An inaccurate retelling of the life of silent filmmaker and comedian Buster Keaton.
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Title: The Buster Keaton Story (1957)
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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 - Larry's Secretary | |
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Robert Christopher | ... | Nick |
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Richard Aherne | ... | Franklin |
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Plot Summary
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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? Written by cupcakes
Plot Keywords:
character name as title | buster keaton character | four word title | vaudeville comedian | silent movie actor |Taglines:
It's a blues - BUSTER!Parents Guide:
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Despite what the film portrays, neither Keaton nor his family ever performed in a circus, his father died when Keaton was an adult and his father did not die while performing. One day, the real Buster Keaton visited the set while they were filming a circus scene and Keaton told all of this to a surprised Donald O'Connor. See more »Goofs
The marquee advertises The Jazz Singer as being "all taking," which it was not, nor was it ever advertised as such. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
May 1957 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Buster Keaton Story See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$1,400,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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The weird thing about this film is it's NOT the Buster Keaton story at all. The main character is a fictional studio executive named Gloria who falls in love with Buster (inexplicably, as he's portrayed as a graceless, unattractive slob) and puts her happiness and career on the line in order to nurture and protect him as he chases another woman, blows all his money and drinks himself silly. The surprisingly faithful recreations of classic Keaton routines dropped in awkwardly here and there do nothing to relieve the tedium of this glum, sour women's picture masquerading as a biopic.