Lafe McKee
Lafe McKee | |
|---|---|
McKee (left) on lobby card for Battling Buckaroo, 1932 | |
| Born | Lafayette S. McKee January 23, 1872 |
| Died | August 10, 1959 (aged 87) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1893–1948 |
| Spouse | Lelah Underwood (1900–1955) (her death) |
| Children | 3 |
| Notes | |
Lafayette S. "Lafe" McKee (January 23, 1872 – August 10, 1959)[1] was an American actor who appeared in more than 400 films from 1912[1] to 1948.
Early life, family and education
McKee was born in Morrison, Illinois, to Lucy (nee Johnson) and Jesse McKee, who "operated both a furniture business and a funeral parlor."[2]
Career
McKee began working in show business in 1893.[3] At 40 years old, he and his family moved to Hollywood in 1912 and he began working in silent films.
Part of his career was spent with Art Mix Productions.[4]: 3 McKee also worked as a stage actor from 1910 until at least 1932.[5] His last film appearance was likely as a dancer in Belle Starr's Daughter when he was 76 years old.
Personal life, legacy and demise
McKee and his wife Lelah "Lulu" Underwood (1900–1955) had three children: Lucille (born 1906) and Joe (born 1911). A third son, Dick, was born many years later (1925).[2]
He died at age 87 of arteriosclerosis in Temple City, California.[2] He is featured at the Heritage Museum in his hometown, Morrison, Illinois.[2]
Selected filmography
- The Adventures of Kathlyn (1913)[1][5]
- The City of Purple Dreams (1918)
- In the Days of Buffalo Bill (1922)
- Blazing Arrows (1922)
- Silver Spurs (1922)
- Blood Test (1923)
- The Eagle's Claw (1924)
- Bringin' Home the Bacon (1924)
- The Terror of Pueblo (1924)
- Thundering Romance (1924)
- Full Speed (1925)
- On the Go (1925)
- Double Action Daniels (1925)
- The Saddle Cyclone (1925)
- The Human Tornado (1925)
- The Sporting Life (1925)
- The Bandit Buster (1926)
- The Bonanza Buckaroo (1926)
- The Man from Oklahoma (1926)
- Fort Frayne (1926)
- Officer 444 (1926)
- The Baited Trap (1926)
- West of the Law (1926)
- A Captain's Courage (1926)
- The Twin Triggers (1926)
- Rawhide (1926)
- The Desert of the Lost (1927)
- Daring Deeds (1927)
- Roarin' Broncs (1927)
- The Ridin' Rowdy (1927)
- Riding to Fame (1927)
- The Fire Fighters (1927)[1]
- The Patent Leather Kid (1927)
- The Ballyhoo Buster (1928)
- Trailin' Back (1928)
- The Code of the Scarlet (1928)
- Riley of the Rainbow Division (1928)
- On the Divide (1928)
- The Ridin' Renegade (1928)
- The Painted Trail (1928)
- Saddle Mates (1928)
- Manhattan Cowboy (1928)
- Desperate Courage (1928)
- Trail Riders (1928)
- Vultures of the Sea (1928)
- Men Without Law (1930)
- The Lone Rider (1930)
- Under Montana Skies (1930)
- The Lonesome Trail (1930)
- The Utah Kid (1930)[6]
- Breed of the West (1930)
- Code of Honor (1930)
- The Vanishing Legion (1931)
- The Fighting Marshal (1931)
- The Cyclone Kid (1931)
- Red Fork Range (1931)
- Lariats and Six-Shooters (1931)
- The Hurricane Horseman (1931)
- Alias – the Bad Man (1931)
- West of Cheyenne (1931)
- Two Gun Man (1931)
- Self Defense (1932)
- The Wyoming Whirlwind (1932)
- The Big Stampede (1932) - Cal Brett
- Ride Him, Cowboy (1932) - Rancher Marty Gordon (uncredited)
- The Riding Tornado (1932)
- The Boiling Point (1932)
- Mark of the Spur (1932)
- Battling Buckaroo (1932)
- The Gay Buckaroo (1932)
- End of the Trail (1932)[7]
- The Texan (1932)
- The Fighting Champ (1932)
- Terror Trail (1933) - Shay
- The Telegraph Trail (1933) - Lafe
- Lightning Range (1933)
- War of the Range (1933)
- Under Secret Orders (1933)
- Whispering Shadow (1933) - D.W. Jerome
- The Man from Monterey (1933) - Don Jose Castanares
- Galloping Romeo (1933)
- Riders of Destiny (1933) - Sheriff Bill Baxter
- Cross Fire (1933)
- Blue Steel (1934) - Dan Mason
- West of the Divide (1934) - Fred Winters
- Hell Bent for Love (1934)
- Western Justice (1934)
- The Quitter (1934)
- Frontier Days (1934)
- The Hawk (1935)
- The Law of 45's (1935)
- The Last of the Clintons (1935)
- The Cheyenne Tornado (1935)
- The Desert Trail (1935) - Poker City Sheriff
- Rainbow Valley (1935) - Storekeeper (uncredited)
- The Ghost Rider (1935)
- Swifty (1935)
- Northern Frontier (1935)
- Blazing Guns (1935)
- Gun Smoke (1936)
- Idaho Kid (1936)
- The Lonely Trail (1936) - Prisoner Shot the Back (uncredited)
- Men of the Plains (1936) - Marshal Ed Green
- The Fighting Deputy (1937)[4]: 364
- Melody of the Plains (1937)
- Heroes of the Alamo (1937) - Lafe (Storekeeper)
- Six Shootin' Sheriff (1938)
- I'm From the City (1938)
- South of Arizona (1938)
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - Civil War Veteran at Lincoln Memorial (uncredited)
- The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939) - Townsman [Ch. 6] (uncredited)
- Santa Fe Trail (1940) - Minister (uncredited)
- Covered Wagon Trails (1940)
- Pioneer Days (1940)
- Wild Horse Valley (1940)
References
- ^ a b c d e Katchmer, George A. (2009). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 252. ISBN 9781476609058. OCLC 909773565.
- ^ a b c d "Lafe McKee". westernclippings.com. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ "Feud of the Trail". Post Register. Idaho Falls, Idaho. March 20, 1938. Retrieved November 4, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Pitts, Michael R. (2005). Poverty Row Studios, 1929–1940. McFarland. ISBN 9781476610368.
- ^ a b Doak, Olive M. (April 15, 1932). "The Call Board." The Oregon Statesman. p. 2 col.2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ideal to Present Western on Friday". Corsicana Daily Sun. May 30, 1935. p. 12 col.7. Retrieved July 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Jeter, Goetze (July 22, 1933). "The Week's Pictures". Moberly Monitor-Index. p. 8 col.3 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
- Lafe McKee at IMDb
- Lafe McKee at Find a Grave