Buster Keaton

Background

Joseph Frank Keaton, better known as Buster Keaton, was an American actor, director, and comedian. On October 4, 1895, he was born in Piqua, Kansas, U.S.A. His astrological sign was Libra, and he spent most of his childhood summers in Muskegon, Michigan, a popular summer destination for vaudevillian performers. After falling down a flight of stairs at 18 months old, Joseph Frank earned the nickname Buster from a magician. Surprisingly, Keaton never went to school but learned to use a variety of expressions as he went through life. His parents, Joe Keaton and Myra Kutler were vaudeville performers, and he made his first appearance at the age of three. He was introduced to the film industry, however, at the age of 21.

Keaton worked closely with Arbuckle in his early years before striking out on his own as a film director in 1920. He made his film debut in 1917 with “The Butcher Boy,” displaying the deadpan skills he honed while performing with his parents. Between 1920 and 1929, he worked hard to advance, but a mistake cost him a lot. He signed a contract with M.G.M. in 1928, seeing his shining star dim until the contract expired in 1934.

Despite his successes, Keaton faced a few challenges that he overcame to leave the incredible legacy he did. He divorced Mae Scriven in 1935, which left him somewhat depressed. He rose from the ashes in 1940 when he married Eleanor, who was 21 then, and remained married to her until his death. Keaton rose to fame again in 1950, this time independently, which led to many of his successes, including regaining full rights to his older films. Before his death in 1966, Keaton created several masterpieces still discussed in the industry. He was a legendary filmmaker whose name and work will be remembered forever.