Buster Keaton [1895-1966] at Magic Lantern Video & Book Store

Joseph Frank Keaton VI was born 4 October 1895 in Piqua, Kansas. His parents – father Joe and tiny, dark-haired mother Myra – performed in vaudeville, where Harry Houdini is said to have given the kid, a performer from the age of 5, the nickname 'Buster'. The family toured around the country, billed as 'The Three Keatons', and Buster spent a total of one day in formal school. By 1905, he had two siblings; neither performed onstage. Joe threw young Buster around as part of the act, and in later years took to drink and beat the boy if he showed any sign of fear. Life on the vaudeville stage was not all abuse: Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson taught Buster to dance, and Harry Houdini taught him card tricks. Buster loved the stage, but in 1916 he left his uncaring family, first for Broadway and then off to Hollywood.

A chance meeting with comic Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle led to film acting, then writing and directing. After serving in France during World War I, Buster returned to Hollywood in 1920, making a series of two-reelers that catapulted him to fame in just two years. Arbuckle's career was ruined by scandal in 1922, though he was ultimately acquitted; Buster remained a friend until Arbuckle's untimely death in 1933.

Buster's career blossomed, and he formed a company to write, produce and direct shorts and features that displayed his comic stunt and acting skills, making 19 shorts and 11 feature films from 1920 to 1929. Against the advice of pals Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, Buster made a deal to work for M.G.M. in 1928, but studio executives were unable to understand his genius. Thwarted by terrible scripts, Buster found solace in alcohol, then recovered and found work on the legitimate stage, where he was a success in both America and Europe. A September 1949 cover story in Life Magazine by James Agee revived Buster's career; he appeared in "Sunset Boulevard" (1950), starred in a television series (1951), acted in Chaplin's "Limelight" (1953), and in "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956) . During the 1960s, he acted in mostly low-budget films, including roles as a stone-faced Indian in beach-and-bikini movies of the period.

He married Natalie Talmadge (sister of screen stars Norma and Constance) in May 1920, and she bore him two sons. In-laws soon ruled the Keaton home, however, forcing him to sleep in his own room from 1924; the marriage finally collapsed in 1932. He married his second wife, Mae Scrivens, the same year – while inebriated and before the divorce was final; alcoholism hastened the end of the second marriage as well. Confined to a sanitarium in 1934, Buster escaped his straitjacket using a secret learned from Harry Houdini. Buster later achieved control of his drinking, and in 1940 married dancer Eleanor Norris, 21 years his junior; she stayed with him to the end. He died of lung cancer at his home in Woodland Hills, California on 1 February 1966; his widow Eleanor died 19 October 1998.

Buster Keaton was lauded during his lifetime for his mastery of stunts and acting in silent films, receiving an Honorary Oscar in 1960 "for his unique talents which brought immortal comedies to the screen", and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He stated near the end of his life that he had lived the happiest and luckiest of lives. The U.S. Postal Service has issued several Keaton postage stamps, as have other countries. The first year of the National Film Registry named "The General" [1927] to the list, and "Sherlock Jr." [1924] followed two years later.

Buster Keaton won an Honorary Oscar® in 1960
and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

	"Keaton Plus" on DVD [1995] Kino Video DVD [8/2004] for $21.99 includes silent shorts "Hard Luck" [1921], "The High Sign" [1921], "Daydreams" [1922], "The Haunted House" [1922] & "The Love Nest" [1923]; sound shorts "Allez Oop" [1934] & "Jail Bait" [1937]; dramatic tv episode "The Awakening" [1954], plus rare outtakes & video of filming locations based on the book "Silent Echoes"
	"Famous Comedy Legends" DVD Box Sets [2002] Volume 1: National Film Museum b&w DVD set [7/2002] 3 disks for $24.99 Starring Charlie Chaplin {3 shorts), Charley Chase (1 short), W.C. Fields (2 shorts), Buster Keaton (shorts "The Goat" [1921] & "The Blacksmith" [1922], silent features "The General" [1927] & "College" [1927]) & The Three Stooges (2 shorts) Volume 2: National Film Museum b&w DVD set [7/2002] 3 disks for $24.99 Starring Charlie Chaplin {2 shorts), Charley Chase (2 shorts), W.C. Fields (1 short), Buster Keaton (shorts "Cops" [1922] & "The Love Nest" [1923], features "Steamboat Bill, Jr." [1928 silent] & "Parlor, Bedroom and Bath" [1931 talkie]) & The Three Stooges (3 shorts)
	"The Buster Keaton Collection" [Warner 2004] Warner b&w DVD [12/2004] 2 discs for $35.99 includes "The Cameraman" [1928], "Spite Marriage" [1929] & "Free and Easy" [1930] silent features, Kevin Brownlow & Christopher Bird's documentary "So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM" [2004], plus many extras
	"Industrial Strength Keaton" [Laughsmith Ent. 2006] Directed by Paul E. Gierucki with Bruce Lawton Mackinac Media color DVD [1/2006] 2 discs for $21.99 includes b&w silent feature "The Playhouse" [1921], recently discovered silent short "Character Studies" [1927], b&w sound feature "Parlor, Bedroom & Bath [1931]; b&w promotional shorts "Seein' Stars" [1922], "The Voice of Hollywood #10" [1929], "Hollywood On Parade #A-6" [1933], "An Old Spanish Custom" [1935]; 7 TV shows, 21 TV commercials, 3 short industrial films, and many bonus features
	"Buster Keaton 65th Anniversary Collection" [2006] Sony b&w DVD [3/2006] 2 disks - out of prodn/used includes Columbia sound shorts "General Nuisance" [1941], "His Ex Marks the Spot" [1940], "Mooching Through Georgia" [1939], "Nothing But Pleasure" [1940], "Pardon My Berth Marks" [1940], "Pest From The West" [1939], "She's Oil Mine" [1941], "So You Won't Squawk" [1941], "The Spook Speaks" [1940] & "The Taming of the Snood" [1940] plus featurette "Buster Keaton: From Silents To Shorts" [2006]

Buster Keaton Chronicles DVD set from U.K.

"The Buster Keaton Chronicles" DVD Set [2006]
NOTE: this DVD product appears to be for Region 2
Netwerk b&w DVD set [2/2006] 6 disks - out of prodn/used { list price in U.K. is £39.99 }
"28 movies from the genius of silent comedy": includes Thames Silents versions of 'The General' and 'Our Hospitality', 1968 Keaton documentary "The Great Stone Face", and a special booklet by Ed MacPherson & Paul Ross; the other 26 shorts and features are: "The Balloonatic", "Battling Butler", "The Blacksmith", "The Boat", "College", "Convict 13", "Cops", "Day Dreams", "The Electric House", "The Frozen North", "Go West", "The Goat", "The Haunted House", "The Love Nest", "My Wife's Relations", "The Navigator", "Neighbors", "One Week", "The Paleface", "The Play-house", "The Saphead", "The Scarecrow", "Seven Chances", "Sherlock Jr.", "Steamboat Bill Jr.", and "The Three Ages"

	"Buster Keaton 2 DVD Set: The Great Stone Face of Comedy" 4 films on DVD [2008] contains four feature films (3 silent, 1 sound): "College" [1927], "The General" [1927], TV show "The Misadventures of Buster Keaton" [U.K. movie 1953], and "Steamboat Bill Jr." [1928] Echo Bridge Home Ent. b%w DVD [9/2008] 2 disks for $5.19
	"The Actors: Rare Films of Buster Keaton" [2009] Volume 1: Classic Video Streams b&w DVD [8/2009] for $14.99 contains six b&w sound shorts from Fox/Educational: "The Gold Ghost" [1934], "One Run Elmer" [1935], "Tars and Stripes" [1935], "Hayseed Romance" [1935], "Three On A Limb" [1936], and "Mixed Magic" [1936] Volume 2: Classic Video Streams b&w DVD [8/2009] for $14.99 contains three b&w sound shorts from Fox/Educational: "The Chemist" [1936], "Grand Slam Opera" [1936], and "Ditto" [1937]; color short "The Home Owner" [1961]; a 1962 Ford commercial; and the color short "The Triumph of Lester Snapwell" [1963], essentially a commercial for Kodak's Instamatic camera
	"Lost Keaton: Sixteen Comedy Shorts, 1934-1937" DVD Box Set [2010] Kino Lorber b&w DVD set [7/2010] 2 disks for $24.14 option for dubbing in Japanese (!); contains all 16 Educational Pictures shorts (14 of which are first time on DVD) including: "Allez Oop" [Feb 1934], "The Gold Ghost" [March 1934], "Palooka From Paducah" [Jan 1935], "One Run Elmer" [1935], "Hayseed Romance" [March 1935], "Tars and Stripes" [May 1935], "The E-Flat Man" [Aug 1935], "The Timid Young Man" [Oct 1935], "The Chemist" [1936], "Grand Slam Opera" [1936], "Three On A Limb" [Jan 1936], "Blue Blazes" [Aug 1936], "Mixed Magic" [Nov 1936], "Jail Bait" [Jan 1937], "Ditto" [Feb 1937], and "Love Nest On Wheels" [March 1937] — omitting "Mooching Through Georgia" [Aug 1939]
	"Buster Keaton Ultimate Edition: Short Films Collection, 1920-1923" [2011] Kino Intl. b&w Blu-ray [7/2011] 3 disks for $45.99 Kino Intl. b&w DVD [7/2011] 3 disks for $21.99 contains 19 silent short films, digitally-remastered in high definition; extras include 15 'visual essays' by Keaton experts, booklet, 1925 gag film, excerpts & outtakes
	"The Best of Buster Keaton" DVD Box Set [2011] S'more Entertainment DVD set [10/2011] 2 disks for $9.99 contains 4 silent shorts and 2 silent feature films: "The Goat" [1921], "The Blacksmith" [1922], "Cops" [1922), "The Love Nest" [1923], "The General" [1926], and "Steamboat Bill, Jr." [1928]
	"Buster Keaton Collection 14-Disc Set" on Blu-ray [2016] Kino Lorber b&w Blu-ray set [11/2016] 14 disks for $117.10 contains 35 shorts and eleven features & featurettes: "Buster Keaton Short Films Collection, 1920-1923" (19 two-reelers on three disks); "Lost Keaton: Sixteen Comedy Shorts, 1934-1937" (on two disks); "The Saphead" [1920], "Our Hospitality" [1923], "The Three Ages" [1923], "Sherlock Jr." [1924], "The Navigator" [1924], "Seven Chances" [1925], "Go West" [1925], "Battling Butler" [1926], "The General" [1927], "College" [1927], and "Steamboat Bill Jr." [1928]

A Reckless Romeo silent short starring Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle & Buster Keaton

"A Reckless Romeo" [Paramount/Comique May 1917 short]
Long considered a lost film, nitrate elements were discovered in Norway in 1999. Roscoe flirts with a girl in the park, then when he takes his wife & mother-in-law to the movies, he sees the flirtation show- ing on the screen. Co-written & directed by & starring Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle; co-starring Buster Keaton, Al St. John, Alice Lake, Agnes Neilson & Corinne Parquet • Both DVD & VHS also include Roscoe's "The Cook" [1918] with Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd's "Number Please?" [1920]
Image Ent. tinted b&w DVD [2/2003] 3 shorts for $22.49
Milestone Video b&w VHS [1/2003] 3 shorts - out of prodn/used
full credits at IMDb

"Out West" [aka 'The Sheriff'; Jan 1918] counted among 14 films in Neibaur's book

with Al St. John & Joe Keaton; full credits from IMDb

Later Shorts
co-written & co-directed by Edward F. Cline [unless otherwise noted]

"The Scarecrow" [1920]
with Al St. John, Edward F. Cline & Joe Keaton; full credits from IMDb

"Neighbors" [aka 'Backyard' or 'Mailbox'; 1920]
with Edward F. Cline & Joe Keaton; full credits from IMDb

"The High Sign" [1921]
"May be the summit of Keaton's inventiveness." — Richard Brady, New Yorker Magazine film critic (in 2011)
with Al St. John; full credits from IMDb

"The Goat" [1921] co-written & co-directed by Malcolm St. Clair
with Malcolm St. Clair & Edward F. Cline; full credits from IMDb

"The Blacksmith" [1922] co-written & co-directed by Malcolm St. Clair
full credits from IMDb

"Day Dreams" [1922] co-written by Edward F. Cline
with Renée Adorée, Joe Keaton & Edward F. Cline; full credits from IMDb

	"Arbuckle and Keaton: Their 14 Film Collaborations" [2006] by James L. Neibaur McFarland & Co. pb [12/2006] for $33.25 except that there were sixteen Arbuckle-Keaton collaborations {as above}
	"The Best Arbuckle / Keaton Collection" DVD set [2002] Volume 1: Blackhawk/Flicker Alley b&w DVD [5/2015] for $16.95 Volume 2: Blackhawk/Flicker Alley b&w DVD [5/2015] for $16.95 Image Ent. b&w DVD [10/2002] 2 disks - out of prodn/used twelve short films, including "The Butcher Boy" [1917], "The Rough House" [1917], "His Wedding Night" [1917], "Oh Doctor!" [1917], "Coney Island" [1917], "Out West" [1918], "The Bell Boy" [1918], "Moonshine" (fragment) [1918], "Good Night, Nurse" [1918], "Back Stage" [1919], "The Hayseed" [1919], and "The Garage" [1920]
	Arbuckle & Keaton: The Original Comique Paramount Shorts [2001] Volume 1: "The Butcher Boy" [1917], "The Bell Boy" [1918], "Out West" [1918], "Moonshine" [1918], and "The Hayseed" [1919] Kino Video DVD [4/2001] out of prodn/used Kino Video VHS [4/2001] out of prodn/used Volume 2: "Coney Island" [1917], "The Rough House"[1917], "Good Night, Nurse!" [1918], "Back Stage" [1919], and "The Garage" [1920] Kino Video DVD [4/2001] out of prodn/used Kino Video VHS [4/2001] out of prodn/used Volume 3, perhaps? [shorts not included in Volumes 1&2] "Oh Doctor!" [1917], "A Country Hero" [1917], "His Wedding Night" [1917], "The Cook" [1918], and "A Desert Hero" [1919]

Magic Lantern Video & Book Store Buster Keaton[1895-1966]

Magic Lantern Video & Book Store
Buster Keaton
[1895-1966]