Buster Keaton
Known for: Directing
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.
Filmography
Series
The Donna Reed Show
1958
Series
The Twilight Zone
Woodrow Mulligan
1959
Series
What's My Line?
Self
1950
Series
Burke's Law
Mortimer Lovely
1963
Series
Route 66
1960
Series
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self
1950
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Film
Sunset Boulevard
Buster Keaton
1950
Series
This Is Your Life
Self
1952
Series
Playhouse 90
Harrison
1956
Film
Around the World in 80 Days
Train Conductor
1956
Series
Legends
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2006
Series
Screen Director's Playhouse
Kelsey Dutton
1955
Series
The Hollywood Palace
Self
1964
Film
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Jimmy the Crook
1963
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963
Film
The General
Johnnie Gray
1926
Film
Sherlock Jr.
Projectionist / Sherlock, Jr.
1924
Film
Limelight
Calvero's Partner
1952
Film
The Cameraman
Buster
1928
Film
The Navigator
Rollo Treadway
1924
Film
Hodgepodge
Self (archive footage)
2025
Film
Steamboat Bill, Jr.
Steamboat Bill Jr.
1928
Film
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
Film
One Week
The Groom
1920
Film
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
1994
Film
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
1976
Film
The Image Book
(archive footage)
2018
Film
Seven Chances
James 'Jimmie' Shannon
1925
Film
Our Hospitality
William McKay
1923
The Rosemary Clooney Show
Self
1956
Film
Jail Bait
1937
Film
Dance Crazy in Hollywood
Self - Actor (archive footage)
1990
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Erronius
1966
Film
Pajama Party
Chief Rotten Eagle
1964
Film
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Lion Tamer
1960
Film
The Stolen Jools
Policeman
1931
Series
Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow
Self (archive footage)
1987
Series
Funny Business
(archive footage)
1992
Film
The Railrodder
The Man
1965
Film
In the Good Old Summertime
Hickey
1949
Film
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
Bwana
1965
Film
It's Showtime
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
Battling Butler
Alfred Butler
1926
Film
What! No Beer?
Elmer J. Butts
1933
Film
A Duel to the Death
The First Fisherman
1947
Film
Good Night, Nurse!
Dr. Hampton
1918
Film
The Real Charlie Chaplin
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2021
Film
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
Self / Princess Raja
1929
Film
Go West
Friendless
1925
Film
College
Ronald, The Boy
1927
Film
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self (archive footage)
1995
Film
Beach Blanket Bingo
Buster
1965
Film
Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty
archive footage
2020
Film
Forever and a Day
Wilkins
1943
Film
Hard Luck
Suicidal Boy
1921
Film
The Big Parade of Comedy
Buster in 'The Cameraman' (archive footage)
1964
Film
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
Film
Cops
The Young Man
1922
Film
Character Studies
Self (uncredited)
1927
Film
Hayseed Romance
Elmer Dolittle
1935
Film
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
Self
1935
Film
Free and Easy
Elmer
1930
Film
The Scribe
Journalist
1966
Film
The Goat
The Goat
1921
Film
Oh, Doctor!
Junior Holepoke
1917
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Self (archive footage)
2000
Film
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
The High Sign
Our Hero
1921
Film
The Love Nest
Buster Keaton
1923
Film
Spite Marriage
Elmer
1929
Film
A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
Self (Archival)
2026
Film
The Butcher Boy
Buster
1917
Film
New Moon
Prisoner - 'LuLu'
1940
Film
Laurel & Hardy: Their Lives and Magic
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2011
Film
The Blacksmith
Blacksmith's Assistant
1922
Film
The Villain Still Pursued Her
William Dalton
1940
Film
The Scarecrow
Farmhand
1920
Film
Plumber in love
Elmer E. Tuttle
1932
Film
Sergeant Deadhead
Airman Blinken
1965
Film
Take It or Leave It
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1944
Film
You're My Everything
Butler
1949
Film
Ditto
The Forgotten Man
1937
Film
Hollywood Cavalcade
Buster Keaton
1939
Film
Sidewalks of New York
Harmon
1931
Film
The Electric House
Buster
1922
Film
Silent Clowns
Self(archive footage)
2006
Film
The Balloonatic
The Young Man
1923
Film
Seeing Stars
Self
1922
Langlois-Keaton à Paris
Self
1962
Film
Parlor, Bedroom and Bath
Reginald Irving
1931
Film
War Italian Style
Gen. von Kassler
1965
Film
The Awakening
The Man
1954
Film
Speak Easily
Professor Post
1932
Film
Pest from the West
Sir
1939
Film
The Haunted House
Bank Clerk
1921
Film
The Round-Up
Indian (uncredited)
1920
Film
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
Self
1936
Film
30 Years of Fun
(archive footage)
1963
Film
That's the Spirit
L.M.
1945
Film
Three Ages
The Boy
1923
Film
The Hayseed
Manager, General Store
1919
Film
The Cook
The Waiter (uncredited)
1918
Film
Stunts: A Taste for Risk
Various Roles (archive footage)
2023
Film
Mixed Magic
Elmer 'Happy' Butterworth
1936
Film
Li'l Abner
Lonesome Polecat
1940
Film
Li'l Abner
1940
Film
The Passionate Plumber
Elmer E. Tuttle
1932
Film
When Comedy Was King
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1960
Film
The Taming of the Snood
Buster Keaton
1940
Film
So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM
Self (archive footage)
2004
Film
She Went to the Races
Bellboy (uncredited)
1945
Film
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
Self
1962
Film
Boom in the Moon
1946
Film
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Self
1941
Film
The Boat
The Boat Builder
1921
Film
The Hollywood Clowns
(archive footage)
1979
Film
Lifetime of Comedy
(archive footage)
1960
Film
The Saphead
Bertie Van Alstyne
1920
Film
Hollywood Hobbies
Self (uncredited)
1939
Film
Doughboys
Elmer J. Stuyvesant, Jr.
1930
Film
Day Dreams
The Young Man
1922
Film
So You Won't Squawk
Eddie
1941
Film
One Run Elmer
Elmer
1935
Film
Tars and Stripes
Apprentice Seaman Elmer Doolittle
1935
Film
Buster se marie
Reggie Irving
1931
Film
The Lovable Cheat
Goulard
1949
Film
Notfilm
Self (archive footage)
2015
Film
The Sound of Laughter
Elmer Butts
1963
Film
L'Incantevole nemica
Baker's Apprentice in Play
1953
Film
Convict 13
Golfer Turned Prisoner, Guard
1920
Film
My Wife's Relations
The Husband
1922
Film
Coney Island
Rival / Cop with Moustache
1917
Film
God's Country
Old Tarp / Mr. Boone
1946
Film
The Paleface
Little Chief Paleface
1922
Film
The Gold Ghost
Wally
1934
Film
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
(archive footage)
1999
Film
The Rough House
Gardener / Delivery Boy / Cop
1917
Film
Tide of Empire
Drunk Cowboy Thrown Out of Saloon (uncredited)
1929
Film
The Play House
Orchestra / Minstrels / Dancers / Audience / Stagehand
1921
Film
No Time at All
Harrison
1958
Film
Casanova Against His Will
Reggie Irving
1931
Film
We’re Switching to Hollywood
Self
1931
Salute to Stan Laurel
Self
1965
Film
Neighbors
The Boy
1920
Film
Nothing But Pleasure
Clarence Plunkett
1940
Film
Out West
Sheriff, Saloon Owner
1918
Film
The Baby Cyclone
Stunt Double (uncredited)
1928
The Voice of Hollywood
1930
Film
The Bell Boy
Bellboy
1918
Film
Back Stage
Stagehand
1919
Film
Love Nest on Wheels
Elmer
1937
Film
Paradise for Buster
Buster
1952
Film
The Home Owner
The Home Owner
1961
Film
Film
The Man
1965
Film
Three on a Limb
Elmer Brown
1936
Film
Estrellados
Canuto Cuadratin
1930
Film
Buster Keaton Rides Again
Self
1965
Film
The Misadventures of Buster Keaton
Buster
1950
Film
Hollywood on Parade No. A-6
Self
1933
Film
His Wedding Night
Delivery boy
1917
Film
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
(archive footage)
1951
Film
General Nuisance
Peter Hedley Lamar Jr.
1941
Film
Crazy Days
Various (archive footage) (uncredited)
1962
Film
Pardon My Berth Marks
Elmer - Newspaper Copyboy
1940
Film
That Night with You
Sam - Short Order Cook
1945
Film
San Diego I Love You
Bus Driver
1944
Film
The Adventures of Mr. Pastry
Professor
1958
Film
The Invader
Leander Proudfoot
1936
Film
The Timid Young Man
Milton
1935
Film
Life with Buster Keaton
1951
Film
The Great Chase
1962
Film
She's Oil Mine
Buster Waters, plumber
1941
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
Self (archive footage)
2007
Film
The Frozen North
The Bad Man
1922
Film
The Chemist
Elmer Triple
1936
Film
Barney's Wall
Self (archive footage)
2019
Film
The Three Stooges Follies
Clarence Plunkett (archive footage)
1974
Film
The Triumph of Lester Snapwell
Lester Snapwell
1963
Film
Blue Blazes
Elmer
1936
Film
A Country Hero
Vaudeville Artist
1917
Film
The Metaphysics of Buster Keaton
Self (archival footage)
1970
Film
The King of the Champs-Élysées
Buster Garner / Jim le Balafré
1934
Film
The Garage
Mechanic / Fireman
1920
Film
Allez Oop
Elmer
1934
Film
Buster Keaton: The Genius Destroyed by Hollywood
Self
2016
Film
A Reckless Romeo
Blind Organ Grinder
1917
Film
Forward, March!
1930
Film
Mooching Through Georgia
Homer Cobb
1939
Film
Palooka from Paducah
Jim Diltz
1935
Film
Grand Slam Opera
Elmer Butts
1936
Film
The Iron Mule
Indian (uncredited)
1925
Film
Moonshine
Revenue Agent
1918
Film
His Ex Marks the Spot
Buster - the husband
1940
Bound for Glory: The General as Keaton's Cinematic Manifesto
Self (Archival)
2026
Film
Chaplin/Keaton: Duel of Legends
(archive footage)
2016
Film
4 Clowns
(archive footage)
1970
Kings of Comedy: Masters of the Silent Screen
(archive footage)
2007
Film
The E-Flat Man
Elmer
1935
Film
Looking for Charlie: Or, the Day the Clown Died
Self (archive footage)
2016
Film
You Have to Live Somewhere
(archive footage)
2014
Film
Time Travelers: Uncovering Old LA in Keaton Comedies
Self (archive footage)
2020
Film
Life in Hollywood No. 1
Self
1927
Film
Simon Pure Beer
Self
1962
Film
The Spook Speaks
Buster
1940
Film
Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts
(archive footage)
2006
Film
There's No Business Like No Business
Self
1963
Film
The Devil to Pay
Diablos
1960