One hundred years ago, on wednesday, march 21, 1917, vaudeville star buster keaton visited comique studios in new york and entered the movies. Bibliography criticism, interpretation, etc bibliographie. Before keaton ventured into longer works, however, he had honed his skills as an actor, writer, and director of short films. Film comedian and director buster keaton was born on october 4, 1895, in piqua, kansas. Pamela drive buster keaton the legendary estates of. Buster keatons career had certainly fallen from grace since the heady days of his silent comedy success.
By 1920, after making several successful shorts together, arbuckle moved on to features, and keaton inherited his studio, allowing him the opportunity to. In the earliest days on stage, they traveled with a medicine show that included family friend, illusionist harry. Buster keaton biography childhood, life achievements. And while his skills as a gag writer and physical comic were remarkable, keaton was one clown whose understanding of the film medium was just as great as his talent for taking a pratfall. Jan, 2000 in 1966, after finishing work on richard lesters a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, buster keaton died at the age of sixtynine. Screen directors playhouse, episode the silent partner 1955 as kelsey dutton. In the second part of our series on early cinema, we celebrate the courage of buster keaton in steamboat bill jr and four other actors who. And while his skills as a gag writer and physical comic were remarkable, keaton was one clown whose understanding of the film medium was just as great as. Biography of buster keaton, iconic silent comedian liveabout. As well as books about the silent films of charlie chaplin and harry langdon, the film historian, james l. He was born joseph frank keaton on october 4 th, 1895, in piqua, kansas, to vaudeville parents myra keaton and joe keaton. Buster keaton was an american comedian, actor, producer, screenwriter, and director who became famous as a silent film star. By the mid1920s, buster keaton had established himself as one of the geniuses of cinema with such films as sherlock, jr. Joseph hallie keaton and his wife myrawho performed a medicine show and vaudeville act of acrobatics, comedy, and musicwere playing in piqua, kansas, when first child joseph frank keaton was born on october 4, 1895.
Keaton made dozens of short films and fourteen major silent features, attesting. Arbuckle offered keaton a job as an actor in his comedy shorts. And what i consider to be one of keatons most appealing screen costars, marion byron. The rosemary clooney show, 1956 as keystone policeman.
Keaton to revive his career with frequent appearances on television. Buster keaton about buster keaton american masters pbs. The cameraman was keatons first film with metrogoldwynmayer. You want to simultaneously laugh and give him a hug, and his sincerity really shines through. Nov 28, 2018 with a wealth of clips, the film takes us through keatons screen career, which began in 1917 with comic short films made for roscoe fatty arbuckle, graduated to fulllength features in.
Once buster split to make one week, arbuckles career was on the decline though today he is still remembered most prominently for his partnership with keaton as well as a mentor of charlie chaplin, whose roll dance in the gold rush was inspired or some might say stolen by a bit from arbuckles film the rough house. Buster keaton was a supremely talented, still inspirational filmmaker. Following his successful collaboration with arbuckle, film executive joseph m. He made a series of tworeel comedies which included one week 1920, the haunted house 1921, the paleface 1922, and the lovenest 1923. With a wealth of clips, the film takes us through keatons screen career, which began in 1917 with comic short films made for roscoe fatty arbuckle, graduated to fulllength features in the early. Entertainment weekly was called buster keaton as the seventh greatest director. He was a contemporary of charlie chaplin and started in vaudeville. Buster keaton discusses the release of when comedy was king. Buster keaton biography, movie highlights and photos. Neibaur, has written an earlier book about buster keaton 18951966, the fall on buster keaton scarecrow, 2010, which deals with keaton s career in talking pictures. Never in his career did buster keaton work under a film contract forbidding him from smiling, however.
Though at first wary about embarking on a film career, buster keaton decided to try out his talents with arbuckle both as a costar and a gag writer for his shorts. What struck me most about this is discovering how keatons humor walks the line between the overthetop and the sympathetic. Keaton had appeared in over 100 films during his lifetime. One of our goals here at ultimate movie rankings is do a career movie page on every member of the american film institutes top 50 greatest screen legends list. In films that combined comedy with extraordinary physical risks, buster keaton played a brave spirit who. It is considered by fans and critics to be keaton still in top form, and it was added to the national film registry in 2005 as being. Buster keaton discusses the release of when comedy was. Nov 10, 2002 the greatest of the silent clowns is buster keaton, not only because of what he did, but because of how he did it. Although his career lacked the resilience of charlie chaplin and laurel and hardy, buster keaton may well have been the most gifted comedian to emerge from the cinemas silent era. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library.
Buster keaton, american film comedian and director, the great stone face, known for his deadpan expression and his imaginative and often elaborate visual comedy. Keaton was one of the major comedy stars of the silent era and even continued his career in sound film. The screenplay, by sidney sheldon, who also directed the film, was loosely based on keaton s life but contained many factual errors and merged his three wives into one character. Keaton hits bottom, quits drinking, and redirects his career, returning to film and television in the 1950s and 1960s. But, it should not be forgotten that for a short period in his life, buster keaton was proud to list his occupation simply as a soldier. Apr 16, 2019 buster keaton was comedian and film director who starred in silent films in the 1920s. Joe and myra were vaudevillian comedians with a popular, everchanging variety act, giving keaton an eclectic and interesting upbringing. Finally, we get to my other favorite keaton film of all time, steamboat bill jr. His film career was briefly interrupted by military service during world war i.
By the age of 18 months he had been nicknamed buster after falling down the stairs in front of harry houdini and wasnt injured. The scene stealers, buster keaton and ed wynn 1962. Peter bogdanovich on buster keaton, superheroes, television, and the effect of time on movies matt zoller seitz 201810 peter bogdanovich, film historian and filmmaker, talks about buster keaton, the subject of his new documentary. Joe keaton disapproved of films, and buster also had. Born to vaudeville performers, he began performing at age 3. The legendary silentmovie comedian buster keaton was known as. None of the contracts keaton signed prior to 1924 has survived, and it would have been.
The great buster takes us through the career of legendary. We are told at the beginning of the film that buster has two loves. Buster keaton was comedian and film director who starred in silent films in the 1920s. Now and again the keaton eyes evince a suggestion of life, but his lips barely budge.
Despite his onscreen brilliance, keatons personal life and his film career were filled with hard times and sorrows. This documentary film project is a collaboration of historians, artists and filmmakers to capture the rich and fascinating story of a hometown legend, a pioneer of the film industry, buster keaton. A celebration peter bogdanovich offers a bythebook documentary about buster keaton thats designed to introduce new audiences to the comic genius in time. May 14, 2015 this short film from director gerald potterton heavy metal stars buster keaton in one of the last films of his long career.
Happy to say that this buster keaton page is the 49th afi page leaving only mary pickford to complete. She suits keaton physically so well in this film, i just want to gaze at them together. Founded in 1992, the mission of the international buster keaton society a 501c3, nonprofit organization is to foster and perpetuate an appreciation and understanding of the life, career and films of buster keaton, to advocate for historical accuracy about keaton s life and work, to encourage dissemination of information about keaton, and to endorse preservation and restoration. Between 1917 and 1920, they starred in 14 shorts together, starting with the butcher boy and finishing with the garage. Joseph frank keaton october 4, 1895 february 1, 1966, known professionally as buster keaton, was an american actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer. Douglas fairbanks presents, episode the awakening 1954 as the man. With a wealth of clips, the film takes us through keatons screen career. As the railrodder, keaton crosses canada from east to west on a. He was drafted by the united states army in 1918, and served for over a year with the.
In 1966, after finishing work on richard lesters a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, buster keaton died at the age of sixtynine. He was introduced to film when he was 21 and eventually directed and starred in films in the 1920s. He was called as the 21st greatest male star based on the rank of american film institute in 1999. Buster keaton was comedian and film director who starred in silent films in the. A celebration peter bogdanovich offers a bythebook documentary about buster keaton thats designed to introduce new. The silentera film stars who risked life and limb doing their own film. Buster keaton is believed to have been in approximately 147 films during his career. Buster keaton was a comedian and actor famous for his stoic and deadpan expression in his silent films. Buster keatons sphinxlike face is to be seen at the capitol this week in a nautical filmfarce, called the navigator, wherein his wildest emotions are reflected by an occasional upward turn of his right eyebrow. Directed by charles reisner and, though uncredited, buster keaton, the film weaves a classic narrative together with hilarious comic beats and breathtaking setpieces. Keaton s use of the locomotive is one of unparalleled gall, as he exhibits every bit of acrobatic skill and grace crawling up over and below this prop throughout the film. Schenck gave keaton his own production unit, buster keaton comedies. While in new york looking for work, a chance runin with the wildly successful film star and director roscoe fatty arbuckle, resulted in arbuckle inviting him to be in his upcoming short the butcher boy 1917, an appearance that launched keaton s film career, and spawned a friendship that lasted until arbuckles sudden death in 1933.
With a wealth of clips, the film takes us through keatons screen career, which began in 1917 with comic short films made for roscoe fatty arbuckle, graduated to fulllength features in. Keaton reveals how they shot the early silent films, generated material and gags, how they planned big chase scenes, the resurging european interest in silent classics, and more. Harold lloyd made us laugh as much, charlie chaplin moved us more deeply, but no one had more courage than buster. The cameraman 1928 directed by buster keaton, edward. Guys, im officially converted, all of you were right. Buster keaton, original name joseph frank keaton iv, born october 4, 1895, piqua, kansas, u.
While in new york looking for work, a chance runin with the wildly successful film star and director roscoe fatty arbuckle, resulted in arbuckle inviting him to be in his upcoming short the butcher boy 1917, an appearance that launched keatons film. Part comedy, part romance, and part disastermovie adventure, steamboat bill, jr. Joseph frank keaton was born on october 4, 1895 in piqua, kansas, to joe keaton and myra keaton. He made numerous short films as well as such feature films as three ages, sherlock, jr. Jan 29, 2020 joseph frank keaton october 4, 1895 february 1, 1966,2 known professionally as buster keaton, was an american actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer. Buster keaton, american film comedian and director, the great stone face, known for his deadpan expression and his imaginative and often. Founded in 1992, the mission of the international buster keaton society a 501c3, nonprofit organization is to foster and perpetuate an appreciation and understanding of the life, career and films of buster keaton, to advocate for historical accuracy about keatons life and work, to encourage dissemination of information about keaton, and to endorse preservation and restoration. What struck me most about this is discovering how keaton s humor walks the line between the overthetop and the sympathetic. And while his skills as a gag writer and physical comic were remarkable, keaton was one clown whose understanding of the film. You can see the master in small parts in sunset boulevard1950 and its a mad, mad, mad, mad world1962. Although his career lacked the resilience of performerp12334charlie chaplincharleschaplin and laurel and hardy, buster keaton may well have been the most gifted comedian to emerge from the cinemas silent era. The sequence furnished one of the most memorable images of his career.
He carried out a stunt in the film steamboat bill jr. Buster keaton biography, movie highlights and photos allmovie. Comedian and director buster keaton was popular for his pioneering silent comedies in the 1920s. Keaton himself verified the origin of his nickname buster, given to him by. The cameraman w buster keaton fullhd video dailymotion.
The picture stars buster keaton, marceline day, harold goodwin, and others. In vaudeville, motion pictures and television, buster keaton is recognized. These are the films of american actor, comedian, and filmmaker buster keaton. And while his skills as a gag writer and physical comic were remarkable, keaton. Buster keaton performed many dangerous stunts during his career. Oct 18, 2018 the great buster briskly takes us through the stations of keatons eventful life and career, mostly going the expected chronological route with one key exception. While in new york looking for work, a chance runin with the wildly successful film star and director roscoe fatty arbuckle, resulted in arbuckle inviting him to be in his upcoming short the butcher boy 1917, an appearance that launched keatons film career, and spawned a friendship that lasted until arbuckles sudden death in 1933. Buster keaton rides again, a 55minute documentary about the making of the railrodders, might be even more interesting because you hear keaton talking about his craft and career. The cameraman is a 1928 american silent comedy directed by edward sedgwick and an uncredited buster keaton.
Buster keaton is considered one of the greatest comic actors of all time. The half hour program, which also promoted the release of the biographical film the buster keaton story with donald oconnor, summarized keatons life and career up to that point. As the railrodder, keaton crosses canada from east to. This short film from director gerald potterton heavy metal stars buster keaton in one of the last films of his long career. The career of buster keaton declined after mgm hired him. Comedian buster keaton, 70, hollywood immortal whose trademark was the dead pan and who felt last year that i might live forever, died of lung cancer tuesday in his woodland hills home. He is best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression that earned him the nickname the great stone face. Writing, directing, and staring in these films, keaton created a world unlike the. And while his skills as a gag writer and physical comic were remarkable, keaton was one clown whose understanding of the film medium was just as great as his talent. Buster keaton in silent film though he was preparing to appear on broadway in a show titled the passing show of 1917, keaton met famed silent screen comedian roscoe fatty arbuckle through a mutual acquaintance.
1326 870 344 1107 1584 1191 676 320 535 1220 1112 524 1443 349 1499 1617 65 877 430 1430 1019 599 372 617 1584 225 405 838 86 515 121 54 909