Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton was a master of comedy, and the humor was augmented by the medium of silent film. His timing, unwavering deadpan expression, and physically demanding gags made for some of the best films of the 20th century. Keaton was born in 1895 to parents who both performed in vaudeville. He became a part of the act at a young age, and by his teens was a rising star in comic revues. He teamed up with Roscoe Arbuckle to create a series of hits, starting with The Butcher Boy. Keaton began writing and directing, as well as starring in his films, while introducing innovative special effects and the use of a moving camera. His best feature-length comedies include Sherlock Jr. (1924), The Navigator (1924) and The General (1926). When Keaton joined MGM in 1928 he did not realize how much control he would have to cede to the studio. The constraints of outside writers, directors and stunt doubles proved devastating to him, compounded by the dissolution of his marriage and the onset of a serious drinking problem. While he made several popular movies with Jimmy Durante, MGM did not know what to do with him and the new age of sound film passed over Keaton. He appeared in European films and on stage and spent the 1940s supporting himself by making some shorts and gag writing for other MGM productions. Beginning in 1949, Keaton made a comeback and gained financial stability through appearances in commercials, TV shows (including the 1950 Buster Keaton Show) and supporting roles in films, including Chaplin's Limelight (1952) and Around the World in 80 Days (1956). He also played the lead in Samuel Beckett's Film (1965), directed by Alan Schneider. One of his last roles was in the enormously popular 1966 film of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He died of lung cancer later that year.
