When only a few months old, (Buster Keaton) nearly suffocated after being accidentally shut in a costume trunk off stage while his mother and father performed, an incident that encouraged his parents to begin leaving him at whatever boarding house they were residing in. According to family legend, the Keatons then escaped from a series of fires and train wrecks that would have destroyed a less charmed family. Finally, on one harrowing day when he was nearly three: Buster caught his right forefinger in a clothes wringer, losing the first joint, gashed his head near the eye with a brick that boomeranged after he threw it at a peach tree and was sucked out of an upstairs window by a passing cyclone that carried him floating through the air and conveniently deposited him, unhurt, in the middle of a street a few blocks away. After that, his parents decided he'd be safer on stage ... (read more here)

born 4 October 1895 in Piqua, Kansas, as Joseph Frank Keaton Jr.
married to actress Natalie Talmadge; two sons; divorced
married in 1930s; divorced
married Eleanor Ruth Norris in 1940; together until Buster's death on February 1 1966 of lung cancer

began in vaudeville with father Joe Keaton and mother Myra Keaton in 1896
began film work in 1917 for Comique

from http://www.touchstone.freeserve.co.uk/keaton/about.html:

Buster Keaton was one of the greatest screen comedians the world has ever seen. Born in 1895 when film-making was in its infancy, by the end of the 1920s he had become the most versatile star of the silent era. Actor, comedian, stuntman, writer, director. He excelled at them all. The most graceful of actors, his films are filled with wonderful moments, from deceptively simple but effective gags through to elaborate and life threatening stunts. He was a pioneer in the use of special effects, appearing on-screen simultaneously nine times in The Playhouse (1921). By the end of the 1920s he had appeared in over 20 shorts and a dozen features, among them some of the greatest comedies ever seen. The General, his 1926 masterpiece, often appears in lists of the 'Top 100 Films Of All Time'. At the start of the thirties, with changes in studio structures and the introduction of sound, Buster lost artistic control over his films. He became dependant on alcohol, and as the 1930s and 1940s passed he moved out of the public eye. He continued to make films, but nothing matched the quality of his early work. During the fifties, with appearances on television and cameos in a handful of major studio films, interest in his silent films began to grow. Prints that hadn't been seen since the 1920s were unearthed and screened to enthusiastic audiences. Just before his death in 1966, Buster Keaton was finally receiving the recognition he deserved.

see busterkeaton.com

Robert has silent film music in his blood: at least three of his great-aunts and -uncles used to play professionally for the "silents" in the period following World War 1.

A well-known concert pianist and improviser, it was a natural transition for him to play for silent films. He started when a colleague asked if he could "have a go" for a fundraising event. He undertook his first concert performances accompanying silent films about five years ago; since then his "shows" have been in demand.

When he's not playing for silent films, Robert is Professor and Dean of Music at the University of Newcastle's Conservatorium.

written and directed by Edward F. Cline and Buster Keaton
technical direction by Fred Gabourie; cinematography by Elgin Lessley
presented and produced by Joseph M. Schenck
cast: Buster Keaton as a farmhand; Joe Roberts, farmhand; Joe Keaton, farmer; Edward F. Cline, hit-and-run truck driver; Sybil Seely, farmer's daughter; Mary Astor; and Al St. John

See http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011656/#comment: This very funny short comedy is an excellent example of Keaton's amazing inventiveness, and it deserves to be one of his best-remembered short features. The first part is especially good, and has to be seen to be appreciated - it's just Buster and a roommate going about their daily routine in a house filled with wacky gadgets and all kinds of unexpected features. There's a lot of great material, much more than you can catch all at once. It would be hard for the rest of it to live up to the first part, but it is pretty good, too - lots of slapstick and chases, plus the actual "Scarecrow" scene. This one is a bit more piecemeal than most of his comedies, but all of the material is very good. Most fans of silent comedies will really enjoy this movie. by Snow Leopard from Ohio

from http://home.att.net/~mr.kemp/vid-bkts.htm:

The Scarecrow, one of Keaton's earliest independent shorts, is a brilliant, fast-moving gag-fest. This film contains much of the classic Keaton material that placed him up with Chaplin and Lloyd.

This is perhaps Keaton's first foray into mechanical gags involving elaborate devices and contraptions for making daily life easier. The film begins with Buster and Joe Roberts eating dinner. The wire and handles suspended above provides everything they could possibly need--salt, pepper, drink, napkin - all just a cord yank away.

Later, the plot focuses on the love-triangle between the boys and a neighboring farmer's pretty dancing daughter (Sybil Seely). The farmer (played by Buster's dad, Joe) doesn't like any of the three, and the remainder of the film follows the familiar Keaton theme where Buster struggles against all odds to get the girl.

The second half of the short is highlighted by the delightful & truly amazing antics of the farmer's dog (which looks strangely like Fatty Arbuckle's dog). It chases and tears at the seat of Buster's pants, it climbs up and then back down a 20-foot ladder in pursuit of its stone-face prey and more ...

Buster's antics are no less amazing, however, as he donnes the scarecrow garb to avoid his pursuers, walks across a stream ON HIS HANDS (no faking here), and is sucked up in the reaper and is stripped of his clothes and baled with the wheat.

In the closing scene, Buster's kneeling to tie his shoe is taken as an proposal which Sybil immediately accepts, leaving our confused hero happy but confused.

A WONDERFUL FILM that is PURE KEATON GENIUS!

produced by Henry P. Caulfield and Charles Chaplin
cinematography by Roland Totheroh
film editing by Charles Chaplin
property master: George Cleethorpe; assistant property master: Dan Allen
technical director: Ed Brewer; assistant camera: George C. 'Duke' Zalibra
written by Vincent Bryan, Charles Chaplin and Maverick Terrell
original story by Charles Chaplin
directed by Charles Chaplin
cast: Charles Chaplin as The Inebriate; Edna Purviance, The Girl; Eric Campbell, Man With Gout; Henry Bergman; Masseur, John Rand, James T. Kelley and Albert Austin, Sanitarium Attendants; Frank J. Coleman, Head of Sanitarium, Leota Bryan, Nurse; Janet Miller Sully, Woman; Loyal Underwood and Tom Wood, Patients

from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0007832/:

Chaplin is a wealthy inebriate drying out at a sanitarium when his secret liquor stash gets dumped in the mineral spring. Among many outstanding scenes is Charlie's effort to avoid the joint-wrenching massage therapy of his long-time sidekick, Henry Bergman.

Very simply the most hysterical of all his Mutuals! Charlie is not only inebriated throughout his stay in rehab but makes sure everyone in the place gets crocked too! A masterpiece! A riot! You'll laugh until you wet your pants!

written by Clyde Bruckman, Jean Havez and Joseph Mitchell
directed by Jack Blystone and Buster Keaton
technical direction by Fred Gabourie; cinematography by Gordon Jennings and Elgin Lessley
costume design by Walter J. Israel; art direction by Fred Gabourie presented and produced by Joseph M. Schenck
stunt coordination by Chick Collins and Ernie Orsatti stunts by Buster Keaton cast: Buster Keaton as Willie McKay (21 years old); Buster Keaton Jr as Willie McKay (1 year old); Joe Roberts, Joseph Canfield; Ralph Bushman, Clayton Canfield; Monte Collins, The Parson; Joe Keaton, The Engineer; Kitty Bradbury, Aunt Mary; Craig Ward, Lee Canfield; and Natalie Talmadge, Virginia Canfield; also Erwin Connelly, Edward Coxen, James Duffy, Jean Dumas and Tom London

see http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0014341/:

This is a costume-period piece set in 1830s Kentucky. The Canfields and the McKays are feuding clans (essentially the real life Hatfields and McCoys renamed). In New York Willie McKay boards a train (an exact recreation of the original "Stephenson Rocket") to return to his Appalachian homestead. On board he meets and falls for Virginia Canfield (the actress is Buster's real life wife). His problem is that her family has vowed to kill every member of his family. The dramatic waterfall rescue near the end is performed by Buster himself.

During the shooting of the climatic waterfall scene, Buster Keaton inhaled so much water that he had to have first aid.

During the filming of the scene in which Buster Keaton is being swept downstream towards the waterfall, he was attached to a 'holdback' cable, concealed in the river. During the filming of the scene, the cable broke, and he was hurled down the rapids, battered by rocks and limbs, and was only barely able to grab an overhanging branch, which held him just long enough for the crew to reach and rescue him. This scene remains in the final print, and is fairly easy to spot. Just look for the point at which Keaton is being pulled downriver and 1) he suddenly looks back towards the camera, and 2) his speed in the water doubles, almost causing him to fly out of frame.

The climactic waterfall rescue scenes were filmed on a set built over the swimming pool on the Keaton lot. Production stills kept secret until decades after the film was released show the entire set, including the miniature valley constructed below the pool for the long overlooking shots.

Joe Roberts, Buster Keaton's career "heavy", made his last appearance in this film. Big Joe suffered a stroke during the filming, and was hospitalized. He insisted on returning to work, however, and died very shortly after the end of filming.

A review by delnaja Keaton is at his best when he plays with trains; he also excels at physical stunts, often at great physical risk to himself (and some of the other actors). So here, both of these elements are present. Just look at some of the stunts. For instance, when Keaton and the male actor go falling down the cliff, falling over one to two-hundred feet below into the water. Or, specifically, when he has to time his swing to catch the girl before she plummets down the waterfall (this was real!). Not to mention, all of the risks he took with that log near the waterfall. It puts Lloyd to shame. The train, too, is a real laugh riot. The start of the journey, where they bump up and down irregularly, is a hoot. Or all of the mishaps where they get off track, or get all sooty. Also, that bugler with the funny beard is hilarious. The story, of course, relies on some idiotic Southern stereotypes; also, I think the servant is played by a "blackfaced" white actor. I cannot fault him for that, because of the era, but it does drag this film down a notch -- which is otherwise great. 8 out of 10. A parody of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, by David Hoffman There has never been a more comic use of a `train' (if the label is appropriate) than in this film. This is ingenuity at its finest, the most sustained comic sequence I've ever seen. Travelling from New York ca. 1830 to the Appalachians to claim an `estate', Keaton on this journey provides the highlight of the film-and what a highlight it is! From the bouncing actions of passengers to the lifting and moving of track, this series of images is non-stop pleasure. A dog, a hobo, a man throwing rocks at the engineer, a mule-all are inspired catalysts to laughter. Once Keaton (a McKay) reaches his destination, the movie changes pace. And despite many good moments, especially those when Keaton has taken up `permanent residence' at the Canfields', the humor never reaches the level of the first portion of the film. Nonetheless, Keaton's genius is evident throughout the film, and it is this ability to innovate that constantly amazes. Keaton's Craft, by harry-76 "Our Hospitality" displays the skill of Buster Keaton very admirably. After a somewhat slow start in the Prologue and beginning of the Story, the pace picks up and continues to become more and more interesting. One appreciates the great care Keaton takes in setting up his compositions, noted for their clean lines and balanced geometric planes and forms. Images are nicely stuctured, and one gets a feeling of classically executed set designs, with room to breathe. The lines of the Keaton poems are not extended to the end; rather, room is left for the viewer to fill in phrase endings with personal responses. This 1923 silent classic holds up quite well, and one notes the remarkable physical stunts Keaton pulls off, in the standard silent era custom of not using a double. The actual comedy comes off best with an audience: the phenemena of group laughter can be infectious, and this film can really take off in a full theater ... Excellent Fun, by Piranian Rose "Our Hospitality" is truly a work of art from the silent era. Buster Keaton amazed me with his stunts, which I dare say do not pale in comparison with those of Jackie Chan. The story is filled with wit and suspense. At times you laugh, at times you gasp, at times the world trembles as Keaton delivers death-defying stunts. This is one of the first silent movies I watched in its entirety, and I was thoroughly impressed with the film-making quality. While I wouldn't go as far as to prefer silent movies over their contemporary sound counterpart, I like how soundless movies invite you to pay particular attention to the facial expression - it's all there in the actor's face. I personally prefer "Our Hospitality" to Keaton's acclaimed "The General". review by c_t The movie is all situational humor, and there are plenty of good gags: Buster's head going up into his hat when the shaky train they're on bounces around, a dog chasing the train that gets derailed, Buster getting beat up by the woman he tries to rescue from her abusive husband, and a horse made up to look like a woman from behind. The silly "prologue" which is followed by the "story" is amusing, and there are a few sophisticated touches, as well, like the historical view of the two dirt roads that are Broadway and 42nd Street or the imaginary estate that explodes in Buster's mind when he sees the shack that is his inheritance. The ending is dangerous, as Buster falls over a cliff into water (with a visually striking image of him and his chaser coming up to the surface), then getting dragged by a train, then standing on two rail cars, then using a box that falls off the train as a boat. And we get panicky watching him swing over a waterfall to catch his love. Dummy or not, it's wild. 8/10 review by tedg What can one say? Once again we have a film that in form goes against what it preaches: the moral of the story is that tribal groups should stop their mindless dehumanization of the "other." But it is done in a way that dehumanizes the South, still very much (at that time) lost in post-Civil War depression. Oh well, just ignore that common enough irony. We do have a hilarious train ride, quite probably the model for much that followed. And we have the amazing waterfall stunt. There is a dummy involved in the catch, but otherwise these were the real stars involved. That knowledge amazes me. For me, exciting film is about risk and sometimes physical risk will suffice, as with Herzog. But this is amazing stuff. Keaton's family members perform in delightful morality tale This is one of Buster's best features. It's far more serious than any other film he ever made with its deadly feud and its plea for tolerance. It neatly divides in half, the first half on one of the first trains ever constructed, not a replica but a borrowed museum piece. The second half takes place at and around the home of his new girlfriend, trying to evade her murdering father and brothers. The train journey is inspired and far funnier than the gags used in the later THE GENERAL ... What is most marvelous is that Keaton's father, Joe (the engineer), his son, Buster, Jr. (his character as an infant), and his wife, Natalie Talmadge (the girl, Mary), are all in the film with him. Great gags in the train sequence: the dog keeping up with the slow moving train throughout the journey; the ruse of rock throwing to get free firewood; moving the track to go around a stubborn mule; getting off the track entirely and meandering down a country road. Once in town, we have the classic attempted rescue of a woman from her abusive spouse only to be clobbered himself, his dream estate actually blowing up when confronted by the miserable truth, the sudden new waterfall that miraculously hides him from his foes, the indoor/outdoor chase to avoid being shot, the dog fetching the unwanted hat, the horse made up to look like the escaping Keaton disguised as a woman with an umbrella; the fall from the train into the stream and the nonchalant paddle as the car is turned into a boat; and of course the extraordinary precision of the final waterfall rescue. This is a wonderfully inventive comedy and safely walks the line of making its serious points without bringing high spirits down. A must-see, especially as a double bill with his later, THE GENERAL. Beautiful effort from the King, by Kiddman This fine film represents one of the earlier attempts at "dramedy", long before the term was invented. The story has a highly realistic feel to it, yet the funny stuff is never far away ... The little train which takes Buster to Kentucky is a hoot, and THAT is based on the real 1830's deal, too. Movable, bumpy, flimsy tracks and a couple nutty characters and situations are highlights ... The story was strong and believable, and the climactic (and very dangerous) scenes at the river and waterfall were amazing ... Keaton Constable The Scarecrow The Cure Our Hospitality KV-RP top