The Buster Keaton Story (1957)

An inaccurate retelling of the life of silent filmmaker and comedian Buster Keaton.

Director:

Sidney Sheldon

Writers:

Sidney Sheldon, Robert Smith

Stars:

Donald O'Connor, Ann Blyth, Rhonda Fleming

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donald O'Connor	...	Buster Keaton
Ann Blyth	...	Gloria Brent
Rhonda Fleming	...	Peggy Courtney
Peter Lorre	...	Kurt Bergner
Larry Keating	...	Larry Winters
Jackie Coogan	...	Elmer Case
Richard Anderson	...	Tom McAffee
Dave Willock	...	Joe Keaton
Claire Carleton	...	Myra Keaton
Larry White	...	Buster - Age 7
Dan Seymour	...	Indian Chief
Michael Ross	...	Assistant Chief
Nan Martin	...	Edna
Robert Christopher	...	Nick
Richard Aherne	...	Franklin

Storyline

Buster Keaton leaves his family vaudeville act for the movies. He starts out as a bit player but quickly becomes famous as he acts in and directs his own films. Casting director Gloria Brent is in love with him, but he favors a starlet. When she rejects him, he starts drinking, a problem which only worsens when sound destroys silent cinema and his career. Will Gloria's love and his desire to make people laugh win out?

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Plot Keywords:

vaudeville comedian | silent film star | silent movie actor | movie comedian | character name in title

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Taglines:

It's a blues - BUSTER!

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Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Mann, der niemals lachte

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,400,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Forum Productions, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ann Blyth's character was a composite of Keaton's three wives. When Keaton's second wife Mae tried to sue Paramount for defamation of character, it was easily proved that she was not a specific character in the movie.

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Goofs

Keaton's wife, a stylish studio employee, continues to wear WWI-era fashions well into the late Twenties-early Thirties.

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Connections

References The Frozen North (1922)

User Reviews

Very Entertaining Film

I have just acquired a print of this movie on film and it is highly entertaining. I have read some reviews slating this because it shows Buster started in a circus. That is just not true, this film depicts the true fact that Buster worked with his parents in Vaudeville. In the first half of the film there is a composite short titled 'The criminal'. This takes some expertly executed routines from Cops and Sherlock Jnr. Overall highly recommended except it is not on any media. I was fortunate in obtaining a pristine original 16mm print taken from the original 35mm negative - stunning and wonderful to watch on a projector as it was always meant to be seen.