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Kathleen Key

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
30

Gender
Female

Birthday
April 1, 1903 (123 years old)

Place of Birth
Buffalo, New York, USA

Kathleen Key

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.

Known For

Acting

1936Klondike Annieas
1935Thunder in the Nightas Party Guest
1930Sweeping Against the Windsas
1929The Phantom of the Northas Colette
1928Golf Widowsas Ethel Dixon
1927Irish Heartsas Clarice
1927Hey! Hey! Cowboyas Emily Decker
1926The Desert's Tollas Muriel Cooper
1926The Flaming Frontieras Lucretia
1926Money Talksas Vamp
1926Under Western Skiesas Milly Lewis
1925Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christas Tirzah
1925The Big Paradeas Miss Apperson (uncredited)
1925A Lover's Oathas Sherin
19251925 Studio Touras Self
1924Revelationas Madonna
1924The Sea Hawkas Andalusian Slave Girl
1924The Trouble Shooteras Nancy Brewster
1923The Man from Brodney'sas Neenah
1923Renoas Yvette - The Governess
1923North of Hudson Bayas Estelle MacDonald
1923The Rendezvousas Varvara
1923Hell's Holeas Mabel Grant
1922Bells of San Juanas Florrie Engel
1922West of Chicagoas Señoria Gonzales
1922Where's My Wandering Boy Tonight?as
1921The Fighting Breedas Enid MacDonald (as Ethel Payton)
1921The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypseas Georgette (uncredited)
1920The Rookie's Returnas Gloria
1920The Jackeroo of Coolabongas Edith MacDonald

Production