Biography
Ian Keith was an American actor. Born Keith Ross in Boston, Massachusetts, he began his career on the stage with the Copley Repertory Theatre in Boston in 1919 and made his Broadway debut in the early 1920s.
He appeared in silent films from 1924 and transitioned successfully to sound pictures, becoming a reliable supporting player in historical epics. He worked frequently with Cecil B. DeMille and played roles including Octavian in Cleopatra (1934), Rochefort in The Three Musketeers (1935 and 1948), and Rameses I in The Ten Commandments (1956). He also appeared as Magnus in Queen Christina (1933) and in films such as The Big Trail (1930), Nightmare Alley (1947) and The Sea Hawk (1940).
Keith maintained a stage career throughout his life, returning to Broadway in later years in productions including Saint Joan (1956) and The Andersonville Trial (1959). He died in New York City in 1960.
