Buster Keaton

Cast · Writer · Director

Born

October 4, 1895 · Piqua, Kansas, USA

Died

February 1, 1966

Birth name

Joseph Frank Keaton

“A comedian does funny things. A good comedian does things funny.” Buster Keaton was an American comedic silent film actor, screenwriter and director. He was a forerunner of physical comedy on film. He grew up on the stage of his parents' music hall show, The Three Keatons, and soon became the star of the family show. Accustomed to being thrown through the air, he developed a remarkable physical prowess that defined his career. Years later, he filmed his first movie with Roscoe Arbuckle, who soon after was accused of involuntary manslaughter of actress Virginia Rappe. This fact led Keaton to start his independent career: he developed a distinctive style and an ability to perform impressive stunts. Between the 1920s and 1930s he had his golden age, some of his successes being Sherlock, Jr. (1924), The General (1926), The Cameraman (1928) and Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928). Although his "stone-faced" image (a tragicomic young man who faces misfortunes with total inexpressiveness) is one of his most distinctive traits, he also had moments in which he showed a wider range of emotions. At that time, he had absolute control of all his films, and was able to deploy all his creativity, becoming one of the most famous comedians in the world. The success achieved by his colleagues Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd pushed him off the top. Although his career went through ups and downs, his legacy endures and continues to be an inspiration for filmmakers and comedians.