Buster Keaton

Directing

The MovieWise Take

Refining cinematic analysis...

Biography

Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname The Great Stone Face. He was recognized as the seventh-greatest director of all time by Entertainment Weekly. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Keaton the 21st-greatest male star of all time.

Known For

Sunset Boulevard

Buster Keaton

The General

Johnnie Gray

Sherlock Jr.

Projectionist / Sherlock, Jr.

The Twilight Zone

Woodrow Mulligan

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Jimmy the Crook

Limelight

Calvero's Partner

Around the World in 80 Days

Train Conductor

The Cameraman

Buster

Full Filmography

Year	Title	Role
2026	R.E.M x Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr MOVIE	Projectionist / Sherlock, Jr.
2025	Hodgepodge MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
2023	Stunts: A Taste for Risk MOVIE	Various Roles (archive footage)
2021	The Real Charlie Chaplin MOVIE	Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2020	Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty MOVIE	archive footage
2020	Time Travelers: Uncovering Old LA in Keaton Comedies MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
2019	Barney's Wall MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
2018	The Image Book MOVIE	(archive footage)
2017	Busta Keaton in COPS MOVIE	The Young Man (archive footage from 'Cops')
2016	Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection 1917-1923 MOVIE	Self
2016	Buster Keaton: The Genius Destroyed by Hollywood MOVIE	Self
2016	Chaplin/Keaton: Duel of Legends MOVIE	(archive footage)
2016	Looking for Charlie: Or, the Day the Clown Died MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
2015	Notfilm MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
2014	You Have to Live Somewhere MOVIE	(archive footage)
2011	Laurel & Hardy: Their Lives and Magic MOVIE	Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2007	Kings of Comedy: Masters of the Silent Screen MOVIE	(archive footage)
2007	The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
2006	Legends TV	Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2006	Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts MOVIE	(archive footage)
2004	So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
2001	Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume Two MOVIE	Various
2001	Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume One MOVIE	Various
2000	Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
1999	Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults MOVIE	(archive footage)
1994	That's Entertainment! III MOVIE	(archive footage)
1992	Funny Business TV	(archive footage)
1990	Dance Crazy in Hollywood MOVIE	Self - Actor (archive footage)
1987	Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow TV	Self (archive footage)
1984	Going Hollywood: The '30s MOVIE	(archive footage)
1979	The Hollywood Clowns MOVIE	(archive footage)
1976	Bob Hope's World of Comedy MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
1976	That's Entertainment, Part II MOVIE	(archive footage)
1976	It's Showtime MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
1976	Hooray for Hollywood MOVIE	Self (archive footage)
1974	The Three Stooges Follies MOVIE	Clarence Plunkett (archive footage)
1974	That's Entertainment! MOVIE	(archive footage) (uncredited)
1970	The Metaphysics of Buster Keaton MOVIE	Self (archival footage)
1970	4 Clowns MOVIE	(archive footage)
1966	A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum MOVIE	Erronius
1966	The Scribe MOVIE	Journalist
1965	War Italian Style MOVIE	Gen. von Kassler
1965	Salute to Stan Laurel MOVIE	Self
1965	Buster Keaton Rides Again MOVIE	Self
1965	Film MOVIE	The Man
1965	Sergeant Deadhead MOVIE	Airman Blinken
1965	How to Stuff a Wild Bikini MOVIE	Bwana
1965	The Railrodder MOVIE	The Man
1965	Beach Blanket Bingo MOVIE	Buster
1964	Pajama Party MOVIE	Chief Rotten Eagle
1964	The Big Parade of Comedy MOVIE	Buster in 'The Cameraman' (archive footage)
1964	The Hollywood Palace TV	Self
1963	The Sound of Laughter MOVIE	Elmer Butts
1963	It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World MOVIE	Jimmy the Crook
1963	Burke's Law TV	Mortimer Lovely
1963	The Greatest Show on Earth TV	Self
1963	30 Years of Fun MOVIE	(archive footage)
1963	The Triumph of Lester Snapwell MOVIE	Lester Snapwell
1963	There's No Business Like No Business MOVIE	Self
1962	The Great Chase MOVIE	Self
1962	Simon Pure Beer MOVIE	Self
1962	Crazy Days MOVIE	Various (archive footage) (uncredited)
1962	Langlois-Keaton à Paris MOVIE	Self
1962	The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers MOVIE	Self
1961	The Home Owner MOVIE	The Home Owner
1960	The Devil to Pay MOVIE	Diablos
1960	Route 66 TV	Self
1960	The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn MOVIE	Lion Tamer
1960	When Comedy Was King MOVIE	edited from 'Cops' (archive footage)
1960	Lifetime of Comedy MOVIE	(archive footage)
1959	The Twilight Zone TV	Woodrow Mulligan
1958	The Donna Reed Show TV	Self
1958	The Adventures of Mr. Pastry MOVIE	Professor
1958	No Time at All MOVIE	Harrison
1956	Around the World in 80 Days MOVIE	Train Conductor
1956	Playhouse 90 TV	Harrison
1956	The Rosemary Clooney Show TV	Self
1955	Screen Director's Playhouse TV	Kelsey Dutton
1954	The Awakening MOVIE	The Man
1953	L'Incantevole nemica MOVIE	L'apprenti boulanger dans la pièce de théâtre
1952	Limelight MOVIE	Calvero's Partner
1952	This Is Your Life TV	Self
1952	Paradise for Buster MOVIE	Buster
1951	The Slappiest Days of Our Lives MOVIE	(archive footage)
1951	Life with Buster Keaton MOVIE	Self
1950	The Misadventures of Buster Keaton MOVIE	Buster
1950	The Colgate Comedy Hour TV	Self
1950	Sunset Boulevard MOVIE	Buster Keaton
1950	What's My Line? TV	Self
1949	In the Good Old Summertime MOVIE	Hickey
1949	You're My Everything MOVIE	Butler
1949	The Lovable Cheat MOVIE	Goulard
1948	The Ed Sullivan Show TV	Self
1947	A Duel to the Death MOVIE	The First Fisherman
1946	Boom in the Moon MOVIE	Self
1946	God's Country MOVIE	Old Tarp / Mr. Boone
1945	She Went to the Races MOVIE	Bellboy (uncredited)
1945	That Night with You MOVIE	Sam - Short Order Cook
1945	That's the Spirit MOVIE	L.M.
1944	San Diego I Love You MOVIE	Bus Driver
1944	Take It or Leave It MOVIE	(archive footage) (uncredited)
1943	Forever and a Day MOVIE	Wilkins
1941	She's Oil Mine MOVIE	Buster Waters, plumber
1941	General Nuisance MOVIE	Peter Hedley Lamar Jr.
1941	Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1 MOVIE	Self
1941	So You Won't Squawk MOVIE	Eddie
1940	His Ex Marks the Spot MOVIE	Buster - the husband
1940	Li'l Abner MOVIE	Lonesome Polecat
1940	Li'l Abner MOVIE	Self
1940	The Villain Still Pursued Her MOVIE	William Dalton
1940	The Spook Speaks MOVIE	Buster
1940	The Taming of the Snood MOVIE	Buster Keaton
1940	New Moon MOVIE	Prisoner - 'LuLu'
1940	Pardon My Berth Marks MOVIE	Elmer - Newspaper Copyboy
1940	Nothing But Pleasure MOVIE	Clarence Plunkett
1939	Hollywood Cavalcade MOVIE	Buster Keaton
1939	Mooching Through Georgia MOVIE	Homer Cobb
1939	Pest from the West MOVIE	Sir
1939	Hollywood Hobbies MOVIE	Self (uncredited)
1937	Love Nest on Wheels MOVIE	Elmer
1937	Ditto MOVIE	The Forgotten Man
1937	Jail Bait MOVIE	Self
1936	Mixed Magic MOVIE	Elmer 'Happy' Butterworth
1936	The Chemist MOVIE	Elmer Triple
1936	Blue Blazes MOVIE	Elmer
1936	Grand Slam Opera MOVIE	Elmer Butts
1936	Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs MOVIE	Self
1936	Three on a Limb MOVIE	Elmer Brown
1936	The Invader MOVIE	Leander Proudfoot
1935	La Fiesta de Santa Barbara MOVIE	Self
1935	The Timid Young Man MOVIE	Milton
1935	The E-Flat Man MOVIE	Elmer
1935	Tars and Stripes MOVIE	Apprentice Seaman Elmer Doolittle
1935	Hayseed Romance MOVIE	Elmer Dolittle
1935	One Run Elmer MOVIE	Elmer
1935	Palooka from Paducah MOVIE	Jim Diltz
1934	The King of the Champs-Élysées MOVIE	Buster Garner / Jim le Balafré
1934	Allez Oop MOVIE	Elmer
1934	The Gold Ghost MOVIE	Wally
1933	What! No Beer? MOVIE	Elmer J. Butts
1933	Hollywood on Parade No. A-6 MOVIE	Self
1932	Plumber in love MOVIE	Elmer E. Tuttle
1932	Speak Easily MOVIE	Professor Post
1932	The Passionate Plumber MOVIE	Elmer E. Tuttle
1931	Casanova wider Willen MOVIE	Reggie Irving
1931	Sidewalks of New York MOVIE	Harmon
1931	Buster se marie MOVIE	Reggie Irving
1931	We’re Switching to Hollywood MOVIE	Self
1931	The Stolen Jools MOVIE	Policeman
1931	Parlor, Bedroom and Bath MOVIE	Reginald Irving
1930	Forward, March! MOVIE	Self
1930	Doughboys MOVIE	Elmer J. Stuyvesant, Jr.
1930	Estrellados MOVIE	Canuto Cuadratin
1930	The Voice of Hollywood MOVIE	Self
1930	Free and Easy MOVIE	Elmer
1929	The Hollywood Revue of 1929 MOVIE	Self / Princess Raja
1929	Spite Marriage MOVIE	Elmer
1929	Tide of Empire MOVIE	Drunk Cowboy Thrown Out of Saloon (uncredited)
1928	The Baby Cyclone MOVIE	Stunt Double (uncredited)
1928	The Cameraman MOVIE	Buster
1928	Steamboat Bill, Jr. MOVIE	William 'Willie' Canfield Jr.
1927	Character Studies MOVIE	Self (uncredited)
1927	College MOVIE	Ronald, The Boy
1927	Life in Hollywood No. 1 MOVIE	Self
1926	The General MOVIE	Johnnie Gray
1926	Battling Butler MOVIE	Alfred Butler
1925	Go West MOVIE	Friendless
1925	The Iron Mule MOVIE	Indian (uncredited)
1925	Seven Chances MOVIE	James 'Jimmie' Shannon
1924	The Navigator MOVIE	Rollo Treadway
1924	Sherlock Jr. MOVIE	Projectionist / Sherlock, Jr.
1923	Our Hospitality MOVIE	William McKay
1923	Three Ages MOVIE	The Boy
1923	The Love Nest MOVIE	Buster Keaton
1923	The Balloonatic MOVIE	The Young Man
1922	Day Dreams MOVIE	The Young Man
1922	Seeing Stars MOVIE	Self
1922	The Electric House MOVIE	Buster
1922	The Frozen North MOVIE	The Bad Man
1922	The Blacksmith MOVIE	Blacksmith's Assistant
1922	My Wife's Relations MOVIE	The Husband
1922	Cops MOVIE	The Young Man
1922	The Paleface MOVIE	Little Chief Paleface
1921	The Boat MOVIE	The Boat Builder
1921	The Play House MOVIE	Orchestra / Minstrels / Dancers / Audience / Stagehand
1921	The Goat MOVIE	The Goat
1921	The High Sign MOVIE	Our Hero
1921	Hard Luck MOVIE	Suicidal Boy
1921	The Haunted House MOVIE	Bank Clerk
1920	Neighbors MOVIE	The Boy
1920	The Scarecrow MOVIE	Farmhand
1920	Convict 13 MOVIE	Golfer Turned Prisoner, Guard
1920	The Round-Up MOVIE	Indian (uncredited)
1920	The Saphead MOVIE	Bertie Van Alstyne
1920	One Week MOVIE	The Groom
1920	The Garage MOVIE	Mechanic / Fireman
1919	The Hayseed MOVIE	Manager, General Store
1919	Back Stage MOVIE	Stagehand
1918	The Cook MOVIE	The Waiter (uncredited)
1918	Good Night, Nurse! MOVIE	Dr. Hampton
1918	Moonshine MOVIE	Revenue Agent
1918	The Bell Boy MOVIE	Bellboy
1918	Out West MOVIE	Sheriff, Saloon Owner
1917	A Country Hero MOVIE	Vaudeville Artist
1917	Coney Island MOVIE	Rival / Cop with Moustache
1917	Oh, Doctor! MOVIE	Junior Holepoke
1917	His Wedding Night MOVIE	Delivery boy
1917	The Rough House MOVIE	Gardener / Delivery Boy / Cop
1917	A Reckless Romeo MOVIE	Blind Organ Grinder
1917	The Butcher Boy MOVIE	Buster

Quick Facts

Buster Keaton

The MovieWise Take

Biography

Known For

Full Filmography

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