Paul Kelly

Paul Michael Kelly (August 9, 1899 – November 6, 1956) was an American actor. His career survived a manslaughter conviction, tied to an affair he was having with the victim's wife, that caused him to spend time in prison in the late 1920s. In the course of his career, and relatively short life, it has been estimated that Kelly worked on stage, screen, and television in over four hundred roles.

Career and imprisonment Kelly alternated between stage and screen as an actor. He was a handsome and popular male lead or costar in Broadway plays from the late 1910s and throughout the 1920s.

On April 16, 1927, a drunk Kelly confronted fellow actor Ray Raymond over his affair with and love for Raymond's wife, actress Dorothy Mackaye. Raymond, who was also drunk, was no match for Kelly, who was considerably larger than him. During their confrontation, Kelly hit him several times and left him on the floor. Kelly was sentenced to up to 10 years, but served only 25 months in San Quentin prison. (Decades later, he played San Quentin Warden Clinton Duffy in the 1954 film Duffy of San Quentin.) Conditions of his release included that he must not marry for 18 months after his release, and that he would have to take a job as a clerk for $30 per week. Kelly found working as a clerk untenable, and convinced the supervisors of his parole to allow him to return to acting on Broadway, with the condition that he continued to be limited to an income of $30 per week.

Kelly married Claire Owen a year later.

Filmography Saga of the West Phil1936 My Marriage Barney Dolan Here Comes Trouble Duke Donovan Song and Dance Man Hap Farrell The Country Beyond Sgt. Cassidy Women Are Trouble Bill Blaine Murder with Pictures I. B. McCoogin The Accusing Finger Douglas Goodwin1937 Join the Marines Philip H. 'Phil' Donlan Parole Racket Police Lieutenant Tony Roberts It Happened Out West Richard P. Howe The Frame-Up Mark MacArthur Fit for a King Briggs Navy Blue and Gold Tommy Milton (varsity coach)1938 Island in the Sky Johnny Doyle Torchy Blane in Panama Steve McBride The Nurse from Brooklyn Jim Barnes The Devil's Party Jerry Donovan The Missing Guest 'Scoop' Hanlon Juvenile Court Gary Franklin Leading role opposite Rita Hayworth Adventure in Sahara Jim Wilson Starring role1939 Within the Law Joe Garson The Flying Irishman Butch Brannan Forged Passport Dan Frazer 6,000 Enemies Dr. Malcolm Scott The Roaring Twenties Nick Brown Invisible Stripes Ed Kruger1940 Queen of the Mob Tom Webster Wyoming General Custer The Howards of Virginia Captain Jabez Allen Alternative title: The Tree of Liberty Girls Under 21 Johnny Cane Flight Command Lieutenant Commander "Dusty" Rhodes1941 Ziegfeld Girl John Slayton I'll Wait for You Police Lieutenant 'Mac' McFarley Parachute Battalion Sgt. Tex McBride1942 Mr. and Mrs. North Lieutenant Weigand Call Out the Marines Jim Blake Not a Ladies' Man Robert Bruce Tarzan's New York Adventure Jimmy Shields Tough As They Come Dan Stevens The Secret Code Dan Barton 15-chapter serial; leading role Flying Tigers Hap Davis 1943 The Man from Music Mountain Victor Marsh1943 Texas Legionaires