Tag Archives: Buster Keaton

Buster, Harold, and Stymie at the Venice Pier

Posted on March 1, 2020 by John Bengtson

A prior post explains Buster Keaton and Orson Welles crossed paths filming in Venice, California. But what about Buster and Our Gang superstar Stymie Beard? Above Buster in The High Sign (1920) and Orson directing A Touch of Evil (1958). … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Venice | Tagged Buster Keaton, Fish Hooky, Forty Acres backlot, Grandma's Boy, Harold Lloyd, Our Gang, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Stymie Beard, The High Sign, then and now, Venice | 7 Comments

Mary Pickford, the Talmadge Sisters, and Buster Keaton at the Brunton Studio

Posted on February 15, 2020 by John Bengtson

The Hoodlum (1919), Mary Pickford’s second independent production, followed her triumphant debut self-production Daddy Long Legs (1919). DDL brims with so much Los Angeles history and locations it took two lengthy posts to cover them all, HERE and HERE, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford | Tagged Brunton Studio, Buster Keaton, Constance Talmadge, Daddy Long Legs, Day Dreams, Lloyd Hamilton, Mary Pickford, Norma Talmadge, Our Hospitality, Silent Comedies, Silent Movies, The Hoodlum, then and now | 3 Comments

Keaton’s Missing Scene and Cameraman Tricks

Posted on February 1, 2020 by John Bengtson

Early in The Cameraman (1928) neophyte newsreel photographer Buster Keaton submits his double-exposed mistake-filled audition movie footage to the M-G-M Newsreel General Offices in ‘New York,’ resulting in a complete disaster. At left, Buster watches in horror as his double-exposed … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, The Cameraman | Tagged Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Buster Keaton, City Lights, missing footage, New York, Pretty Woman, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, The Cameraman, then and now | 7 Comments

Silent Comedy’s Crazy Corner

Posted on January 18, 2020 by John Bengtson

Quick – what are some essential elements for a silent comedy? A park bench? An angry cop? A banana peel? If you think about it, one absolutely essential geographic element is the humble street corner. It doesn’t matter what the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Boxing Gloves, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Our Gang, Plaza de Los Angeles, Plaza Fire House, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, then and now | 8 Comments

Happy “Roaring Twenties” New Year at Keaton’s Bungalow

Posted on January 7, 2020 by John Bengtson

Happy New Year everyone! For some reason 2020 and its prior century silent-era counterpart resonate with me more so than 2019-1919 ever did. The Roaring Twenties are with us again. This widely viewed classic photo of Buster making his 1929 … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Culver City, Keaton Studio | Tagged Buster Keaton, Culver City, Goldwyn Studio, Grant Avenue, Irving Thalberg Memorial Building, Keaton's Kennel, MGM | 7 Comments

Buster Keaton at the Selig Studio “Prison”

Posted on December 21, 2019 by John Bengtson

I only recently became aware of the Selig Polyscope Studio, the first permanent studio built in Los Angeles that opened in 1909 two blocks north from where the Keystone Studio would later open. Focusing on the facility’s distinctive walls and … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Convict 13, Edendale | Tagged Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Convict 13, One Week, Selig Polyscope Studio, Silent Comedians, Silent Movie Locations, then and now, Tillie's Punctured Romance | 13 Comments

Buster Keaton’s Scarecrow Adobe

Posted on December 4, 2019 by John Bengtson

I’m delighted to host guest blogger Jeffrey Castel de Oro’s amazing post regarding the early California history appearing in Buster Keaton’s The Scarecrow. A friend for 20 years, Jeff has contributed many significant locations and photographs to all of … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Culver City, Jeffrey Castel de Oro, The Scarecrow | Tagged Buster Keaton, historic adobes, Keaton Locations, Silent Comedians, Silent Movie Locations, The Scarecrow, then and now | 22 Comments

Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Schindler

Posted on August 20, 2019 by John Bengtson

Several years ago, following my introduction of Sherlock Jr. at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles architect John Trautmann approached me to ask if I had noticed the famous Schindler house which appears in the background as Buster speeds … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Sherlock Jr. | Tagged Buster Keaton, Hollywood, Kings Road House, R. M. Schindler, Schindler House, Sherlock Jr., then and now | 2 Comments

Chaplin, Keaton, and Lois Weber’s “Suspense” in Beverly Hills

Posted on May 13, 2019 by John Bengtson

The beautiful new Kino Lorber Blu-ray release Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers features dozens of early films created by women, many unseen for decades. One highlight is Lois Weber’s home invasion thriller Suspense (1913). As shown in a prior post, the film provides … Continue reading →

Posted in Beverly Hills, Lois Weber, The Blacksmith | Tagged Beverly Hills, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Doheny Drive, Lois Weber, Pioneers First Women Filmmakers, Shoulder Arms, Silent Movies, Sunset Boulevard, Suspense, The Blacksmith, then and now | 6 Comments

Buster’s Paramount Backlot Plunge

Posted on March 21, 2019 by John Bengtson

I’m pleased to update this post to announce that the 2019 San Francisco Silent Film Festival will conclude Sunday May 5, with a 8:00 pm screening of Buster Keaton’s second feature comedy Our Hospitality (1923), to be accompanied by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton | Tagged Buster Keaton, Hard Luck, Hollywood Tour, How Buster filmed Our Hospitality waterfall stunt, How Buster Keaton filmed waterfall stunt, Keaton Locations, Our Hospitality, Our Hospitality waterfall stunt, Paramount Studios, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, then and now, waterfall stunt | 18 Comments

Buster Keaton’s The Cameraman

Posted on March 18, 2019 by John Bengtson

I’m pleased to update this post to announce the 2019 San Francisco Silent Film Festival kicks off this year on Wednesday, May 1, with a 7:00 pm screening of Buster Keaton’s 1928 comedy triumph The Cameraman, in a beautiful new … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Manhattan, The Cameraman | Tagged Buster Keaton, Manhattan, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, The Cameraman, then and now, Venice | 7 Comments

Harry Langdon – His Marriage Wow

Posted on January 23, 2019 by John Bengtson

Harry Langdon plays a nervous groom and newlywed in his 1925 comedy short His Marriage Wow (1925), available as part of The Mack Sennett Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray, and the out of print Lost and Found: The Harry Langdon Collection. … Continue reading →

Posted in Harry Langdon | Tagged Breezing Along, Buster Keaton, Derby Day, Harry Langdon, His Marriage Wow, Lloyd Hamilton, Monty Banks, Roscoe Arbuckle, Saturday Afternoon, Seven Chances, Sherlock Jr., The Movies | 6 Comments

Keaton’s Bungalow Outside MGM

Posted on November 11, 2018 by John Bengtson

When Buster Keaton joined MGM in 1928, he rented a bungalow near, but off site from, the MGM campus, infuriating studio head Louis B. Mayer, as Keaton was (one of) the only star(s) to rent space off of the lot. … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Culver City, Keaton Studio | Tagged Buster Keaton, Culver City, Goldwyn Studio, Grant Avenue, Irving Thalberg Memorial Building, Keaton's Kennel, MGM | 11 Comments

Oliver Hardy at the Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd Alley

Posted on October 31, 2018 by John Bengtson

The block of Cahuenga south of Hollywood Boulevard was the most popular spot in town to film silent movies. As I’ve written in numerous tours and posts, everyone filmed there, from Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, to Charlie Chaplin, Buster … Continue reading →

Posted in Laurel and Hardy | Tagged Billy West, Buster Keaton, Cahuenga, Chaplin - Keaton - Lloyd Alley, Charlie Chaplin, Colleen Moore, Edwin Bergstrom, Harold Lloyd, Harry Houdini, Her Bridal Nightmare, His Day Out, Hollywood, Laurel and Hardy, Laurel and Hardy film locations, Lois Weber, Look Pleasant Please, Nelson Evans, Oliver Hardy, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, The Grim Game, then and now, Where Are My Children | 2 Comments

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 Astoria Queens, Blue Blazes, Buster Keaton, Keaton Locations, New York, Running Wild, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, The Chemist, then and now, W.C. Fields | 5 Comments

Buster Keaton’s Kennel on the MGM lot

Posted on September 23, 2018 by John Bengtson

As one of MGM’s biggest stars, Buster Keaton once had a private bungalow dressing room on the studio lot, jokingly dubbed “Keaton’s Kennel.” A reader correctly wrote long ago that the Kennel stood along the north side of the lot, … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Culver City, Keaton Studio | Tagged Buster Keaton, Culver City, Irving Thalberg Memorial Building, Keaton Locations, Keaton's Kennel, MGM, The Cameraman, The Sidewalks of New York | 12 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 Astoria Queens, Blue Blazes, Buster Keaton, Educational, Kaufman Astoria Studios | 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 Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, It's The Old Army Game, Manhattan, New York, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, Speedy, The Cameraman, then and now, W.C. Fields | 15 Comments

Keaton’s Battling Butler – A Knockout Finish to the SF Silent Film Festival

Posted on May 21, 2018 by John Bengtson

The 2018 San Francisco Silent Film Festival closes Sunday, June 3 with a screening of Buster Keaton’s self-directed comedy Battling Butler (1926), hosted by Leonard Maltin, and honoring recently deceased festival Board member, beloved television writer and director Frank Buxton, … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Film Noir, The Turning Point, Three Stooges | Tagged Battling Butler, Boxing, Buster Keaton, film noir, film noir locations, Los Angeles Historic Core, Olympic Auditorium, Punch Drunks, San Francisco Silent Film Festival, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Talmadge Apartments, The Turning Point, then and now, Three Stooges | 11 Comments

Keaton’s Seven Chances – On The Clock

Posted on May 12, 2018 by John Bengtson

Late for church, during Seven Chances (1925) Buster Keaton must marry by 7:00 p.m. that evening in order to inherit a fortune. But what time is it? Having just lost his pocket watch down a sewer drain, Buster stops in … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Seven Chances | Tagged Buster Keaton, Hollywood, Keaton Locations, Seven Chances, Silent Comedians, Silent Comedies, Silent Movie Locations, Silent Movies, then and now | 9 Comments