Buster Keaton

There are many names that shine when you think of silent movies.  Buster Keaton (1895 - 1966) is certainly one of them.  But he was not always a star.  In fact, his star shown brightest for only a few years in his long acting career of over 150 titles.

Keaton started acting at age three in his parents' vaudeville act, along with partner Harry Houdini (1974 - 1926).  From what I have read, it was a tough act for Buster, who was physically mistreated on stage in the act, in search of laughs.  He took all the punishment, and always came up with his stone face in the end.  A trait he never lost.  His father's problem with alcohol finally ended the act, and I hope it was before Buster was seriously injured. 

His first small part in film was The Gangsters in 1913 (of course, everything in 1913 was a small part), and he started in a movie career in 1917.  His friendship with Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle (1887 - 1933) would last through over 20 films together.

Keaton took second billing (or lower) to Fatty in many of these early films.  But he also was a writer and director for some of them.  In 1920, Keaton gets top billing in the short film, One Week.  His first feature length film, The Saphead, was released the same year. 

Shortly after that, Arbuckle fell into legal troubles that ended his acting career, but Buster was off and running.  1920 to 1929 would be his finest decade. 

Of the best, we have The Navigator (1924), Sherlock Jr. (1924), The General (1926), and Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928).  I have previously written about The General, which is considered one of the best examples of silent film.  And Steamboat Bill Jr., would inspire Walt Disney to make the first Mickey Mouse talkie, Steamboat Willie, also in 1928.

In many instances, silent film stars would lose their glow with the advent of sound films.  This was not the case with Buster Keaton, but he declined none-the-less.  His many personal problems led to drinking.  He moved to MGM, and lost his creative control, which deepened his depression. 

By 1940 he was in his third marriage, this time to Eleanor Norris (1918 - 1998) who is credited with helping Buster end his drinking so he could get some work.  His movie career continued, but he would never be a big star again.  He had many small appearances in great films such as In the Good Old Summertime (1949), Sunset Boulevard (1950), and Limelight (1952).

After growing up watching old Buster Keaton two-reelers on television, I was pleased to see him in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) with the greatest comedy cast ever assembled for a movie.  He belonged in that film, and even at age 68 he still had his screen charm and his ability to play a physical part. 

Keaton also found some television work, but he was misplaced in Beach Blanket Bingo and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini, both in 1965 with Annette Funicello.  His final film was A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) starring Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers and Buster Keaton. 

Keaton's huge house in Hollywood was purchased by James Mason, and Mason found a treasure trove of Buster's old nitrate films in a hidden closet.  Luckily Mason knew these films were important and he made sure they were preserved for us to enjoy. 

That's quite a story about one of the greatest silent movie stars, who became a wonderful Bit Actor.

WAR!

We are getting close to Memorial Day, and it struck me that war movies probably utilize more bit part actors and extras than any other genre.  Many war films use real troops, supplied by request to the government, to capture the realism, and supply enough bodies to fill the screen.

The General is a silent film by Buster Keaton about a steam locomotive that was stolen by Union soldiers during the Civil War.  Keaton plays an engineer in the South who tries to recover the missing loco named The General.  This is considered one of the best silent films every made...certainly Keaton's best film.  It is based in fact, although it stretches historical truth quite a bit.  I was awestruck by the stunts Keaton performed, with great risk to life and limb.

Keaton was able to use reserve troops as extras for the battle scenes.  He still didn't have enough men, so he filmed all of the Union side, then they all changed uniforms and he filmed all of the Confederate side.  The big battle scene near the end of the film caused a forest fire, and the troops helped put the fire out before it got too far out of control.

The General is a film that you should not miss.  I recommend that you consider buying it, rather than renting from Netflix, though.  I recently rented it and the soundtrack was horrible!  They chose classical music that had no relation to the scenes.  Part of the fun of silent films is matching the music to what is happening on screen. 

Charles Chaplin was a musician as well as a film maker and actor.  He wrote the music to many of his films.  When you see the film with the correct music, it is a treat.  Try the Gold Rush or even City Lights (technically a sound film) for the best of Chaplin's music.

One last side note, you can see bits of The General in the 1991 Micheal J. Fox film, Doc Hollywood.  The town is having their squash festival, and they are showing a silent film on the wall of a building while Fox is dreaming about Julie Warner.

BTW, the actual locomotive, The General, still exists.  It was built in 1855 and is in the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, GA.  Well, I guess that's two last side notes.