Mary Ellen Kay

Mary Ellen Ruffalo (née Keaggy, August 29, 1929 – 2017), better known as Mary Ellen Kay, was an American television and film actress.[1]

Mary Ellen Kay
Mary Ellen Kay in Voodoo Woman 1957
Born
Mary Ellen Keaggy

(1929-08-29)August 29, 1929
Boardman, Ohio, U.S.
Died2017 (aged 87)
OccupationActress
Years active1950–1966 (film)
RelativesPhil Keaggy (brother)

Biography

Kay was born in Boardman, Ohio on August 29, 1929.[2] She was one of ten siblings, and the sister of virtuoso guitarist Phil Keaggy. Her brother credits her for introducing him to the Christian faith.[3] Before she became an actress, Kay was a singer, beginning at age 6. Later, she toured with Gene Ryan's orchestra, and when she was 17 she was a headliner in supper clubs. Her initial acting experience came in Little Theatre productions in the Hollywood area.[4] Kay co-starred with Rex Allen in 19 western films.[2]

She married her second husband, Tim Ruffalo in 1963. They had one son, Bill, and remained together until his death from a stroke in 1993.[5] In an interview dated August 14, 2018, Kay's brother, Phil Keaggy, stated that Mary Ellen had died in 2017, at the age of 87.[6]

Selected filmography

References
  1. Drew p.109
  2. 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 23 October 2018.
  3. Phil Keaggy (27 March 2015). Worship in Song and Guitar Artistry (concert). Wheaton College: Wheaton College. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  4. 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. open access
  5. "Mary Kay Ellen interview". Western Clippings. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. "God Saved Me For A Purpose – Phil Keaggy Pt. 1". Cultivated podcast. 14 August 2018. pp. 5:30. Retrieved 27 January 2022.

Bibliography
  • Bernard A. Drew. Motion Picture Series and Sequels: A Reference Guide. Routledge, 2013.


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