Myra Edith Keaton (née Cutler; March 13, 1877 – July 21, 1955) was an American

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

performer and

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

actress. She was the mother of actor

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

Early life and career

Myra Keaton was born on March 13, 1877, in Modale, Iowa, the daughter of Frank Cutler and Sarah Elizabeth (née Shaffer). She had an older brother, Burt Melvin Cutler, and two younger half-brothers, Clinton M. Cutler and Marine (Mel) Cutler. As teenagers, Myra and Burt traveled and performed with their father's medicine show.

Joe Keaton Joseph Hallie Keaton (July 6, 1867 – January 13, 1946) was an American vaudeville performer and silent film actor. He was the father of actor Buster Keaton and appeared with his son in several films. Life and career Keaton was born a few mile ...

joined the show while they traveled through

Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as th ...

in 1893. Myra and Joe married on May 31, 1894, and began performing together in various medicine shows and vaudeville. Their children were actor

(né Joseph Frank Keaton), Harry Keaton and Louise Keaton. At the age of four, Buster officially joined the family's vaudeville act, which was billed as "The Three Keatons". Myra and Buster left the act in 1917, as a result of problems arising from Joe Keaton's drinking.Prikryl, Jana, "The Genius of Buster", ''The New York Review of Books'', June 2, 2011, pp. 30–33 Threekeatons

All members of the Keaton family occasionally appeared in Buster's silent and sound comedies. Although estranged in later years, Myra remained married to Joe until Joe's death in 1946.

Death

Keaton died on July 21, 1955, in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, California, aged 78. She is buried at Glen Haven Memorial Park in

Sylmar, California Sylmar is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and is the northernmost neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles. Historically known for its profusion of sylvan olive orchards, Sylmar can trace its past to the 18th century and th ...

References

External links

*
Keaton biography
* Actresses from Iowa American film actresses American silent film actresses People from Harrison County, Iowa Actresses from Los Angeles Vaudeville performers 1877 births 1955 deaths 20th-century American actresses {{US-film-actor-1870s-stub