Tag Archives: Buster Keaton

Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. Hollywood Vault (with Harold Lloyd too)

Posted on August 5, 2012 by John Bengtson

In his 1924 comedy Sherlock Jr., Buster Keaton portrays a daydreaming movie theater projectionist who fancies himself a great detective.  During the movie’s lengthy dream sequence, Buster’s character, after falling asleep on the job, finds himself living wild adventures on … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Sherlock Jr. | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

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 , , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Hollywood 1926 – The Big Picture and How the Pieces Fit

Posted on April 22, 2012 by John Bengtson

As much as I enjoy solving a movie location puzzle, and learning where a favorite scene was filmed, what I enjoy more is getting a sense of the context of how the movie was made.  I appreciate the craft that … Continue reading →

Posted in Chaplin Studio, Hollywood Tour, Keaton Studio, Lloyd Studio | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 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 , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Artist – Locations, Chaplin, and Pickford

Posted on December 29, 2011 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, One Week, The Artist, The Kid | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , | 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 →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Keaton Studio, Keaton Tour, The General | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments