Mary Ellen Ruffalo ( 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 Boardman Township is one of the fourteen townships of Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 40,213 at the 2020 census. A suburb directly south of Youngstown, it is the second largest municipality in the Youngstown–Warren ...

, 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 Rex Elvie Allen (December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999), known as "the Arizona Cowboy", was an American film and television actor, singer and songwriter; he was also the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his contribut ...

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 Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in separate buildings or schools. The practice of ...

'' (1950) * ''

Streets of Ghost Town ''Streets of Ghost Town'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and written by Barry Shipman. The film, reusing footage from the 1946 Durango Kid films ''Gunning for Vengeance'' and ''Landrush'', stars Charles Starrett, Ge ...

'' (1950) * ''

Tarzan and the Slave Girl ''Tarzan and the Slave Girl'' is a 1950 American adventure film directed by Lee Sholem and starring Lex Barker as Tarzan, Vanessa Brown as Jane, and Robert Alda as big game hunter Neil. The plot involves a lost civilization in Africa, a strange ...

'' (1950) * '' Fort Dodge Stampede'' (1951) * ''

Desert of Lost Men ''Desert of Lost Men'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Harry Keller and starring Allan Lane, Mary Ellen Kay and Irving Bacon.Pitts, p. 85. The film's art direction was by Frank Arrigo. Cast * Allan Lane as Rocky Lane * Black Jack ...

'' (1951) * '' Rodeo King and the Senorita'' (1951) * '' Silver City Bonanza'' (1951) * ''

Government Agents vs. Phantom Legion ''Government Agents vs Phantom Legion'' (1951) is a 12-chapter American black-and-white action film serial produced and distributed by Republic Pictures Corporation in 1951. It is an original, studio-commissioned screenplay by Ronald Davidson, ...

'' (serial) (1951) * ''

Colorado Sundown ''Colorado Sundown'' is a black and white 1952 American Western film directed by William Witney. It mixes genres: western, musical, crime story and comedy. Interspersed during the action are musical selections sung by The Republic Rhythm Riders ...

'' (1952) * ''

The Last Musketeer ''The Last Musketeer'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by William Witney and written by Arthur E. Orloff. The film stars Rex Allen (with Koko the Miracle Horse), Mary Ellen Kay, Slim Pickens, James Anderson, Boyd Morgan and Monte Mon ...

'' (1952) * ''

Vice Squad A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tr ...

'' (1953) * ''

Yukon Vengeance ''Yukon Vengeance'' is a 1954 American Northern film directed by William Beaudine and starring Kirby Grant, Monte Hale and Mary Ellen Kay.Marshall p. 346 It was the tenth and final film featuring Grant as Mountie Corporal Rod Webb, assisted by ...

'' (1954) * '' The Long Wait'' (1954) * '' Thunder Pass'' (1954) * '' Runaway Daughters'' (1956) * ''

Voodoo Woman ''Voodoo Woman'' is a 1957 horror film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Marla English in her final film role, Tom Conway, and Mike Connors. It was released in March 1957 by American International Pictures as a double feature with ''The ...

'' (1957) * '' Buffalo Gun'' (1961)

References

Bibliography

* Bernard A. Drew. ''Motion Picture Series and Sequels: A Reference Guide''. Routledge, 2013.

External links

* 1929 births 2017 deaths 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American women American film actresses People from Boardman, Ohio {{US-film-actor-1920s-stub