Light Orchestra.

The band is also known as ELO. Jeff became one of its main creative forces. His music career has lasted for many years.

He also worked with other major artists. These include George Harrison, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison. He was also part of the Traveling Wilburys.

Camelia and Jeff married in 2017. Their marriage gave her another link to rock music. Both had spent many years around the music and film world.

They keep much of their private life out of public view. Few personal details have been made public. This has helped them keep a lower profile.

Bottom Line

Camelia has ties to both film and music. She acted in movies and worked on TV. She also earned a writing credit.

Her career was smaller than those of some people around her. Still, she had her own work in entertainment. Her credits show more than just family ties.

Her daughters also chose creative work. Michelle became a filmmaker. Sarah became an actress.

Her first marriage linked her to Chicago. Terry helped shape the band’s early sound. His work still has many fans.

Her marriage to Kiefer linked her to a famous acting family. Her later marriage to Jeff added another major music link. These ties make her life unusual.

Still, Camelia should not be known only as a wife. She has her own acting and TV credits. Her work is part of her public story.

She also helped keep Terry’s story close to the family. Her memories later became part of Michelle’s film. That link helped connect a family story with rock history.

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