Fun Facts About Buster Keaton
- Buster Keaton's father threw him around the stage in their family vaudeville act, and a suitcase handle was sewn into the boy's clothing to help with the constant tossing.[1]
- Keaton's famous deadpan began on stage as a child: he noticed that when he laughed while being thrown, the audience laughed less.[1]
- According to a story that may be apocryphal, Keaton got the nickname Buster after falling down a flight of stairs unhurt as a baby. In his own retelling, Harry Houdini gave him the name.[1][3][4]
- In Steamboat Bill, Jr., Keaton stood still as a two-ton building facade fell on him. A single open window left him only a few inches of clearance.[1]
- The scene in The General of a locomotive plunging through a burning bridge was the most expensive single shot in silent-film history.[1]
- After his first day making films in 1917, Keaton borrowed a movie camera, took it back to his hotel room, and took it apart and reassembled it by morning.[1]
- Buster Keaton was alive at the same time as J. K. Rowling — their lives overlapped for 1 year (1965–1966).[1][2][5][6]
- Buster Keaton and Werner Heisenberg died on the same day of the year, February 1.[1][2][7][8]
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. He frequently maintained a stoic, deadpan facial expression that became his trademark and earned him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".[1]
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Questions About Buster Keaton
When was Buster Keaton born?
Buster Keaton was born on October 4, 1895, and died on February 1, 1966.
How old was Buster Keaton at death?
Buster Keaton was born on October 4, 1895, and died on February 1, 1966, at age 70.
What was Buster Keaton known for?
Buster Keaton was known for: Silent film comedian, The General. Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. He frequently maintained a stoic, deadpan facial expression that became his trademark and earned him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".
Who was alive at the same time as Buster Keaton?
Buster Keaton's closest contemporary was Pablo Picasso. Their lives overlapped for 71 years.
Sources
- Buster Keaton — Wikipedia. Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Buster Keaton (Q103949) — Wikidata
- Harry Houdini — Wikipedia
- Harry Houdini (Q131545) — Wikidata
- J. K. Rowling — Wikipedia
- J. K. Rowling (Q34660) — Wikidata
- Werner Heisenberg — Wikipedia
- Werner Heisenberg (Q40904) — Wikidata
- Portrait: Busterkeaton edit.jpg — Wikimedia Commons. Bain News Service, Public domain