Seely was born to Harry Travilla and Lucie Ellen Boyker in Los Angeles, the sixth of seven children.

'”[4] Seely is known to have appeared in 23 films, and her first role, according to IMDb, was an uncredited part in Her Nature Dance (1917), at the age of 17.

This picture was made for the Mack Sennett studio, where she began as a "Bathing Beauty" and where she was under contract for all of her short career.

Sennett loaned her to Buster Keaton for five short films, including her first role with the great silent screen comedian as his bride and fellow ill-fated house-kit-builder in One Week (1920).

[5] Seely was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1983 and also suffered from cerebral arteriosclerosis at the time of her death from cardiac failure[3] in Culver City, California, aged 84, on June 26, 1984.