Tag Archives: Buster Keaton

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 , , , , , , , , , | 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 →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Columbia, Three Stooges | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

College Days for Harold and Buster

Posted on June 3, 2011 by John Bengtson

Neither Harold Lloyd nor Buster Keaton attended college (were there any silent stars who did?), yet they each made campus comedy feature films.  Lloyd’s The Freshman (1925) was a smash hit, while Keaton made his modest College (1927) as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, College, Exposition Park, Harold Lloyd, The Freshman, USC | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Buster … Shemp, Moe and Larry – Cops and Soup to Nuts

Posted on May 29, 2011 by John Bengtson

Shemp Howard, along with brother Moe Howard and family friend Larry Fine (originally known as Ted Healy’s Southern Gentlemen), began their show business career in the 1920s as protégés of the Broadway entertainer.  In 1930, Healy and the trio appeared … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Cops, Three Stooges | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Stan Laurel in Buster’s Footprints

Posted on April 22, 2011 by John Bengtson

One of my all time favorite Keaton location discoveries was finding these statues appearing in Buster Keaton’s short film Hard Luck (1921).  During the scene, Buster eludes the police by posing among the statues of a park monument.  The scene … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Buster Keaton Steamboat Bill, Jr. locations

Posted on April 18, 2011 by John Bengtson

Buster Keaton filmed his final independent production Steamboat Bill, Jr. in Sacramento, California.  By the time Keaton and company came to town, Sacramento had become a popular location for Hollywood films.  Historian Paul Frobose discovered these Sacramento locations, and has … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Keaton Studio, Keaton Tour, Steamboat Bill, Jr. | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Meet Buster in Goatland at the Silver Spray Pier

Posted on April 16, 2011 by John Bengtson

Believe it or not, renting goat carts to travel around the Southern California beach amusement piers was once a popular entertainment. In this scene from the Roscoe Arbuckle – Buster Keaton comedy The Cook (1918) (Milestone Film & Video), Buster … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Harold Lloyd Hollywood Tour

Posted on April 7, 2011 by John Bengtson

Tour silent-era Hollywood with this PDF guide prepared in connection with my May 22, 2011 presentation of Harold Lloyd’s Never Weaken and Girl Shy for the American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theater, 6712 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. The tour is … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Chaplin Studio, Chaplin Tour, Charlie Chaplin, Girl Shy, Harold Lloyd, Hollywood Tour, Keaton Studio, Keaton Tour, Lloyd Studio, Lloyd Tour | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

A Dozen Prominent Keaton Locations

Posted on March 21, 2011 by John Bengtson

1.                  “Seven Chances” church, at 2610 La Salle Avenue, page 152 of book. 2.                  “Sherlock Jr” rooftop RR crossing guard stunt, 3630 Pasadena Avenue at Avenue 37, page 139. 3.                  Statue of General Otis from “Hard Luck” in MacArthur Park, … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Keaton Tour | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Buster Films Stunt Beside His Own Studio

Posted on March 14, 2011 by John Bengtson

Not only did Buster perform all of his own stunts, at times he performed stunts for other cast-members as well.  One famous example is from Sherlock Jr. After Buster accepts a ride on the handlebars of a motorcycle, a bump … Continue reading →

Posted in Buster Keaton, Keaton Studio, Sherlock Jr. | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments