7.3
Movie
Acting
Kathleen Key
- Born
- Died
- (aged 51)
- Birthplace
- Buffalo, New York, USA
- Credits
- 30 titles
Biography
From Wikipedia:
Kathleen Key (April 1, 1903 – December 22, 1954) was an American actress who achieved a brief period of fame during the silent era. She is best remembered for playing Tirzah in the 1925 film Ben-Hur. Key was the great-great granddaughter of Francis Scott Key, composer of "The Star Spangled Banner", and a distant cousin of author F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Born Kitty Lanahan in Buffalo, New York, she debuted in films in 1920 in the film The Jackeroo of Coolabong, playing a lead role. From that point on to the end of the 1920s, Kathleen Key, sometimes credited as Kathleen Keys, starred in several films, but never really reached stardom, and was never given much credit for the roles she had, although there were some exceptions.
In the early '20s, Key had a well-known love affair with silent-film actor Buster Keaton, who was married at the time. As told in Keaton's biography, the actor attempted to call off the relationship, but Key flew into a jealous rage and ransacked his MGM dressing room, which caused her to be virtually blacklisted afterward by the movie industry. It is also stated that Keaton refused to give Key a monetary loan. A telegram, sent by one of Keaton's friends who had heard about the argument, comically read: "Congratulations. Hear you are off Key."
After her retirement in 1936, Keys spent the rest of her days in moderate comfort at the Motion Picture Country House in Woodland Hills, California, where she died at the age of 51 in 1954. Her interment was located at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery.
Signature work
Known For
7.3
Movie
6.3
Movie
Klondike Annie
6.8
Movie
The Sea Hawk
5.9
Movie
North of Hudson Bay
6.0
Movie
Thunder in the Night
3.7
Movie
Golf Widows
8.0
Movie
The Flaming Frontier
7.0
Movie
A Lover's Oath
9.0
Movie
The Trouble Shooter
8.0
Movie
The Rookie's Return
10.0
Movie
Bells of San Juan
9.0
Movie
Hell's Hole
8.0
Movie
Under Western Skies
9.0
Movie
Revelation
9.0
Movie
Hey! Hey! Cowboy
10.0
Movie
Irish Hearts
10.0
Movie
The Man from Brodney's
9.0
Movie
Reno
Acting credits 30
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Klondike Annie Film | |
| 1935 | Thunder in the Night Film | Party Guest |
| 1930 | Sweeping Against the Winds Film | |
| 1929 | The Phantom of the North Film | Colette |
| 1928 | Golf Widows Film | Ethel Dixon |
| 1927 | Irish Hearts Film | Clarice |
| 1927 | Hey! Hey! Cowboy Film | Emily Decker |
| 1926 | The Desert's Toll Film | Muriel Cooper |
| 1926 | The Flaming Frontier Film | Lucretia |
| 1926 | Money Talks Film | Vamp |
| 1926 | Under Western Skies Film | Milly Lewis |
| 1925 | Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ Film | Tirzah |
| 1925 | The Big Parade Film | Miss Apperson (uncredited) |
| 1925 | A Lover's Oath Film | Sherin |
| 1925 | 1925 Studio Tour Film | Self |
| 1924 | Revelation Film | Madonna |
| 1924 | The Sea Hawk Film | Andalusian Slave Girl |
| 1924 | The Trouble Shooter Film | Nancy Brewster |
| 1923 | The Man from Brodney's Film | Neenah |
| 1923 | Reno Film | Yvette - The Governess |
| 1923 | North of Hudson Bay Film | Estelle MacDonald |
| 1923 | The Rendezvous Film | Varvara |
| 1923 | Hell's Hole Film | Mabel Grant |
| 1922 | Bells of San Juan Film | Florrie Engel |
| 1922 | West of Chicago Film | Señoria Gonzales |
| 1922 | Where's My Wandering Boy Tonight? Film | |
| 1921 | The Fighting Breed Film | Enid MacDonald (as Ethel Payton) |
| 1921 | The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Film | Georgette (uncredited) |
| 1920 | The Rookie's Return Film | Gloria |
| 1920 | The Jackeroo of Coolabong Film | Edith MacDonald |