Category Archives: New York

Buster Keaton and W.C. Fields in Astoria

Posted on October 19, 2018 by John Bengtson

Buster Keaton and W.C. Fields filmed alongside the same Astoria apartment building, nine years apart. Who knew? While working on a post connecting Fields’ It’s The Old Army Game with Keaton’s The Cameraman (1928) and Harold Lloyd’s Speedy (1928) (all … Continue reading →

Posted in Astoria, Buster Keaton, New York, W.C. Fields | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Buster Keaton’s Blue Blazes in Astoria

Posted on September 3, 2018 by John Bengtson

While working on posts covering W.C. Fields filming It’s The Old Army Game (1926) and Running Wild (1927) at the Paramount Astoria Studios on 35th Avenue and 35th Street, I remembered Keaton had made a few short comedies for Educational … Continue reading →

Posted in Astoria, Buster Keaton, New York | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

It’s The Old Army Game – W.C. Fields in New York with Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd

Posted on August 8, 2018 by John Bengtson

The wonderful new Kino Lorber Blu-ray release of W. C Fields and Louise Brooks in It’s The Old Army Game (1926) is a must-have for any Fields, Brooks, or silent comedy fan. As I’ve reported at length in several prior … Continue reading →

Posted in It's The Old Army Game, Manhattan, New York, W.C. Fields | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

W.C. Fields Running Wild in New York

Posted on July 21, 2018 by John Bengtson

Having studied the new Blu-ray release of W.C. Fields and Louise Brooks in It’s The Old Army Game (1926) (with more posts to come), let’s focus on the beautiful Kino Lorber Blu-ray release of Fields’ Running Wild (1927), another wonderful … Continue reading →

Posted in Astoria, New York, W.C. Fields | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Arbuckle – Keaton at the Bronx Biograph Studio

Posted on August 27, 2017 by John Bengtson

Noted biographer James Curtis contacted me with an intriguing observation. Did a scene from the 1917 Arbuckle-Keaton short Oh Doctor! (above) reveal the large glass rooftop shooting stage of the former Biograph Studio, located at 807 E 175th St in … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Manhattan, New York, Roscoe Arbuckle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Where Roscoe Arbuckle Filmed His Brooklyn Vitaphone Shorts

Posted on January 23, 2017 by John Bengtson

Starting at page 2 below, this multi-page post reveals more than two dozen Brooklyn movie locations filmed over 85 years ago. Click each image for a larger view. The recently demolished Vitagraph (Vitaphone) Studio, once standing at E 14th between … Continue reading →

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Harold Lloyd’s Speedy – Five Fun Facts

Posted on May 28, 2015 by John Bengtson

This Saturday morning, May 30, Harold Lloyd’s granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd and I will be introducing Lloyd’s final silent comedy Speedy (1928) at the Castro Theater as part of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival’s 20th anniversary program. Live musical accompaniment … Continue reading →

Posted in Harold Lloyd, New York, Speedy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

New York, Harold Lloyd, and Adam Sandler?!

Posted on February 6, 2012 by John Bengtson

After matching The Artist (2011) and Harold Lloyd in a prior post, how about pairing Harold and Adam Sandler for an encore?  I haven’t seen many of Sandler’s films, but once I realized Big Daddy was shot on location in … Continue reading →

Posted in Harold Lloyd, Lloyd Tour, Manhattan, New York, Speedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 , , , , , , | 2 Comments

New Photos – Babe Ruth’s Orphanage Cameo in Speedy

Posted on October 8, 2011 by John Bengtson

Babe Ruth’s hilarious cameo appearance is one of the many highlights in Harold Lloyd’s final silent comedy Speedy (1928), which I am presenting at 3:10 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012, and at 7:30 pm on Monday, October 22,  at … Continue reading →

Posted in Harold Lloyd, Manhattan, New York, Speedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Cameo Squared – Lou Gehrig in Ruth’s Speedy Cameo

Posted on September 23, 2011 by John Bengtson

Eagle-eyed reader Kevin Dale not only recognized the setting of the very first shot of Charlie Chaplin’s career (see prior post), he also notified me of this amazing discovery. During the concluding scenes from Babe Ruth’s cameo appearance in Speedy … Continue reading →

Posted in Harold Lloyd, Manhattan, New York, Speedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Silent Era New York – Harold Lloyd’s Speedy – Part 1

Posted on September 17, 2011 by John Bengtson

  I will be presenting Harold Lloyd’s final silent comedy Speedy (1928) at 3:10 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012, and at 7:30 pm on Monday, October 22,  at Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10014, based … Continue reading →

Posted in Brooklyn, Harold Lloyd, Lloyd Tour, Manhattan, New York, Speedy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Harold Lloyd’s Manhattan cigar

Posted on May 26, 2011 by John Bengtson

I’m excited to report that my new Harold Lloyd book Silent Visions is now available.  Nearly five years in the making, it is such a relief to finally have the book in hand.  As shown below, the book includes nearly … Continue reading →

Posted in Harold Lloyd, Lloyd Tour, Manhattan, New York, Speedy | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Harold Lloyd Brooklyn – Speedy Tour

Posted on May 16, 2011 by John Bengtson

Harold Lloyd Brooklyn – Speedy Tour – Film Forum October 21, 22, 2012 I will be presenting Harold Lloyd’s final silent comedy Speedy (1928) at 3:10 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012, and at 7:30 pm on Monday, October 22,  … Continue reading →

Posted in Brooklyn, Harold Lloyd, Lloyd Tour, Manhattan, New York, Speedy | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments