Harryville’s Hollywood history honoured as plaque celebrates pioneering film family
The newly installed commemorative plaque in the Harryville area of Ballymena
Monday 26 October 2026
Long before Liam Neeson became Ballymena’s best-known Hollywood star, another local actor was making his mark on the silver screen – and now his remarkable story has been commemorated in the heart of Harryville.
A new plaque has been unveiled on Queen Street in honour of Robert Baxter McKenzie, better known as Bob McKenzie, who appeared in more than 300 films and helped establish a family dynasty in the early American movie industry.
The plaque stands close to where McKenzie grew up and celebrates a little-known chapter of Ballymena’s history, when a young boy from Harryville went on to become a familiar face in Hollywood during the silent film era.
From Harryville to the silver screen
James Perry DL for County Antrim Who unveiled the commemorative plaque
Born in 1881, McKenzie emigrated to the United States with his family while still a young boy, eventually building a successful career in an industry that was transforming entertainment around the world.
He appeared in more than 300 silent and sound films, while also working behind the camera as a writer, director and producer.
His achievements were not confined to his own career. McKenzie and his wife, actress Eva Hazelitt, became established figures in the movie industry, with their three daughters – Fay, Ida and Ella – following their parents into acting from an early age.
By 1920, census records showed the entire family working in the motion picture industry in Los Angeles, illustrating just how firmly the McKenzies had established themselves in Hollywood.
A Hollywood family with lasting Ballymena ties
Those gathered were able to watch a movie featuring the Ballymena man Bob McKenzie
Despite their success thousands of miles from home, the McKenzie family's connection to Harryville endured.
During the Second World War, daughter Ella returned to the area with her husband, Billy Gilbert, a well-known Hollywood comedy actor whose career included appearances alongside Laurel and Hardy.
The couple attracted considerable attention when they briefly visited Ballymena while in Northern Ireland to entertain American troops stationed here.
Their visit brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to wartime Ballymena and demonstrated that the family's roots in Harryville had not been forgotten.
Liam Neeson acknowledges Hollywood predecessor
James Perry DL for County Antrim, with Liam Neeson’s sister, Elizabeth, who attended the unveiling
The commemorative plaque was unveiled by James Perry DL for County Antrim, who paid tribute to McKenzie and his family's contribution to the film industry.
The occasion also received recognition from Ballymena's most internationally recognised actor, Liam Neeson, who sent a message acknowledging the achievements of one of the town's earliest Hollywood success stories.
The unveiling formed part of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's America 250 celebrations, which highlight the borough's historical connections with the United States.
Following the ceremony, guests attended a film screening featuring Bob and Eva McKenzie, alongside presentations exploring Ballymena's cinema heritage and the family's place in Hollywood history.
A forgotten chapter of Ballymena's history remembered
Memorabilia on display
For generations, Ballymena's connection to Hollywood has been closely associated with Liam Neeson, but the McKenzie family's story reveals an earlier link to the American film industry.
From a childhood in Harryville to hundreds of film appearances and three daughters who became actresses, Bob McKenzie's achievements represent a remarkable chapter in the town's cultural heritage.
The new Queen Street plaque ensures that residents and visitors can discover the story of a local family whose journey from Ballymena to Hollywood began more than a century ago.
