Myra Keaton

Myra Edith Keaton (née Cutler; March 13, 1877 – July 21, 1955) was an American vaudeville performer and film actress. She was the mother of actor Buster Keaton.

Myra Keaton
Keaton in 1900s
Born
Myra Edith Cutler

(1877-03-13)March 13, 1877
Modale, Iowa, U.S.
DiedJuly 21, 1955(1955-07-21) (aged 78)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1894; died 1946)​
Children3, including Buster Keaton

Early life and career

Myra Keaton was born on March 13, 1877, in Modale, Iowa,[1] the daughter of Frank Cutler[2] 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 joined the show while they traveled through Oklahoma Territory in 1893. Myra and Joe married on May 31, 1894, and began performing together in various medicine shows and vaudeville. Their children were actor Buster Keaton (né Joseph Frank Keaton), Harry Keaton and Louise Keaton.[3] 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.[4]

Six-year-old Buster Keaton (left) with his parents Myra (right) and Joe Keaton (middle) during a vaudeville act

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.

Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1921 The Goat Minor role Short, uncredited
1922 The Electric House Buster’s Mother in Prologues
1935 Palooka from Paducah Ma Diltz Short
Way Up Thar Molly 'Maw' Kurtz
1936 The Brain Busters
1937 Love Nest on Wheels Elmer's ma
1963 The Sound of Laughter Molly ‘Maw’ Kurtz (Hillbilly Smoking Pipe) Archive footage, Posthumous release

Death

Keaton died on July 21, 1955, in Los Angeles, California, aged 78. She is buried at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar, California.[1]

References
  1. Ellenberger, Allan R. (1 May 2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. p. 102. ISBN 978-0-7864-0983-9. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  2. Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2007). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Psychology Press. p. 593. ISBN 978-0-415-93853-2. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  3. "Mrs. Myra Keaton Rites Tomorrow". Valley Times. California, North Hollywood. July 22, 1955. p. 2. Retrieved November 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Prikryl, Jana, "The Genius of Buster", The New York Review of Books, June 2, 2011, pp. 30–33
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