Ian Keith (born Keith Ross; February 27, 1899 – March 26, 1960) was an American actor.

Early years

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Keith grew up in Chicago. He was educated at the Francis Parker School there and played Hamlet in a school production at age 16.

Career

Keith was a veteran character actor of the stage, and appeared in a variety of colorful roles in silent features of the 1920s. In 1919, as Keith Ross, he acted with the Copley Repertory Theatre in Boston. On Broadway, as Ian Keith, he performed in ''The Andersonville Trial'' (1959), ''Edwin Booth'' (1958), ''Saint Joan'' (1956), ''Touchstone'' (1953), ''The Leading Lady'' (1948), ''A Woman's a Fool - to Be Clever'' (1938), ''Robin Landing'' (1937), ''King Richard II'' (1937), ''Best Sellers'' (1933), ''Hangman's Whip'' (1933), ''Firebird'' (1932), ''Queen Bee'' (1929), ''The Command Performance'' (1928), ''The Master of the Inn'' (1925), ''Laugh, Clown, Laugh!'' (1923), ''As You Like It'' (1923), ''The Czarina'' (1922), and ''The Silver Fox'' (1921). Ian Keith, vaudeville entertainer (SAYRE 4304)

Ian Keith, vaudeville entertainer (SAYRE 4304)

He played

John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) was an American stage actor who assassinated United States President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. A member of the prominent 19th-century Booth ...

in D. W. Griffith's first sound film, ''

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

''. Keith had a major role as a gambler in director Raoul Walsh's 1930

widescreen Widescreen images are displayed within a set of aspect ratios (relationship of image width to height) used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than t ...

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

The Big Trail ''The Big Trail'' is a 1930 American pre-Code Western early widescreen film shot on location across the American West starring 23-year-old John Wayne in his first leading role and directed by Raoul Walsh. In 2006, the United States Libra ...

'' starring John Wayne. In 1932,

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...

cast him in '' The Sign of the Cross''. This established him as a dependable supporting player, and he went on to play dozens of roles—including Octavian (

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

) in Cleopatra—in major and minor screen fare for the next three decades. He became one of DeMille's favorites, appearing in many of the producer's epic films. He portrayed Count de Rochefort in both the 1935 version and the 1948 remake of ''The Three Musketeers''. In the 1940s he became even busier, working primarily in "B" features and westerns and alternating between playing good guys (a chief of detectives in ''The Payoff'', a friendly hypnotist in ''Mr. Hex'', a blowhard politician in ''She Gets Her Man'') and bad guys (a murder suspect in ''The Chinese Cat'', a crooked lawyer in ''Bowery Champs'', a swindler in ''Singing on the Trail''). He appeared in a supporting role to

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James'', ' ...

in '' Nightmare Alley'' (1947) as a former vaudevillian turned carny who has succumbed to alcoholism. He also had a definite flair for comedy, and his florid portrayal of the comic-strip ham actor "Vitamin Flintheart" in ''

Dick Tracy vs. Cueball ''Dick Tracy vs. Cueball'' is a 1946 American action film based on the 1930s comic strip character of the same name created by Chester Gould. The film stars Morgan Conway as Dick Tracy in the second installment of the ''Dick Tracy'' film serie ...

'' was so amusing that he repeated the role in two more films. He played tough-guy military roles, such as Admiral Burns in Robert Gordon's sci-fi epic, ''

It Came From Beneath the Sea ''It Came from Beneath the Sea'' is a 1955 American science fiction monster film from Columbia Pictures, produced by Sam Katzman and Charles Schneer, directed by Robert Gordon, that stars Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, and Donald Curtis. The ...

'' (1955). He also appeared on many television episodes in the 1950s, including starring in the premiere episode of ''

The Nash Airflyte Theater ''The Nash Airflyte Theater'' is an American dramatic anthology television series that was broadcast from September 21, 1950, through March 15, 1951, on CBS on Thursday evenings. It originated from WCBS-TV in New York City at 10:30 p.m. ...

'' in 1950. In 1955, he was seen on screen in his only

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

role, when he made a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

as the Ghost opposite

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

in a sequence from the Edwin Booth biopic ''

Prince of Players ''Prince of Players'' is a 1955 20th Century Fox biographical film about the 19th century American actor Edwin Booth. The film was directed and produced by Philip Dunne from a screenplay by Moss Hart, based on the book by Eleanor Ruggles. Th ...

''. Cecil B. DeMille brought him back to the big screen for ''

The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...

'' (1956); Keith played

Ramses I Menpehtyre Ramesses I (or Ramses) was the founding pharaoh of ancient Egypt's 19th Dynasty. The dates for his short reign are not completely known but the time-line of late 1292–1290 BC is frequently cited as well as 1295–1294 BC. While R ...

. Keith played Emmett Dayton in the radio soap opera '' Girl Alone''. Keith died in Medical Arts Hospital in New York on March 26, 1960, and was cremated in Hartsdale, New York.

Marriages

Blanche Yurka Blanche Yurka (born Blanch Jurka, June 19, 1887 – June 6, 1974) was an American stage and film actress and director. She was an opera singer with minor roles at the Metropolitan Opera and later became a stage actress, making her Broadway debu ...

(1922 - 1926) *

Ethel Clayton Ethel Clayton (November 8, 1882 – June 6, 1966) was an American actress of the silent film era. Early years Born in Champaign, Illinois, Clayton attended St. Elizabeth's school in Chicago. Career Clayton debuted on stage as a professional ...

(1928 - 1931) * Fern Andra (m. in 1932 and again in 1934, when the legality of the first ceremony was questioned; divorced; in 1938 Andra married again) * Hildegarde Pabst (1936 - 1960)

Partial filmography

* '' Manhandled'' (1924) as Robert Brandt (film debut) * ''

Her Love Story ''Her Love Story'' is a 1924 American silent romantic drama film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Gloria Swanson. It was produced by Famous Players-Lasky, distributed by Paramount Pictures, and based on the short story "Her Majesty, the Qu ...

'' (1924) as Captain Kavor * ''

Christine of the Hungry Heart ''Christine of the Hungry Heart'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Florence Vidor. It was produced by Thomas H. Ince and released through First National Pictures. Plot As described in a review in ...

'' (1924) as Ivan Vianney * '' Love's Wilderness'' (1924) as Paul L'Estrange * '' Enticement'' (1925) as Richard Valyran * ''

My Son My or MY may refer to: Arts and entertainment * My (radio station), a Malaysian radio station * Little My, a fictional character in the Moomins universe * ''My'' (album), by Edyta Górniak * ''My'' (EP), by Cho Mi-yeon Business * Mar ...

'' (1925) as Felipe Vargas * '' The Talker'' (1925) as Ned Hollister * '' The Tower of Lies'' (1925) as Lars * ''

The Greater Glory ''The Greater Glory'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Curt Rehfeld. The film starred Conway Tearle and Boris Karloff. ''The Greater Glory'' is sometimes listed as ''The Viennese Medley'', the title of Edith O'Shaughnessy's no ...

'' (1926) as Pauli Birbach * ''The Lily'' (1926) as George Arnaud * ''

Prince of Tempters ''Prince of Tempters'' is a 1926 American silent romance film directed by Lothar Mendes and starring Lois Moran, Ben Lyon and Lya De Putti. It is based on the 1924 novel '' The Ex-Duke'' by the British writer E. Phillips Oppenheim. The film w ...

'' (1926) as Mario Ambrosio, later Baron Humberto Giordano * '' The Truthful Sex'' (1926) as Tom Barnes * ''

The Love of Sunya ''The Love of Sunya'' (also known as ''The Loves of Sunya'') is an American silent drama film made in 1927. It was directed by Albert Parker, and was based on the play ''The Eyes of Youth'' by Max Marcin and Charles Guernon. Produced by and st ...

'' (1927) as Louis Anthony * '' What Every Girl Should Know'' (1927) as Arthur Graham * ''

Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

'' (1927) as Smith * '' Two Arabian Knights'' (1927) as Shevket * '' A Man's Past'' (1927) as Dr. Fontaine * '' The Street of Illusion'' (1928) as Edwin Booth Benton * '' The Lookout Girl'' (1928) as Dean Richardson * ''

The Divine Lady ''The Divine Lady'' is a 1929 American pre-Code Vitaphone sound film with a synchronized musical score, sound effects, and some synchronized singing, but no spoken dialogue. It stars Corinne Griffith and tells the story of the love affair betwe ...

'' (1929) as Honorable Charles Greville * '' Prisoners'' (1929) as Nicholas Cathy * ''Light Fingers'' (1929) as Light Fingers * '' The Great Divide'' (1929) as Steven Ghent * ''Prince of Diamonds'' (1930) as Rupert Endon * ''

'' (1930) as

* ''

'' (1930) as Bill Thorpe * ''

The Boudoir Diplomat ''The Boudoir Diplomat'' is a 1930 American pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair, produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, from the play ''The Command To Love'' by Fritz Gottwald and Rudolph Lothar. The film is ...

'' (1930) as Baron Belmar * '' A Tailor Made Man'' (1931) as Dr. Von Sonntag * '' The Sin Ship'' (1931) as Smiley Marsden * ''

The Phantom of Paris ''The Phantom of Paris'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by John S. Robertson and written by Bess Meredyth, Edwin Justus Mayer and John Meehan. The film stars John Gilbert and Leila Hyams, and is based on the 1913 novel ''Ché ...

'' (1931) as Marquis Du Touchais * '' Susan Lenox'' (1931) as Robert Lane * '' The Deceiver'' (1931) as Reginald Thorpe * '' The Sign of the Cross'' (1932) as

Tigellinus Ofonius Tigellinus (c. 10 – 69) was a prefect of the Roman imperial bodyguard, known as the Praetorian Guard, from 62 until 68, during the reign of emperor Nero. Tigellinus gained imperial favour through his acquaintance wit ...

* '' Queen Christina'' (1933) as

Magnus Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...

* ''

Dangerous Corner ''Dangerous Corner'' was the first play by the English writer J. B. Priestley. It was premiered in May 1932 by Tyrone Guthrie at the Lyric Theatre, London, and filmed in 1934 by Phil Rosen. Priestley had recently collaborated with Edward Kno ...

'' (1934) as Martin Chatfield * '' Cleopatra'' (1934) as

Octavian Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

* ''

The Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...

'' (1935) as

Saladin Yusuf ibn Ayyub ibn Shadi () ( – 4 March 1193), commonly known by the epithet Saladin,, ; ku, سه‌لاحه‌دین, ; was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Hailing from an ethnic Kurdish family, he was the first of both Egypt and ...

- Sultan of Islam * ''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight ...

'' (1935) as de Rochefort * '' Don't Gamble with Love'' (1936) as John Crane * ''

The Preview Murder Mystery ''The Preview Murder Mystery'' is a 1936 American mystery-comedy, directed by Robert Florey and shot in the Paramount studio. The plot follows a studio public relations man who attempts to trap a killer using television technology, allowing on ...

'' (1936) as E. Gordon Smith * '' Mary of Scotland'' (1936) as James Stuart - Earl of Moray * '' White Legion'' (1936) as Dr. Julian Murray * '' The Buccaneer'' (1938) as Senator Crawford * '' Comet Over Broadway'' (1938) as Wilton Banks * '' The Sea Hawk'' (1940) as Peralta * ''

All This, and Heaven Too ''All This, and Heaven Too'' is a 1940 American drama film made by Warner Bros.-First National Pictures, produced and directed by Anatole Litvak with Hal B. Wallis as executive producer. The screenplay was adapted by Casey Robinson from the 193 ...

'' (1940) as DeLangle * ''

Remember Pearl Harbor ''Remember Pearl Harbor'' is a 1942 American propaganda film directed by Joseph Santley and written by Malcolm Stuart Boylan and Isabel Dawn. The film stars Don "Red" Barry, Alan Curtis, Fay McKenzie, Sig Ruman, Ian Keith and Rhys Williams. '' ...

'' (1942) as Capt. Hudson * '' Fall In'' (1942) as Army Doctor (uncredited) * '' The Payoff'' (1942) as Inspector Thomas * ''

The Sundown Kid ''The Sundown Kid'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Elmer Clifton and written by Norman S. Hall. The film stars Don "Red" Barry, Ian Keith, Helen MacKellar, Linda Leighton, Emmett Lynn and Wade Crosby. The film was released on Dece ...

'' (1942) as J. Richard Spencer * '' Corregidor'' (1943) as Capt. Morris * '' Wild Horse Stampede'' (1943) as Carson * '' I Escaped from the Gestapo'' (1943) as Gerard * ''

Five Graves to Cairo ''Five Graves to Cairo'' is a 1943 war film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Franchot Tone and Anne Baxter. Set in World War II, it is one of a number of films based on Lajos Bíró's 1917 play ''Hotel Imperial: Színmű négy felvonásba ...

'' (1943) as Capt. St. Bride (uncredited) * ''

That Nazty Nuisance ''That Nazty Nuisance'' is a 1943 American featurette that was one of Hal Roach's Streamliners and directed by Glenn Tryon. The film is also known as ''Double Crossed Fool'' (international TV title) and ''The Last Three''. It is a sequel to ''The ...

'' (1943) as Chief Paj Mab * ''

The Man from Thunder River ''The Man from Thunder River'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by John English and written by J. Benton Cheney. The film stars Wild Bill Elliott, George "Gabby" Hayes, Anne Jeffreys, Ian Keith, John James and Georgie Cooper. The f ...

'' (1943) as Henry Stevens * ''

Bordertown Gun Fighters ''Bordertown Gun Fighters'' is a 1943 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Norman S. Hall. The film stars Wild Bill Elliott, George "Gabby" Hayes, Anne Jeffreys, Ian Keith, Harry Woods (actor), Har ...

'' (1943) as Cameo Shelby * ''

Adventures of the Flying Cadets ''Adventures of the Flying Cadets'' is a 13-episode 1943 Universal film serial directed by Ray Taylor and Lewis D. Collins. Plot Flying students Danny Collins (Johnny Downs), "Jinx" Roberts (Bobby Jordan), "Scrapper" McKay (Ward Wood) and "Zom ...

'' (1943, Serial) as Col. Lee hs. 9-13* '' Here Comes Kelly'' (1943) as L. Herbert Oakley - Attorney * '' Casanova in Burlesque'' (1944) as J. Boggs-Robinson * ''

Arizona Whirlwind ''Arizona Whirlwind'' is a 1944 American Western film directed by Robert Emmett Tansey. It stars Ken Maynard, Hoot Gibson, and Bob Steele. Cast * Ken Maynard as U.S. Marshal * Hoot Gibson as U.S. Marshal * Bob Steele as himself * Ian Ke ...

'' (1944) as Polini * ''

The Chinese Cat ''The Chinese Cat'' (also titled ''Murder in the Funhouse'') is a 1944 mystery film starring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan. Plot Mr. Manning is murdered in his study while the door is locked from the inside. Pol ...

'' (1944) as Dr. Paul Recknik * '' Cowboy from Lonesome River'' (1944) as Matt Conway * ''

Bowery Champs ''Bowery Champs'' is a 1944 American film directed by William Beaudine and starring the East Side Kids. Plot After she files for divorce from nightclub owner Tom Wilson, former Broadway star Gypsy Carmen demands that he return the securities tha ...

'' (1944) as Ken Duncan * '' Under Western Skies'' (1945) as Prof. Moffat * ''

Fog Island ''Fog Island'' is a 1945 American mystery-suspense film directed by Terry O. Morse. The film stars B movie horror film regulars George Zucco and Lionel Atwill. It was based on the 1937 play ''Angel Island'' by Bernadine "Bernie" Angus. Plot ...

'' (1945) as Dr. Lake * '' Identity Unknown'' (1945) as Major Williams * '' Phantom of the Plains'' (1945) as Talbot Wilberforce Champneys aka Fancy Charlie * '' Song of Old Wyoming'' (1945) as Lee Landow * ''

The Spanish Main ''The Spanish Main'' is a 1945 American adventure film starring Paul Henreid, Maureen O'Hara, Walter Slezak and Binnie Barnes, and directed by Frank Borzage. It was RKO's first all-Technicolor film since ''Becky Sharp'' ten years before. Cin ...

'' (1945) as Captain Lussan * '' Northwest Trail'' (1945) as Inspector McGrath * '' Valley of the Zombies'' (1946) as Ormand Murks * '' Singing on the Trail'' (1946) as Jerry Easton * '' The Strange Woman'' (1946) as Lincoln Pittridge (uncredited) * '' Mr. Hex'' (1946) as Mr. Raymond, the Hypnotist * ''

'' (1946) as Vitamin Flintheart * '' Border Feud'' (1947) as Doc Peters * ''

Dick Tracy's Dilemma ''Dick Tracy's Dilemma'', released in the United Kingdom as ''Mark of the Claw'', is a 1947 American action film based on the Dick Tracy, 1930s comic-strip character of the same name created by Chester Gould. Ralph Byrd stars as Dick Tracy, repr ...

'' (1947) as Vitamin Flintheart * '' Nightmare Alley'' (1947) as Pete Krumbein * '' Forever Amber'' (1947) as Tybalt (uncredited) * ''

'' (1948) as Rochefort * ''

The Black Shield of Falworth ''The Black Shield of Falworth'' is a 1954 American Technicolor film from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur and Melville Tucker and directed by Rudolph Maté. It stars Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, David Farrar, Herbert Marshall, an ...

'' (1954) as King Henry IV * ''

'' (1955) as Ghost of Hamlet's Father in 'Hamlet' * '' New York Confidential'' (1955) as Waluska * ''

It Came from Beneath the Sea ''It Came from Beneath the Sea'' is a 1955 American science fiction monster film from Columbia Pictures, produced by Sam Katzman and Charles Schneer, directed by Robert Gordon, that stars Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, and Donald Curtis. The ...

'' (1955) as Adm. Burns * ''

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin ''The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin'' is an American children's television series in the Western genre that aired from October 1954 to May 1959 on the ABC television network. In all, 164 episodes aired. The show starred Lee Aaker as Rusty, a boy o ...

'' (1955, TV) as Roland Tarleton * ''

Duel on the Mississippi ''Duel on the Mississippi'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by William Castle and starring Lex Barker and Patricia Medina. Plot Andre Tulane (Barker), descendant of a plantation family in 1820 Louisiana, is bound to Lili Scarlet (Medi ...

'' (1955) as Jacques Scarlet * ''

'' (1956) as Rameses I (final film)

References

External links

* * *
Ian Keith
photo gallery at New York City Public Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Keith, Ian 1899 births 1960 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors American male stage actors Male actors from Boston Male actors from New York City 20th-century American male actors Male Western (genre) film actors Francis W. Parker School (Chicago) alumni