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m. Children. 2. Parents. Joe Keaton (father) Myra Cutler (mother) Joseph Frank " Buster " Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) [ 1 ] was an American actor, comedian and film director. [ 2 ] He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts.
The son of vaudevillians, Keaton is said to have earned his famous nickname when, at age 18 months, he fell down a staircase; magician Harry Houdini picked up the unhurt infant, turned to the boy’s parents, and chuckled “That’s some ‘buster’ your baby took.” Joe and Myra Keaton added Buster to their vaudeville act when he was three ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Buster Keaton. Actor: The General. Joseph Frank Keaton was born on October 4, 1895 in Piqua, Kansas, to Joe Keaton and Myra Keaton. Joe and Myra were Vaudevillian comedians with a popular, ever-changing variety act, giving Keaton an eclectic and interesting upbringing. In the earliest days on stage, they traveled with a medicine show that included family friend, illusionist Harry Houdini. Keaton himself verified the origin of his nickname "Buster",...
- October 4, 1895
- February 1, 1966
Sep 22, 2024 · A: Buster Keaton is best known for his silent films, where he showcased his unparalleled physical comedy skills and innovative stunts. Q: How did Buster Keaton get his nickname? A: Keaton got his nickname “Buster” when he was younger due to his ability to withstand falls and physical mishaps without crying or showing any emotion.
- Harry Houdini Gave Buster Keaton The “Buster” nickname.
- Buster Keaton Didn’T Like to Work with A script.
- Buster Keaton Did Most of His Own Stunts.
- Buster Keaton Didn’T Use Many Title Cards.
- Buster Keaton Fashioned His Porkpie Hats from Stetson Hats.
- Buster Keaton Influenced Mel Brooks.
- Buster Keaton Thought The General Aged Pretty well.
- Buster Keaton Starred in A Series of Beer commercials.
- Michigan Hosts An Annual Buster Keaton Convention.
When Keaton was born, his parents were performing with Harry Houdini in a medicine show (touring acts that promoted "miracle cures"). In a 1963 interview, Keaton explained how he got his nickname from Houdini: "I fell down a flight of stairs when I was around six months old. They picked me up … no bruises, didn’t seem to hurt myself, and Houdini sa...
Keaton believed in the art of improvisation. In an audio interview played over Tony Zhou’s 'Buster Keaton—The Art of the Gag' video essay, Keaton stated: “As a rule, about 50 percent you have in your mind when you start the picture and the rest you develop as you’re making it.” He hired “gag men” to write for him, including sportswriter Clyde Bruck...
In the 1920s CGI didn’t exist, so actors either had to hire stuntpeople or do their own stunts; Keaton chose the latter. One of his most remarkable stunts was done in the 1928 feature film Steamboat Bill, Jr., where a 4000-pound facade of a house fell on the actor. "Keaton’s position on the ground had to line up exactly with an open window in the t...
In an interviewlater in his life, Keaton explained that "The average [silent] picture used 240 titles. And the most I ever used was 56." Instead, he preferred to convey plot through action and pantomime—visual comedy, as it’s known—and found "humor in the geometry."
One of Keaton’s most recognizable features was the porkpie hat he wore in his films. “In those days, almost every comedian you saw affected a derby hat,” Keaton said. “Even Harold Lloyd, when he was playing his Lonesome Luke character in 1917, wore a derby.” Keaton decided he needed his own brand of hat. “I took a good Stetson and cut it down, then...
In a 1997 interview with The Keaton Chronicle, Mel Brooks talked about how Keaton influenced his movies, especially 1976’s Silent Movie. "He gave me things that you can’t put your finger on," Brooks said. "He kind of said, ‘Never play a crazy scene with anything but reality.' He was always intensely and desperately true. He never winked at you. He ...
Even though The General is known as Keaton’s masterpiece, when United Artists released it in 1926, it opened to mixed reviews, and poor box office receipts resulted in the studio forcing Keaton into a restrictive deal with MGM. But in 1965, nearly 40 years after its initial release, Keaton commented on how The General was still funny. “Comedy does ...
In 1962, Keaton—then 67 years old—partnered with Buffalo, New York's The Simon Pure Breweryto film a series of beer commercials. He aped his silent film-era films in the ads while drinking beer.
The International Buster Keaton Society—members are called Damfinos—hosts an annual Buster Keaton conventionin Muskegon, Michigan, where Keaton owned a summer home. The three-day convention screens Keaton’s films and hosts panel discussions and live performances.
- Garin Pirnia
Buster Keaton. Actor: The General. Joseph Frank Keaton was born on October 4, 1895 in Piqua, Kansas, to Joe Keaton and Myra Keaton. Joe and Myra were Vaudevillian comedians with a popular, ever-changing variety act, giving Keaton an eclectic and interesting upbringing. In the earliest days on stage, they traveled with a medicine show that ...
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Apr 2, 2014 · Joseph Frank Keaton IV was born October 4, 1895, in Piqua, Kansas. His parents, Joe and Myra, were both veteran vaudevillian actors, and Keaton himself first began performing at the age of 3 when ...
