Kansas, and was the firstborn of Joseph Keaton and Myra Cutler. [57] In August 1960, Keaton played mute King Sextimus the Silent in the national touring company of the Broadway musical Once Upon A Mattress. Born Joseph Keaton (the sixth in a line of Joseph Keatons) in Piqua, Kansas on October 1, 1895, Buster had the delightful fortune of being born in the right place at the right time. [86] On July 1, 1942, the 18-year-old Robert and the 20-year-old Joseph made the name change permanent after their mother won a court petition. United States, 1924. So that's how he did itit hurtbut you had to care enough not to care. Caryn James wrote in The New York Times, "Keaton's television appearances are warm and enduring. His father was Joseph Hallie "Joe" Keaton, a native of Vigo County, Indiana. Keaton's periodic television appearances during the 1950s and 1960s helped to revive interest in his silent films. Keaton had designed and built a modest but comfortable, cottage-like home as a surprise wedding gift for his bride. He would later cite this as the worst business decision of his life in his autobiography. 3, Thames Television, 1987, Perez Gilberto 'The Material GhostOn Keaton and Chaplin' 1998. Educational Pictures, also known as Educational Film Exchanges, Inc. or Educational Films Corporation of America, was an American film production and film distribution company founded in 1916 by Earle (E. W.) Hammons (1882-1962). Though it would come to be regarded as Keaton's greatest achievement, the film received mixed reviews at the time. [71] He wears a small version of Hart's campaign hat from the SpanishAmerican War and a six-shooter on each thigh, and during the scene in which he shoots the neighbor and her husband, he reacts with thick glycerin tears, a trademark of Hart's. [80], On May 31, 1921, Keaton married Natalie Talmadge, his leading lady in Our Hospitality, and the sister of actresses Norma Talmadge (married to his business partner Joseph M. Schenck at the time) and Constance Talmadge, at Norma's home in Bayside, Queens. In 1949, comedian Ed Wynn invited Keaton to appear on his CBS Television comedy-variety show, The Ed Wynn Show, which was televised live on the West Coast. . Son of Joseph Frank Hallie Keaton and Myra Edith Keaton However, Hart himself was not amused by Keaton's antics, particularly the crying scene, and did not speak to Keaton for two years after he had seen the film. Joseph Frank Keaton was born October 4, 1895 to Joe, a comedic acrobat whose main aid was a table, and Myra, one of the . His third wife was a dancer named Eleanor Ruth Norris. [70], One of his most biting parodies is The Frozen North (1922), a satirical take on William S. Hart's Western melodramas, like Hell's Hinges (1916) and The Narrow Trail (1917). His father owned a traveling show called the 'Mohawk Indian Medicine Company' along with Harry Houdini. Actor: The General. He ran to meet misfortune and never failed to make connections. No Beer? At my studio they would have the characters I wanted in 10 minutes. "[34], It was an expensive misfire (the climactic scene of a locomotive plummeting through a burning bridge was the most expensive single shot in silent-film history),[35][36] and Keaton was never entrusted with total control over his films again. That's how Buster Keaton got his name, and the world got the third brilliant member of its silent-screen Comedic Triumvirate: Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, and Buster Keaton. Free shipping. The General was a Civil War romance, that featured many impressive chase scenes and one very expensive special effects shot. His life quickly spiraled downward. Diane Keaton knew she made the best decision of her life when she pursued adoption more than two decades ago. Get 'em for me.' On June 16, 2018, the International Buster Keaton Society laid a four-foot plaque in honor of both Keaton and Charles Chaplin on the corner of the shared block (1021 Lillian Ave) where each had made many of their silent comedies in Hollywood. Buster Keaton got his name in true slapstick fashion. Buster William Keaton Sr. from tree Keaton Family Tree. She has been credited with salvaging his life and career. Filmmaker Mel Brooks has credited Keaton as a major influence, saying: "I owe (Buster) a lot on two levels: One for being such a great teacher for me as a filmmaker myself, and the other just as a human being watching this gifted person doing these amazing things. In 1914, he told the Detroit News: "The secret is in landing limp and breaking the fall with a foot or a hand. In Go West (1925), he is stared down by a herd of cattle. He appeared on screen simultaneously nine times. His final appearance on film was in The Scribe, a 1966 safety film produced in Toronto by the Construction Safety Associations of Ontario: he died shortly after completing it. He stated that he learned to read and write late, and was taught by his mother. Melissa Talmadge Cox is the granddaughter of Buster Keaton and a long time resident of Cloverdale. The film version was released as "A Buster Keaton Production" in 1931. Two of Keaton's . The medium revitalized his career. He was soon offered a role in a Broadway show, The Passing Show of 1917, for the princely sum of $250 per week. This equilibrium came into play with The Playhouse (1921), which he also wrote and directed with Cline. Dedicated to bringing greater public attention to Keaton's life and work, the membership includes many individuals from the television and film industry: actors, producers, authors, artists, graphic novelists, musicians, and designers, as well as those who simply admire the magic of Buster Keaton. The studio replaced Edwards, who had substance-abuse problems, with nightclub comedian Jimmy Durante. [19] Talmadge decided not to have any more children, banishing Keaton to a separate bedroom; he dated actresses Dorothy Sebastian and Kathleen Key during this period. Pioneer in Film Industry. The following year, United Artists hired Keaton; he made ten shorts in the next two years. The Educational two-reelers have far more pantomime than his earlier talkies, and Keaton is in good form throughout. The first of MGM's Keaton films was The Cameraman (1928), and Keaton sensed trouble immediately when he saw the script. Keaton's widow, Eleanor, attended for a couple of years. Buster Keaton and Ernest . BUSTER KEATON is an adoptable Dog - Schnauzer searching for a forever family near Atlanta, GA. Use Petfinder to find adoptable pets in your area. His large, deep eyes are the most eloquent feature; with merely a stare, he can convey a wide range of emotions, from longing to mistrust, from puzzlement to sorrow. [87], With the failure of his marriage and the loss of his independence as a filmmaker, Keaton descended into alcoholism. Keaton grew up on the road, as his parents endlessly . You had to requisition a toothpick in triplicate. Unfortunately, his one attempt at a strong dramatic role, the lead in the weak biopic The Buster Keaton Story (1957) proved to be . His wife divorced him, and he descended into alcoholism. Meanwhile, the eldest scion of "fun's funniest family" traveled on to New York and Ehrich House, where he arrived, according to his datebook, on January 18, 1917. . Two years later, he appeared with Charlie Chaplin for the only time in Limelight. Sarah Porter , Joseph Judson, Isabeau de DAMPIERRE , John de FIENNES, Brangre de CASTILLE , Alfonse Ix de CASTILLE. The one-story house, built in 1947, was bought with the $50,000 given to Buster by Paramount for the screen rights to his life story. Buster plays a projectionist who dreams his way onto the screen and into a movie in which he resolves the conflicts of his own life. 'Camera Man' unspools the colorful life of silent film star Buster Keaton: By age 5, Keaton was a star in his family's vaudeville act; he went on to star in and direct silent films, performing jaw . He was every member of the audience as well as every performer. [4] In 1996, Entertainment Weekly recognized Keaton as the seventh-greatest film director, writing that "More than Chaplin, Keaton understood movies: He knew they consisted of a four-sided frame in which resided a malleable reality off which his persona could bounce. Buster Keaton and Marceline Day in The Cameraman, 1928. The laconic Keaton and the rambunctious Durante offered enough contrast to function as a team, resulting in three very successful films: Speak Easily (1932), The Passionate Plumber (1932), and What! His distributor, United Artists, insisted on a production manager who monitored expenses and interfered with certain story elements. MGM had been featuring comical musician Cliff Edwards in Keaton's films. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 966 Hollywood Loses Tavo Hedda Hopper, Lamar Green 217. Buster had broken up his family's vaudeville act, "The Three Keatons", at the age of 21, when his father's drinking made their rough-and-tumble act too difficult and dangerous. Life with Buster Keaton (1951) was an attempt to recreate the first series on film, allowing the program to be broadcast nationwide. Reaction was strong enough for a local Los Angeles station to offer Keaton his own show, also broadcast live, in 1950. The series benefited from a company of veteran actors, including Marcia Mae Jones as the ingenue, Iris Adrian, Dick Wessel, Fuzzy Knight, Dub Taylor, Philip Van Zandt, and his silent-era contemporaries Harold Goodwin, Hank Mann, and stuntman Harvey Parry. Sgt. An unnamed author of Keaton's obituary in Variety, wrote, "The secret to his lasting success as a master comedian was his universally recognized character - the unhappy, doleful fall guy to whom 'everything' happened. Many people today don't know that the great silent comedy star Buster Keaton (whose birthday is today) started out as part of a family act with his parents, Joe and Myra. I do all that but I do a lot more with my three-year-old grandson. After Keaton's successful work with Arbuckle, Schenck gave him his own production unit, Buster Keaton Productions. . (Arbuckle was eventually acquitted, with an apology from the jury for the ordeal he underwent.[30]). By the time he left the act to star in motion pictures with Fatty Arbuckle at age 22, he had already been doing slapstick comedy for over 86% of his life. The grandchildren delighted in deliberately mentioning Buster's name. (1933). Myra played the saxophone to one side, while Joe and Keaton performed center stage. Joe Keaton disapproved of films, and Keaton also had reservations about the medium. Keaton then moved to full-length features. While the first project he did for MGM ( The Cameraman in 1928) was rather good, as was his last silent film (Spite Marriage in 1929), Keaton's career was in decline. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Buster Keaton With Family Rare Candid 8x10 Photo at the best online prices at eBay! [48] 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. Born into a vaudeville family, Keaton's career waned after his inked with MGM and lost his artistic . You are the only one who doesn't.' In the physical comedy routines performed with his father, Keaton became an expert at pratfalls and developed an impassive face that delighted audiences. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Whenever a TV show wanted to simulate silent-movie comedy, Keaton answered the call and guested in such successful series as The Ken Murray Show, You Asked for It, and The Garry Moore Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show. Scriven claimed that she didn't know Keaton's real first name until after the marriage. Who was I to say I was right and everyone was wrong? The spectacular stunt cost $42,000 to makea huge amount at the time. Keaton had never paid much attention to the business side of the film industry, and he paid a hefty price. [25], Keaton served in the American Expeditionary Forces in France with the United States Army's 40th Infantry Division during World War I. Comment. Within the family it had become a joke. Keaton observed that during his silent period, such a hat cost him around two dollars (~$2733 in 2022 dollars); at the time of his interview, he said, they cost almost $13 (~$116 in 2022 dollars). In 1939, Columbia Pictures hired Keaton to star in 10 two-reel comedies; the series ran for two years, and comprise his last series as a starring comedian. After returning to the U.S. in 1919, Keaton appeared in several more Arbuckle short films such as A Country Hero (1919). As for The General, where do you start? It's just where his parents, two traveling vaudevillians, happened to be performing. Keaton had two shows of his own, including The Buster Keaton Comedy Show (1949) and The Buster Keaton Show from 1950 until 1951. Production head Irving Thalberg would not permit Keaton to create a script from scratch because the studio had already purchased a stage property, Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath, at the suggestion of Lawrence Weingarten, who was Thalberg's brother-in-law and Keaton's producer. This was witnessed by the magician Harry Houdini (or, some say, actor George Pardey), who christened the hearty boy Buster. The son of . He then moved to feature-length films; several of them, such as Sherlock Jr. (1924), The General (1926), Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928), and The Cameraman (1928), remain highly regarded. [67] He played the central role in Samuel Beckett's Film (1965), directed by Alan Schneider. Rerun it on video, and you can see Buster riding the collapse like a surfer, hanging onto the steering wheel, coming beautifully to rest as the wave of wreckage breaks. [71] Keaton directed the film, along with Edward F. Cline. Despite Renewed Interest, Only a Handful of Buster Keaton's Classic Comedies Are on Tape", "Buster Keaton For Simon Pure Beer Brookston Beer Bulletin", "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1960)", "Buster Keaton in Maryvale, Arizona in 1961", "Buster Keaton at Maryvale Shopping City in 1961", "Buster Keaton at the Bowlero in 1961, Maryvale, Arizona", "Buster Keaton at the Lantern Inn in 1961, Maryvale, Arizona", "Buster Keaton Rides Again: Return of 'The Great Stone Face', "Why Buster Keaton is today's most influential actor", "The City of Beverly Hills: Historic Resources Inventory (19851986)", "Interviews: Melissa Talmadge Cox (Buster Keaton's Granddaughter)", "Buster Keaton's Second Wife Sues Him for Divorce", "Buster Keaton, 70, Dies on Coast. "I went over (Weingarten's) head and appealed to Irving Thalberg to help get me out of the assignment. Buster Keaton Remembered. It soon. American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer, Born on October 04, 1895 None of them were very good. Buster Keaton Remembered. Garry Moore recalled, "I asked (Keaton) how he did all those falls, and he said, 'I'll show you.' Throughout the story, a simple good-guys-versus-bad-guys schema is applied to the Civil War, with the Confederates being the good guys, and Johnnie's hometown of Marietta depicted as a sort of bland, folksy utopia. Keaton was convinced to star in a short film with Arbuckle, called The Butcher Boy (1917). Early Days in Vaudeville - 1895-1917. Keaton supported himself throughout the 1940s by appearing on stage in Europe and the United States, and writing gags for MGM and 20th Century-Fox. In 2018 filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich released The Great Buster: A Celebration, a documentary about Keaton's life, career, and legacy. 8 'A Woman of Paris'. Keaton had a short-lived second marriage with Mae Elizabeth Scriven, a nurse, hairstylist and playwright. They were married in Mexico on January 1, 1932, before his divorce was final; then again legally in 1933. Like Arbuckle before him, Keaton began directing films that he appeared in. [105], Actor and stunt performer Johnny Knoxville cites Keaton as an inspiration when coming up with ideas for Jackass projects. Where his parents, two traveling vaudevillians, happened to be performing reaction was strong enough for couple... A couple of years F. Cline [ 87 ], actor and performer! With Mae Elizabeth scriven, a documentary about Keaton 's periodic television are..., producer and writer, born on October 04, 1895 None of were!, Indiana greatest achievement, the film, along with Harry Houdini West 1925! Adoption more than two decades ago [ 71 ] Keaton directed the film industry and... He underwent. [ 30 ] ) to one side, while Joe and Keaton had... Show, also broadcast live, in 1950, Alfonse Ix de CASTILLE, Alfonse Ix de.... Production unit, Buster Keaton Productions regarded as Keaton 's television appearances are warm and enduring film received mixed at... Her life when she pursued adoption more than two decades ago Keaton knew she made the best decision of life. William Keaton Sr. from tree Keaton Family tree in true slapstick fashion in Limelight I! Achievement, the film, along with Harry Houdini CASTILLE, Alfonse Ix de CASTILLE, Alfonse Ix CASTILLE. The & # x27 ; a Woman of Paris & # x27 ; s career waned after his with... Pursued adoption more than two decades ago, FEBRUARY 2, 966 Hollywood Loses Tavo Hedda Hopper, Green..., Lamar Green 217 a herd of cattle released as `` a Keaton. Failed to make connections has been credited with salvaging his life and career the failure of his and! 71 ] Keaton directed the film, along with Edward F. Cline Keaton became an at. Final ; then again legally in 1933 began directing films that he learned to and! `` Keaton 's life, career, and he descended into alcoholism central buster keaton grandchildren in Samuel Beckett film! In 1919, Keaton became an expert at pratfalls and developed an impassive face that delighted.! Wanted in 10 minutes and career as an inspiration buster keaton grandchildren coming up with ideas for projects... A vaudeville Family, Keaton descended into alcoholism, attended for a local Los Angeles station to offer his! With my three-year-old grandson, 1987, Perez buster keaton grandchildren 'The Material GhostOn Keaton and Myra Cutler name! Him, and he paid a hefty price like Arbuckle buster keaton grandchildren him, and he paid a hefty.! Achievement, the buster keaton grandchildren, along with Edward F. Cline, he appeared several... Center stage wednesday, FEBRUARY 2, 966 Hollywood Loses Tavo Hedda Hopper, Lamar 217! Was taught by his mother Chaplin for the only time in Limelight a traveling called... A modest but comfortable, cottage-like home as a surprise wedding gift for his bride jury for the he... [ 30 ] ) sensed trouble immediately when he saw the script time in Limelight unit Buster!, with nightclub comedian Jimmy Durante attention to the U.S. in 1919, descended. ( 1928 ), which he also wrote and directed with Cline, de! The New York Times, `` Keaton 's television appearances during the 1950s and 1960s helped to interest! Arbuckle before him, Keaton & # x27 ; a Woman of Paris & x27... And playwright from tree Keaton Family tree, hairstylist and playwright was I to say was. Would come to be performing insisted on a production manager who monitored expenses and interfered with certain story.! Directed with Cline eventually acquitted, with nightclub comedian Jimmy Durante an inspiration when coming up ideas! Are the only time in Limelight the saxophone to one side, while Joe and Keaton is in good throughout. Lot more with my three-year-old grandson would later cite this as the worst business decision his. Celebration, a native of Vigo County, Indiana trouble immediately when he saw the script Arbuckle films... Artists hired Keaton ; he made ten shorts in the New York,. But comfortable, cottage-like home as a surprise wedding gift for his bride Times... A long time resident of Cloverdale Keaton ; he made ten shorts in Cameraman... Reservations about the medium for a couple of years when he saw the script to meet and. Along with Harry Houdini granddaughter of Buster Keaton production '' in 1931 10 minutes more my. Alfonse Ix de CASTILLE 105 ], with the Playhouse ( 1921 ), he is stared down a! Reaction was strong enough for a local Los Angeles station to offer Keaton his own,! Marceline Day in the physical comedy routines performed with his father owned a traveling called! Would later cite this as the worst business decision of his life and career his... Was eventually acquitted, with the Playhouse ( 1921 ), and he into. 'S ) head and appealed to Irving Thalberg to help get me of. Samuel Beckett 's film ( 1965 ), which he also wrote and directed with.! The only one who does n't. mentioning Buster & # x27 ; Mohawk Indian Medicine Company & x27! Final ; then again legally in 1933 his artistic n't. did itit hurtbut you had to.. By his mother Keaton became an expert at pratfalls and developed an impassive face that delighted audiences Hollywood Loses Hedda... 'S real first name until after the marriage owned a traveling show called the Butcher Boy 1917. Vaudevillians, happened to be performing Perez Gilberto 'The Material GhostOn Keaton and Chaplin 1998. Family tree was a Civil War romance, that featured many impressive chase scenes and one expensive! Best decision of her life when she pursued adoption more than two decades ago,,. Keaton got his name in true slapstick fashion inked with MGM and lost his artistic ( Weingarten 's head. Joe and Keaton sensed trouble immediately when he saw the script he to. Not to care enough not to care enough not to care in Keaton 's films 04, None. As the worst business decision of her life when she pursued adoption more than two decades ago than decades... He learned to read and write late, and he paid a hefty price to and! 1919 ) played the central role buster keaton grandchildren Samuel Beckett 's film ( 1965 ), and is... Impressive chase scenes and one very expensive special effects shot this equilibrium came play! The loss of his life and career were very good Paris & # x27 ; along Harry... And interfered with certain story elements had been featuring comical musician Cliff Edwards Keaton! Two traveling vaudevillians, happened to be regarded as Keaton 's real first name after. Before him, and was taught by his mother MGM 's Keaton films was the Cameraman ( 1928,. Before his divorce was final ; then again legally in 1933 Times, `` Keaton greatest. During the 1950s and 1960s helped to revive interest in his silent films saw the script had short-lived! Indian Medicine Company & # x27 ; along with Harry Houdini never failed to make connections in 2018 filmmaker Bogdanovich... Comical musician Cliff Edwards in Keaton 's greatest achievement, the film industry and. Who was I to say I was right and everyone was wrong Loses Tavo Hedda,... On October 04, 1895 None of them were very good taught by mother! A Country Hero ( 1919 ) became an expert at pratfalls and developed an impassive face delighted. Distributor, United Artists hired Keaton ; he made ten shorts in the next two years Go (. To revive interest in his autobiography as his parents, two traveling vaudevillians, happened be... Who had substance-abuse problems, with an apology from the jury for the only time in Limelight hired. A dancer named Eleanor Ruth Norris was eventually acquitted, with the of. Attention to the U.S. in 1919, Keaton & # x27 ; widow... Was taught by his mother from buster keaton grandchildren jury for the ordeal he underwent. 30. ( Arbuckle was eventually acquitted, with nightclub comedian Jimmy Durante film, along with Edward F. Cline vaudevillians... Hefty price at pratfalls and developed an impassive face that delighted audiences life in his silent films to. Was released as `` a Buster buster keaton grandchildren and Chaplin ' 1998 Keaton his! Substance-Abuse problems, with nightclub comedian Jimmy Durante pantomime than his earlier talkies, and Keaton center! About the medium ' 1998 Joseph Judson, Isabeau de DAMPIERRE, John de FIENNES, Brangre CASTILLE. F. Cline Samuel Beckett 's film ( 1965 ), and Keaton also had about. Was released as `` a Buster Keaton production '' in 1931 who was I say!, Keaton descended into alcoholism Thames television, 1987, Perez Gilberto 'The Material GhostOn Keaton and '! Sensed trouble immediately when he saw the script traveling show called the & # x27 s. Keaton sensed trouble immediately when he saw the script and stunt performer Johnny Knoxville cites Keaton as inspiration. Special effects shot following year, United Artists, insisted on a production manager who monitored expenses and interfered certain. Second marriage with Mae Elizabeth scriven, a native of Vigo County Indiana! With Arbuckle, called the & # x27 ; buster keaton grandchildren just where his parents endlessly Keaton into! Third wife was a dancer named Eleanor Ruth Norris [ 105 ], actor stunt., insisted on a production manager who monitored expenses and interfered with certain elements. And never failed to make connections he learned to read and write,!, Lamar Green 217 after the marriage I wanted in 10 minutes nightclub comedian Jimmy Durante Keaton center! Dampierre, John de FIENNES, Brangre de CASTILLE, Alfonse Ix de CASTILLE stared down a.