#three keatons

[friendlessghoul]

Buster Keaton - 1931

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day in Buster…September 2, 1903

The Kansas City Times prints that the Three Keatons will be on the bill at the newly opened East Side Resort in Forest Park, next week.

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day in Buster…March 13, 1877

Myra Edith Cutler, the beloved mother of Buster Keaton, is born in Modale, Harrison County, Iowa.

Just 18 when she gave birth to her eldest boy, she was a performer in her father’s Medicine Show on saxophone & as a male impersonator, what we’d call a drag king today. 

She made a couple of appearances in Buster’s films, but the tiny but tough lady most enjoyed a good game of pinochle, a tipple or two & was well looked after by her number one son.

She is laid to rest in Glen Haven Memorial Park, with daughter Louise’s ashes in the same plot.

[busterkeatonsociety]

#ThrowbackThursday Happy 156th birthday, Joe Keaton! Buster (left) is pictured with his father, Joe, in this autographed photo from two of the Three Keatons vaudeville act, which disbanded by 1918.  Does any of the Damfamily know what “Seoup!” means?

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day in Buster…August 25, 1904

Buster's brother Harry Stanley "Jingles" Keaton is born in New York City.  So named after Houdini, then by the sound his rattle made, Jingles was part of the Keaton act before the age of three & was as cute as a button.  

Aged 4 he was entered into a New Jersey “Baby Show” where he rode baby elephant, “Little Hip” heading up the parade behind the band.  In another ill-judged publicity stunt, he was reportedly kidnapped only to return just in time for the matinee.

He didn’t say a lot as part of the act but all three Keaton children - Buster, Jingles & Louise - would ‘host’ receptions for the children attending the theatre after the show ended, often giving away candy or other mementos.

[busterkeatonsociety]

It’s Day 11 of our annual art contest #Bustober & today’s prompt is: FAMILY

To find out how you can take part go to busterkeaton.org/bustober

[busterkeatonsociety]

#TalkieTuesday Five years old, and stand-up gentleman Buster Keaton finds his perfect woman in fellow Vaudevillian, Lily Langtry…

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day in Buster… April 20, 1957

“The Buster Keaton Story” is released. The biopic was vastly inaccurate, but there were moments of truth, as seen in this clip of “The Three Keatons.” Mother Myra played the saxophone, Joe’s act was the man with the table, and little Buster did swing a ball on elastic at his father – albeit whilst he was shaving with a cut-throat razor. Brooms were also a staple of the act (they fly off the table at Joe when Buster jumps off the aforementioned table) and very unfortunately there was an occasion where an eight-year-old Buster was knocked out cold for 18 hours by his father’s misjudged kick. He was up and doing the matinee, at his own insistence, the following day.