Bio

Paul Michael Kelly was born on August 9, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York. He began acting as a child and was appearing on stage by a young age. By 1911, he was working in silent films for Vitagraph Studios in Brooklyn, where he was billed as “Master Paul Kelly.” He became one of the early male child actors in American film and later continued acting as an adult on stage and screen.

By the 1910s and 1920s, Kelly had become a popular stage actor and leading man. He worked steadily on Broadway and in silent films before the criminal case that interrupted his career. His public image before the killing was tied mainly to acting, not to violent crime.

Kelly became involved with actress Dorothy Mackaye, who was married to actor and vaudeville performer Ray Raymond. The relationship created the conflict that led to Raymond’s death. Reports state that Kelly confronted Raymond after the affair became known, and the confrontation turned violent.

Murder Story

In April 1927, Paul Michael Kelly became involved in a fatal confrontation with Ray Raymond, the husband of actress Dorothy Mackaye. Kelly and Mackaye had been romantically involved, and Raymond confronted or argued with Kelly over the affair. During the altercation, Kelly struck Raymond several times. Raymond later died from the injuries he suffered in the fight.

Kelly was initially charged with murder. On April 21, 1927, a grand jury indicted him, and the case became a public Hollywood scandal because it involved three performers: Kelly, Raymond, and Mackaye. Dorothy Mackaye was also charged in connection with an alleged attempt to conceal the true circumstances of Raymond’s death.

At trial, Kelly was not convicted of murder. He was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to prison. The commonly reported sentence was one to ten years, and he served 25 months in San Quentin. Mackaye was also imprisoned for her role in the cover-up, serving less than a year according to later summaries.

After his release, Kelly returned to acting. His career recovered, and he later worked in stage, film, and television. In 1948, he won a Tony Award for Best Actor for his role in Command Decision.

Kelly later married Dorothy Mackaye in 1931. She died in 1940 after injuries from an automobile accident. Kelly continued acting until the 1950s and died of a heart attack on November 6, 1956, at age 57.