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Hilda Keenan

1891 – 1940

American actress and vaudeville performer

Actor Stage actor Vaudeville performer
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About Hilda Keenan

Lived 1891 – 1940 (aged 48–49). Hilda Keenan was an American actor, stage actor and vaudeville performer.

Hilda Keenan (November 1891 – August 20, 1940) was an American actress and vaudeville performer, part of a family of actors including her father Frank Keenan, her husband Ed Wynn, and her son Keenan Wynn.

Early life Hilda Keenan was the daughter of actor Frank Keenan and New Brunswick-born Katherine Agnes Long Keenan. Her older sister Frances was also an actress. Keenan attended Wellesley College.

Career Keenan was in vaudeville with a one-act sketch called Sarah in 1911. She appeared in the plays The Heights (1911), The Road to Arcady (1912), Within the Law and The Salamander. In Within the Law, she co-starred with Margaret Illington; one critic commented that "Hilda Keenan's Agnes Lynch, a blackmailer, is noticeably excellent, and makes an engaging characterization of a rôle which ordinarily would scarcely win our friendly feelings."

Personal life Keenan was married to actor Ed Wynn from 1914 until their protracted, widely publicized and rancorous divorce in 1937. They had a son, actor Keenan Wynn. Hilda Keenan died in New York in 1940, aged 48 years,

Her grandson Tracy Keenan Wynn is a screenwriter and her great-granddaughter Jessica Keenan Wynn is an actress.

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Important facts

Born
1891, New York City
Birth century
Nationality
Education
Wellesley College
Also known as
Hilda Keenan Wynn

Family & relationships

Spouse
Ed Wynn
Child
Keenan Wynn

People in Hilda Keenan's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Hilda Keenan's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Hilda Keenan?

American actress and vaudeville performer

When was Hilda Keenan born?

Hilda Keenan was born in 1891 in New York City.

When did Hilda Keenan die?

Hilda Keenan died on 20 August 1940 in New York City.

What was Hilda Keenan's occupation?

Hilda Keenan was an actor, stage actor and vaudeville performer.

What nationality was Hilda Keenan?

Hilda Keenan was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Hilda Keenan

· Wikidata: Q46161900

· DBpedia: Hilda Keenan

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Hilda Keenan. https://biography.guide/hilda-keenan/

MLA: "Hilda Keenan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/hilda-keenan/.

Chicago: "Hilda Keenan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/hilda-keenan/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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