| Mary Ellen Kay | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Mary Ellen Kay in Government Agents vs. Phantom Legion (1951) | |
| Born | Mary Ellen Keaggy (1929-08-29)August 29, 1929 Boardman, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | 2017 (aged 87–88) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1950–1966 (film) |
| Spouse |
Tim Ruffalo
(m. 1963; died 1993) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Phil Keaggy (brother) |
Mary Ellen Ruffalo (née Keaggy, August 29, 1929 – 2017), better known as Mary Ellen Kay, was an American television and film actress.
Biography
Kay was born in Boardman, Ohio, on August 29, 1929. She was one of ten siblings and the sister of virtuoso guitarist Phil Keaggy. Her brother credits her with introducing him to the Christian faith. Prior to her acting career, Kay was a singer, having started at the age of 6. She later toured with Gene Ryan's orchestra, and by the time she was 17, she had become a headliner in supper clubs. Her initial foray into acting occurred through Little Theatre productions in the Hollywood area. Kay co-starred with Rex Allen in 19 western films.
In 1963, she married her second husband, Tim Ruffalo. They had one son, Bill, and remained together until his passing from a stroke in 1993. In an interview dated August 14, 2018, Kay's brother, Phil Keaggy, revealed that Mary Ellen had passed away in 2017 at the age of 87.
Selected filmography
- Girls' School (1950)
- Streets of Ghost Town (1950)
- Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950)
- Fort Dodge Stampede (1951)
- Desert of Lost Men (1951)
- Rodeo King and the Senorita (1951)
- Silver City Bonanza (1951)
- Government Agents vs. Phantom Legion (serial) (1951)
- Colorado Sundown (1952)
- The Last Musketeer (1952)
- Vice Squad (1953)
- Yukon Vengeance (1954)
- The Long Wait (1954)
- Thunder Pass (1954)
- Runaway Daughters (1956)
- Voodoo Woman (1957)
- Buffalo Gun (1961)
References
- Drew p.109
- ^ Fitzgerald, Michael G.; Magers, Boyd (2006). Ladies of the Western: Interviews with Fifty-One More Actresses from the Silent Era to the Television Westerns of the 1950s and 1960s. McFarland. pp. 112–120. ISBN 9781476607962. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- Phil Keaggy (March 27, 2015). Worship in Song and Guitar Artistry (concert). Wheaton College: Wheaton College. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- Adams, Marjory (June 15, 1954). "Mary Ellen Kay in Show Business at Age 6; Now Young Film Veteran". The Boston Globe. Massachusetts, Boston. p. 38. Retrieved October 22, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Mary Kay Ellen interview". Western Clippings. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- "God Saved Me For A Purpose – Phil Keaggy Pt. 1". Cultivated podcast. August 14, 2018. pp. 5:30. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
Bibliography
- Bernard A. Drew. Motion Picture Series and Sequels: A Reference Guide. Routledge, 2013.
External links
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