Category Archives: Buster Keaton

More Buster in Manhattan – The Cameraman, Part II

Posted on July 29, 2012 by John Bengtson

Bob Egan’s fascinating website PopSpotsNYC.com explores visual archeology similar to my own. But instead of looking at silent-era comics, his site concerns places “where interesting events in the history of Pop Culture took place; like album cover shots, places where … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Manhattan, The Cameraman | Tagged Bergdorf Goodman, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Manhattan, New York, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, Speedy, The Cameraman, then and now | 9 Comments

Two Hollywood Stunts – Lloyd and Keaton

Posted on June 16, 2012 by John Bengtson

Just a quick post here about this aerial view taken in 1922 as the prominent Security Bank Building, at the NE corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Cahuenga, nears completion. I could point out so many filming spots in this photo, … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Cops, Girl Shy, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Tour | Tagged Buster Keaton, Cops, Girl Shy, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Landmarks, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, then and now | 5 Comments

A Tale of Two Train Wrecks (and One Airport) – by Buster Keaton

Posted on May 20, 2012 by John Bengtson

Buster Keaton’s debut film One Week (1920) was hailed as the comedy sensation of the year. It ended with a powerhouse one-two gag that still wows audiences today. Buster attempts to move his newly built home which becomes stuck at … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, One Week | Tagged Buster Keaton, Feet First, Harold Lloyd, Keaton Locations, LAX, LAX history, Mines Airfield, Mines Field, Neighbors, One Week, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, then and now | 18 Comments

Bones of the Past – the Bones TV Pilot and Buster Keaton

Posted on May 13, 2012 by John Bengtson

Since my daughter has been enjoying the Fox Network crime drama Bones on Netflix, I thought I’d check out the pilot to see what the show was about. Ostensibly set in Washington DC, the show teams up socially awkward forensic … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, The Goat, TV Shows | Tagged Bones, Buster Keaton, Carroll Avenue, Dr. Temperance Brennan, Gretchen the Greenhorn, Plaza Fire House, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, Special Agent Seeley Booth, Spite Marriage, The Goat, then and now | 11 Comments

Keaton – Cops – and the First Baptist Church of Hollywood

Posted on March 30, 2012 by John Bengtson

During the frenzied chase at the conclusion of Buster Keaton’s most famous short comedy Cops (1922), Buster grabs hold of a passing car one-handed that whisks him out of frame away from a mob of police (above). As I explain … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Cops, Hollywood Tour, The Goat | Tagged Bobby Vernon, Buster Keaton, Cops, Hollywood Tour, Keaton Locations, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, The Goat, then and now | 7 Comments

Keaton’s Highland Goat Garage

Posted on March 11, 2012 by John Bengtson

During the frantic chase in Buster Keaton’s 1921 short film The Goat, Buster attempts to flee the police by leaping onto the rear spare tire of a departing car, only to find himself sitting instead on a freestanding auto garage … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Hollywood Tour, The Goat | Tagged Buster Keaton, Hollywood Hotel, Hollywood Tour, Keaton Locations, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, The Goat, then and now | 7 Comments

The Artist – Locations 1 of 5, Chaplin, and Pickford (repost)

Posted on February 16, 2012 by John Bengtson

Set in Hollywood during 1927 to 1932, The Artist depicts the romance between a fading silent film star and a rising “talkie” ingénue. The Artist has received glowing reviews and numerous awards, and is noteworthy for being presented in black … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, One Week, The Artist, The Kid | Tagged Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, One Week, Silent Comedians, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, The Artist, the artist filming locations, The Artist locations, then and now | 7 Comments

Mr. Keaton’s Neighborhood

Posted on February 13, 2012 by John Bengtson

Buster Keaton would travel hundreds of miles to find just the right setting for a shot. But he was also practical, and filmed dozens of exterior scenes at or adjacent to his small studio. I am not aware of any … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Daydreams, Keaton Studio, Sherlock Jr. | Tagged Buster Keaton, Keaton Locations, Keaton Studio, San Francisco then and now, Sherlock Jr., Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, then and now | 16 Comments

The Artist Locations Part 2, Roger Rabbit, and Buster Keaton’s Debut – One Week

Posted on January 7, 2012 by John Bengtson

The Artist depicts the romance between a fading silent film star and a rising “talkie” ingénue, set in Hollywood during 1927 to 1932. Writer-director Michel Hazanavicius, and his mostly French cast and crew, traveled to California to film at true … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Keaton Studio, One Week, The Artist | Tagged Buster Keaton, One Week, Silent Comedians, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, The Artist, the artist filming locations, The Artist locations, then and now, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? | 7 Comments

The Artist – Locations, Chaplin, and Pickford

Posted on December 29, 2011 by John Bengtson

Posted in Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, One Week, The Artist, The Kid | Tagged Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, One Week, Silent Comedians, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, The Artist, the artist filming locations, The Artist locations, then and now | 20 Comments

Charming Third Time for Seven Chances

Posted on December 10, 2011 by John Bengtson

Seven Chances is Buster Keaton’s latest Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber. During the film Buster eludes an army of angry jilted brides as he attempts to marry his sweetheart in time to inherit a fortune. After owning the film first … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Seven Chances, USC | Tagged Buster Keaton, Eleanor Keaton, Keaton Locations, Seven Chances, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, then and now | 10 Comments

Buster’s Manhattan Project – on Film

Posted on November 24, 2011 by John Bengtson

During the summer of 1964, Buster Keaton and Samuel Beckett collaborated making a black and white, avant garde, nearly silent short movie entitled Film. Keaton, who is seen only from the rear, plays a man attempting to evade perception, eluding … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Manhattan, New York | Tagged Buster Keaton, Keaton Locations, Manhattan, New York, Silent Comedians, Silent Movie Locations, then and now | 2 Comments

Chaplin – Keaton – Lloyd – One Block in Silent-Era Hollywood

Posted on November 4, 2011 by John Bengtson

The intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Cahuenga Boulevard was a popular film setting for silent-era comedies. Attached below for download is a 15 MB PowerPoint presentation showing thirteen (but not all) Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd filming locations near this historic … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Chaplin Tour, Charlie Chaplin, Cops, Girl Shy, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Tour, Hot Water, Keaton Studio, Keaton Tour, Lloyd Studio, Modern Times, Safety Last!, The Cameraman | Tagged Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood, Hollywood Tour, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, then and now | 5 Comments

Buster’s Trains – One Week to Speak Easily

Posted on October 4, 2011 by John Bengtson

In honor of Buster Keaton’s birthday today, October 4, 1895, Turner Classic Movies is hosting a Buster Keaton celebration by playing a large selection of his films throughout October. Watching Keaton’s penultimate MGM feature Speak Easily (1932) for the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, One Week, Sherlock Jr. | Tagged Buster Keaton, Chatsworth, Inglewood, Keaton Locations, One Week, Sherlock Jr., Silent Comedians, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, Speak Easily | 17 Comments

Buster Keaton and Film Noir? – It’s Also True

Posted on September 26, 2011 by John Bengtson

It’s now Buster Keaton’s turn, after Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin (see prior posts), to brush shoulders with film noir. The Glendale Southern Pacific station was barely three years old when Buster Keaton used it to portray the station for … Continue reading →

Posted in Angels Flight, Bunker Hill, Buster Keaton, College, Film Noir, For Heaven's Sake, Harold Lloyd, Los Angeles Historic Core | Tagged angles flight, bunker hill, Buster Keaton, film noir, film noir locations, Harold Lloyd, Los Angeles Historic Core, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies | 8 Comments

Buster and the Three Stooges at the Columbia Ranch – Part 2

Posted on August 6, 2011 by John Bengtson

As discussed in a prior post, Buster Keaton and the Three Stooges nearly crossed paths early in their respective film careers, and did cross paths (see second post) with Keaton’s General Nuisance (1941) and the Stooge’s Boobs in Arms(1940), two … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Columbia, Three Stooges | Tagged Buster Keaton, Columbia Movie Ranch, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, Three Stooges, Warner Ranch | 11 Comments

View Academy Lecture on The General Locations

Posted on July 27, 2011 by John Bengtson

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has posted the PowerPoint presentation I gave on July 20, 2011 concerning Buster Keaton’s Civil War comedy The General (1927). You can watch the presentation here. You can find a complete report … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Keaton Studio, Keaton Tour, The General | Tagged Buster Keaton, Cottage Grove, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, The General | 2 Comments

New locations from The General

Posted on July 10, 2011 by John Bengtson

On July 20, 2011, Kevin Brownlow screened Buster Keaton’s Civil War comedy The General (1927) as part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences “Summer of Silents” film series, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Before … Continue reading →

Harold – Buster – and Bergdorf Goodman – NYC Then and Now

Posted on June 19, 2011 by John Bengtson

Towards the end of Harold Lloyd’s manic taxi-ride driving Babe Ruth up 5th Avenue in New York during Speedy (released in 1928, but filmed during the summer of 1927), they approach W 57th Street, and the final of five traffic … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Manhattan, Speedy, The Cameraman | Tagged Bergdorf Goodman, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Manhattan, New York, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, then and now | 7 Comments

Buster and the Three Stooges at the Columbia Ranch – Part 1

Posted on June 8, 2011 by John Bengtson

As discussed in a prior post, Buster Keaton and the Three Stooges nearly crossed paths early in their respective film careers. But they definitely crossed paths during the early 1940s when they both made short subjects for Columbia Pictures on … Continue reading →