



Buster Keaton
Directing1895Piqua, Kansas, USA

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
Acting History
2026
R.E.M x Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr
as Projectionist / Sherlock, Jr.
2025
Hodgepodge
as Self (archive footage)
2023
Stunts: A Taste for Risk
as Various Roles (archive footage)
2021
The Real Charlie Chaplin
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2020
Time Travelers: Uncovering Old LA in Keaton Comedies
as Self (archive footage)
2019
Barney's Wall
as Self (archive footage)
2018
The Image Book
as (archive footage)
2017
Busta Keaton in COPS
as The Young Man (archive footage from 'Cops')
Busta Keaton in COPS
Director
2016
Looking for Charlie: Or, the Day the Clown Died
as Self (archive footage)
Chaplin/Keaton: Duel of Legends
as (archive footage)
2015
Notfilm
as Self (archive footage)
2014
You Have to Live Somewhere
as (archive footage)
2011
Laurel & Hardy: Their Lives and Magic
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2008
Legends
TVas Self (archive footage) (uncredited)• 1 eps
The Smelly Janitor
Thanks
2007
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
as Self (archive footage)
Kings of Comedy: Masters of the Silent Screen
as (archive footage)
2006
Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts
as (archive footage)
2004
So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM
as Self (archive footage)
2001
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume One
as Various
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume Two
as Various
2000
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
as Self (archive footage)
1999
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
as (archive footage)
1994
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage)
1992
Funny Business
TVas (archive footage)
1990
Dance Crazy in Hollywood
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
1987
Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow
TVas Self (archive footage)
1984
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
1979
The Hollywood Clowns
as (archive footage)
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
It's Showtime
as Self (archive footage)
Hooray for Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
1974
The Three Stooges Follies
as Clarence Plunkett (archive footage)
That's Entertainment!
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
1970
4 Clowns
as (archive footage)
The Metaphysics of Buster Keaton
as Self (archival footage)
1966
The Scribe
as Journalist
1965
Film
as The Man
The Railrodder
as The Man
War Italian Style
as Gen. von Kassler
Sergeant Deadhead
as Airman Blinken
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
as Bwana
Beach Blanket Bingo
as Buster
Buster Keaton Rides Again
as Self
Salute to Stan Laurel
as Self
1964
Pajama Party
as Chief Rotten Eagle
The Big Parade of Comedy
as Buster in 'The Cameraman' (archive footage)
Burke's Law
TVas Mortimer Lovely• 1 eps
The Hollywood Palace
TVas Self
1963
The Triumph of Lester Snapwell
as Lester Snapwell
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
as Jimmy the Crook
30 Years of Fun
as (archive footage)
The Sound of Laughter
as Elmer Butts
1962
Crazy Days
as Various (archive footage) (uncredited)
Simon Pure Beer
as Self
Langlois-Keaton à Paris
as Self
1961
The Home Owner
as The Home Owner
The Twilight Zone
TVas Woodrow Mulligan• 1 eps
1960
Lifetime of Comedy
as (archive footage)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
as Lion Tamer
When Comedy Was King
as edited from 'Cops' (archive footage)
The Devil to Pay
as Diablos
1958
1957
This Is Your Life
TVas Self• 1 eps
The Buster Keaton Story
Technical Advisor
1956
Around the World in 80 Days
as Train Conductor
The Rosemary Clooney Show
TVas Self
1955
Screen Director's Playhouse
TVas Kelsey Dutton• 1 eps
1954
The Awakening
as The Man
1953
L'Incantevole nemica
as L'apprenti boulanger dans la pièce de théâtre
1952
1951
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
as (archive footage)
What's My Line?
TVas Self• 2 eps
1950
Sunset Boulevard
as Buster Keaton
The Misadventures of Buster Keaton
as Buster
1949
You're My Everything
as Butler
The Lovable Cheat
as Goulard
In the Good Old Summertime
as Hickey
In the Good Old Summertime
Additional Writing
In the Good Old Summertime
Screenplay
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
TVas Self
1947
A Duel to the Death
as The First Fisherman
1946
God's Country
as Old Tarp / Mr. Boone
1945
That Night with You
as Sam - Short Order Cook
She Went to the Races
as Bellboy (uncredited)
That's the Spirit
as L.M.
1944
San Diego I Love You
as Bus Driver
Take It or Leave It
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bathing Beauty
Creative Consultant
1943
Forever and a Day
as Wilkins
1941
General Nuisance
as Peter Hedley Lamar Jr.
So You Won't Squawk
as Eddie
She's Oil Mine
as Buster Waters, plumber
1940
The Spook Speaks
as Buster
Pardon My Berth Marks
as Elmer - Newspaper Copyboy
New Moon
as Prisoner - 'LuLu'
The Taming of the Snood
as Buster Keaton
The Villain Still Pursued Her
as William Dalton
Nothing But Pleasure
as Clarence Plunkett
His Ex Marks the Spot
as Buster - the husband
1939
Pest from the West
as Sir
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Buster Keaton
Mooching Through Georgia
as Homer Cobb
Hollywood Hobbies
as Self (uncredited)
Quick Millions
Story
Mooching Through Georgia
Writer
Pest from the West
Writer
1938
Streamlined Swing
Director
Too Hot to Handle
Creative Consultant
Hollywood Handicap
Director
Life in Sometown, U.S.A.
Director
1937
1936
Three on a Limb
as Elmer Brown
Grand Slam Opera
as Elmer Butts
Blue Blazes
as Elmer
The Chemist
as Elmer Triple
The Invader
as Leander Proudfoot
Mixed Magic
as Elmer 'Happy' Butterworth
Mixed Magic
Director
Grand Slam Opera
Writer
Blue Blazes
Director
Grand Slam Opera
Director
1935
The E-Flat Man
as Elmer
Palooka from Paducah
as Jim Diltz
Hayseed Romance
as Elmer Dolittle
One Run Elmer
as Elmer
The Timid Young Man
as Milton
Tars and Stripes
as Apprentice Seaman Elmer Doolittle
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
as Self
Tars and Stripes
Director
1934
Allez Oop
as Elmer
The King of the Champs-Élysées
as Buster Garner / Jim le Balafré
The Gold Ghost
as Wally
Allez Oop
Director
The Gold Ghost
Director
1933
What! No Beer?
as Elmer J. Butts
Hollywood on Parade No. A-6
as Self
1932
The Passionate Plumber
as Elmer E. Tuttle
Speak Easily
as Professor Post
Plumber in love
as Elmer E. Tuttle
Speak Easily
Producer
Plumber in love
Producer
1931
We’re Switching to Hollywood
as Self
Sidewalks of New York
as Harmon
The Stolen Jools
as Policeman
Parlor, Bedroom and Bath
as Reginald Irving
Casanova wider Willen
as Reggie Irving
Buster se marie
as Reggie Irving
Parlor, Bedroom and Bath
Producer
Casanova wider Willen
Producer
Buster se marie
Producer
1930
Free and Easy
as Elmer
Doughboys
as Elmer J. Stuyvesant, Jr.
Estrellados
as Canuto Cuadratin
Free and Easy
Producer
Doughboys
Story
1929
Spite Marriage
as Elmer
Tide of Empire
as Drunk Cowboy Thrown Out of Saloon (uncredited)
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
as Self / Princess Raja
Spite Marriage
Director
Spite Marriage
Producer
1928
The Baby Cyclone
as Stunt Double (uncredited)
The Cameraman
as Buster
Steamboat Bill, Jr.
as William 'Willie' Canfield Jr.
The Cameraman
Producer
The Cameraman
Director
Steamboat Bill, Jr.
Director
1927
College
as Ronald, The Boy
Character Studies
as Self (uncredited)
Life in Hollywood No. 1
as Self
College
Director
1926
The General
as Johnnie Gray
Battling Butler
as Alfred Butler
Battling Butler
Director
Battling Butler
Producer
The General
Producer
The General
Screenplay
The General
Director
The General
Editor
The General
Stunts
1925
Seven Chances
as James 'Jimmie' Shannon
The Iron Mule
as Indian (uncredited)
Go West
as Friendless
Seven Chances
Director
Seven Chances
Producer
Seven Chances
Editor
Go West
Director
Go West
Producer
Go West
Writer
1924
The Navigator
as Rollo Treadway
Sherlock Jr.
as Projectionist / Sherlock, Jr.
The Navigator
Director
The Navigator
Editor
The Navigator
Producer
Sherlock Jr.
Director
Sherlock Jr.
Editor
Sherlock Jr.
Producer
1923
The Love Nest
as Buster Keaton
Our Hospitality
as William McKay
The Balloonatic
as The Young Man
Three Ages
as The Boy
Three Ages
Director
The Balloonatic
Director
The Balloonatic
Writer
The Love Nest
Writer
The Love Nest
Director
Three Ages
Writer
Three Ages
Producer
Our Hospitality
Producer
Our Hospitality
Director
Our Hospitality
Stunts
1922
Day Dreams
as The Young Man
The Frozen North
as The Bad Man
The Paleface
as Little Chief Paleface
Cops
as The Young Man
The Blacksmith
as Blacksmith's Assistant
My Wife's Relations
as The Husband
The Electric House
as Buster
Seeing Stars
as Self
The Electric House
Director
The Electric House
Writer
My Wife's Relations
Director
My Wife's Relations
Writer
The Blacksmith
Director
The Blacksmith
Writer
Cops
Editor
Cops
Writer
Cops
Director
Day Dreams
Director
Day Dreams
Writer
The Frozen North
Director
The Frozen North
Writer
The Paleface
Director
The Paleface
Writer
1921
The High Sign
as Our Hero
The Boat
as The Boat Builder
The Goat
as The Goat
The Haunted House
as Bank Clerk
The Play House
as Orchestra / Minstrels / Dancers / Audience / Stagehand
Hard Luck
as Suicidal Boy
The High Sign
Director
The High Sign
Writer
The Boat
Director
The Boat
Writer
The Play House
Writer
The Goat
Director
The Haunted House
Director
The Haunted House
Writer
The Goat
Writer
The Play House
Director
Hard Luck
Director
Hard Luck
Writer
1920
The Saphead
as Bertie Van Alstyne
The Scarecrow
as Farmhand
Convict 13
as Golfer Turned Prisoner, Guard
The Garage
as Mechanic / Fireman
One Week
as The Groom
Neighbors
as The Boy
The Round-Up
as Indian (uncredited)
Convict 13
Director
The Scarecrow
Director
The Scarecrow
Writer
Convict 13
Editor
Convict 13
Writer
The Saphead
Writer
One Week
Director
One Week
Editor
One Week
Writer
Neighbors
Director
Neighbors
Writer
1919
The Hayseed
as Manager, General Store
Back Stage
as Stagehand
1918
Out West
as Sheriff, Saloon Owner
Moonshine
as Revenue Agent
The Cook
as The Waiter (uncredited)
The Bell Boy
as Bellboy
Good Night, Nurse!
as Dr. Hampton
Moonshine
Editor
1917
Coney Island
as Rival / Cop with Moustache
The Butcher Boy
as Buster
A Reckless Romeo
as Blind Organ Grinder
The Rough House
as Gardener / Delivery Boy / Cop
A Country Hero
as Vaudeville Artist
Oh, Doctor!
as Junior Holepoke
His Wedding Night
as Delivery boy
The Rough House
Director
The Rough House
Writer







