
Kathleen Key
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.
Filmography (30 titles)
6.3MovieKlondike Annie
1936
6.0MovieThunder in the Night
Party Guest · 1935
Sweeping Against the Winds
1930
The Phantom of the North
Colette · 1929
3.7MovieGolf Widows
Ethel Dixon · 1928
10.0MovieIrish Hearts
Clarice · 1927
9.0MovieHey! Hey! Cowboy
Emily Decker · 1927
7.0MovieThe Desert's Toll
Muriel Cooper · 1926
8.0MovieThe Flaming Frontier
Lucretia · 1926
MovieMoney Talks
Vamp · 1926
8.0MovieUnder Western Skies
Milly Lewis · 1926
7.3MovieBen-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Tirzah · 1925
7.6MovieThe Big Parade
Miss Apperson (uncredited) · 1925
7.0MovieA Lover's Oath
Sherin · 1925
6.3Movie1925 Studio Tour
Self · 1925
9.0MovieRevelation
Madonna · 1924
6.8MovieThe Sea Hawk
Andalusian Slave Girl · 1924
9.0MovieThe Trouble Shooter
Nancy Brewster · 1924
10.0MovieThe Man from Brodney's
Neenah · 1923
9.0MovieReno
Yvette - The Governess · 1923
5.9MovieNorth of Hudson Bay
Estelle MacDonald · 1923
8.0MovieThe Rendezvous
Varvara · 1923
9.0MovieHell's Hole
Mabel Grant · 1923
10.0MovieBells of San Juan
Florrie Engel · 1922
9.0MovieWest of Chicago
Señoria Gonzales · 1922
Where's My Wandering Boy Tonight?
1922
The Fighting Breed
Enid MacDonald (as Ethel Payton) · 1921
6.6MovieThe Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Georgette (uncredited) · 1921
8.0MovieThe Rookie's Return
Gloria · 1920
9.0MovieThe Jackeroo of Coolabong
Edith MacDonald · 1920