Kathleen Key
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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 probably best remembered for playing Tirzah in the 1925 film Ben-Hur.
Early life
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.
Rise to fame
In the early '20s, Kathleen 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."
In 1923, as Kathleen's 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, it seems the actress retired from film altogether.
In 1941, Key was unable to pay a fine she received for drunk driving, which proved that the actress was down on her luck following retirement. The sultry, exotic-looking actress 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.
Selected Filmography
- The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
- The Sea Hawk (1924)
- The Big Parade (1925)
- Ben Hur (1925)
External links
- [Kathleen Key] at the Internet Movie Database
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