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(Courtesy of Lynn MacKaye Morgan)
Frederic 'Fred' MacKaye

Real name: Frederick McKim Kehr

1905 - 1988

This is a placeholder for actor Fred Mackaye who did a few movies in the 1930s. His wife was silent screen actress Violet Neitz. Her brother was Alvin James Neitz who did a name change to "Alan James" and was a director and story writer on many B westerns and serials.

After his brief time in 1930s films, MacKaye began a lengthy career on radio and is best known for directing many episodes of the Lux Radio Theater.

Fred (and wife Violet) appear in the 1933-34 Ken Maynard series at Universal. Violet's brother Alan James directed seven of the eight Maynard Universals, and the probability is good that he got them roles. Fred, trained in drama and having worked on stage and movies, had no problem fitting in. But doing B-westerns was tough work with long hours and small pay. MacKaye had a good speaking voice and probably found that radio work was cleaner and more financially lucrative. And he concentrated on that medium from about 1935 on. When he became director of the Lux Radio Theater, Fred became an employee of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency.

Several photos below of MacKaye in the Maynard oaters.

There's a section on the Old Corral with info on the family of MacKaye, Violet and her brother Alan James. Click the arrow at the top or bottom of this webpage to go there.




(Courtesy of Lynn MacKaye Morgan)

Above - Fred MacKaye vs. Cecilia Parker in the Ken Maynard oater GUN JUSTICE (1933). About four years after this western was filmed, Cecilia Parker had graduated from playing serial and B western heroines and began her most remembered screen role as Mickey Rooney's sister "Marian Hardy" in the Andy Hardy series at MGM. About ten years after doing this film, MacKaye was directing the popular Lux Radio Theater.



(Courtesy of Lynn MacKaye Morgan)

Fred MacKaye (as the imposter Ken Lance) vs. Ken Maynard (as the real Ken Lance) in GUN JUSTICE (Universal, 1933). This was another of the Maynard Universals directed by Alan James.



(Courtesy of Lynn MacKaye Morgan)

Above is a still from WHEELS OF DESTINY (Universal, 1934), and leaning on the table are Fred and Violet MacKaye. Guy in the upper left looks like Bob Reeves. The kindly face between Fred and Violet is Horace B. Carpenter. Cecilia Parker is on the left counting money, and on the right, Ken Maynard is chatting with Jack Rockwell. This is one of the seven Maynard Universals directed by Violet's brother, Alan James.



(Courtesy of Lynn MacKaye Morgan)

Blowup/crop of Fred and Violet MacKaye from the above WHEELS OF DESTINY still. Not sure of the tall galoot and older lady on the right.



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