Kathleen Key

Kathleen Key
Born Kitty Lanahan
April 1, 1903(1903-04-01)
Buffalo, New York
Died December 22, 1954(1954-12-22) (aged 51)
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California
Other names Kathleen Keys
Ethel Payton
Occupation Actress
Years active 1920-1936

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.

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Early life and career

Born Kitty Lanahan in Buffalo, New York, she first 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 1922, she was featured in Omar Khayyam and played a vampire in Where's My Wandering Boy Tonight. The same year she signed to play with Charles Buck Jones in Vamoos for Fox Film. In this role she wore the dress once worn by Sara Sothern in the stage production of Smilin' Through at the Majestic Theater in Los Angeles, California. Key spent a year in Australia as a leading woman in productions of Snow Baker around this time. Prior to making Vamoos, Kathleen starred with John Gilbert in St. Elmo, also for Fox. She was cast as an innocent young thing rather than playing her frequent vampire part. In 1923, as her career slowly progressed, she was selected one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars. In 1929, Key appeared in The Phantom of the North, which appeared to be her last film. However, she made three, very small and uncredited roles in 1930, 1935, and 1936, as a dance hall girl in Klondike Annie. After these minuscule appearances, Key retired from film altogether.

Personal life

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."

Death

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.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1920 The Jackeroo of Coolabong Edith MacDonald
The Rookie's Return Gloria
1921 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Georgette Uncredited
1922 Where's My Wandering Boy Tonight? Veronica Tyler
West of Chicago SeƱoria Gonzales
Bells of San Juan Florrie Engel
The Beautiful and Damned
1923 Hell's Hole Mabel Grant
The Rendezvous Varvara
North of Hudson Bay Estelle McDonald Alternative title: North of the Yukon
Reno Yvette, the governess
The Man from Brodney's Neenah
1924 The Trouble Shooter Nancy Brewster
The Sea Hawk Andalusian Slave Girl
Revelation Madonna
1925 A Lover's Oath Sherin
The Big Parade Miss Apperson
Ben Hur Tirzah Alternative title: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
1926 Under Western Skies Milly Leewis
The Flaming Frontier Lucretia
Money Talks Vamp
College Days Louise
The Desert's Toll Muriel Cooper
1927 Hey! Hey! Cowboy' Emily Decker
Irish Hearts Clarice
1928 Golf Widows Ethel Dixon
1929 The Family Picnic Cleo of Paris
The Phantom of the North Colette Alternative title: Phantoms of the North
1930 Sweeping Against the Winds Rosalie Lawrence
1935 Thunder in the Night Guest Uncredited
1936 Klondike Annie Dance Hall Girl Uncredited
One Rainy Afternoon Bit Role Uncredited
Alternative title: Matinee Scandal

References

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