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
Hodgepodge
Self (archive footage)
2025
Stunts: A Taste for Risk
Various Roles (archive footage)
2023
Navigators
2023
The Real Charlie Chaplin
2021
Time Travelers: Uncovering Old LA in Keaton Comedies
Self (archive footage)
2020
Barney's Wall
Self (archive footage)
2019
The Image Book
(archive footage)
2018
The Great Buster: A Celebration
Self (archive footage)
2018
Busta Keaton in COPS
The Young Man (archive footage from 'Cops')
2017
Buster Keaton The Shorts Collection 1917-1923
2016
Buster Keaton: The Genius Destroyed by Hollywood
Self
2016
Chaplin/Keaton: Duel of Legends
(archive footage)
2016
Looking for Charlie: Or, the Day the Clown Died
Self (archive footage)
2016
Notfilm
Self (archive footage)
2015
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self (archive footage)
2014
You Have to Live Somewhere
(archive footage)
2014
Laurel & Hardy: Their Lives and Magic
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2011
Kings of Comedy: Masters of the Silent Screen
(archive footage)
2007
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
Self (archive footage)
2007
Legends
Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · (1 episode)
2006
Edge of Outside
Buster (archive footage)
2006
Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts
(archive footage)
2006
Industrial Strength Keaton
Self
2006
So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM
Self (archive footage)
2004
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume One
Various
2001
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume Two
Various
2001
Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
Self (archive footage)
2000
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
Self (Archival Footage)
1999
Jackie Chan: My Story
(archive footage)
1998
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
1994
Funny Business
(archive footage) · (6 episodes)
1992
Dance Crazy in Hollywood
Self - Actor (archive footage)
1990
Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow
Self (archive footage) · (3 episodes)
1987
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
Self (archive footage)
1986
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
The Hollywood Clowns
(archive footage)
1979
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
1976
It's Showtime
Self (archive footage)
1976
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
The Three Stooges Follies
Clarence Plunkett (archive footage)
1974
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
The Metaphysics of Buster Keaton
Self (archival footage)
1970
4 Clowns
(archive footage)
1970
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Erronius
1966
The Scribe
Journalist
1966
War Italian Style
Gen. von Kassler
1965
Salute to Stan Laurel
Self
1965
Buster Keaton Rides Again
Self
1965
Film
The Man
1965
Sergeant Deadhead
Airman Blinken
1965
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
Bwana
1965
The Railrodder
The Man
1965
Beach Blanket Bingo
Buster
1965
Pajama Party
Chief Rotten Eagle
1964
The Big Parade of Comedy
Buster in 'The Cameraman' (archive footage)
1964
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Sketch Actor · (1 episode)
1964
The Sound of Laughter
Elmer Butts
1963
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Jimmy the Crook
1963
Burke's Law
Mortimer Lovely · (1 episode)
1963
The Greatest Show on Earth
(1 episode)
1963
30 Years of Fun
(archive footage)
1963
The Triumph of Lester Snapwell
Lester Snapwell
1963
There's No Business Like No Business
Self
1963
The Great Chase
1962
Simon Pure Beer
Self
1962
Crazy Days
Various (archive footage) (uncredited)
1962
Langlois-Keaton à Paris
Self
1962
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
Self
1962
The Home Owner
The Home Owner
1961
The Devil to Pay
Diablos
1960
Route 66
(1 episode)
1960
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Lion Tamer
1960
When Comedy Was King
edited from 'Cops' (archive footage)
1960
Lifetime of Comedy
(archive footage)
1960
The Twilight Zone
Woodrow Mulligan · (1 episode)
1959
The Donna Reed Show
(2 episodes)
1958
The Adventures of Mr. Pastry
Professor
1958
No Time at All
Harrison
1958
Around the World in Eighty Days
Train Conductor
1956
Playhouse 90
Harrison · (1 episode)
1956
The Rosemary Clooney Show
Self · (1 episode)
1956
The Silent Partner
Kelsey Dutton
1955
Screen Director's Playhouse
Kelsey Dutton · (1 episode)
1955
The Awakening
The Man
1954
L'Incantevole nemica
L'apprenti boulanger dans la pièce de théâtre
1953
Limelight
Calvero's Partner
1952
This Is Your Life
Self · (1 episode)
1952
Paradise for Buster
Buster
1952
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
(archive footage)
1951
Life with Buster Keaton
1951
The Misadventures of Buster Keaton
Buster
1950
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self · (1 episode)
1950
Sunset Boulevard
Buster Keaton
1950
What's My Line?
Self · (2 episodes)
1950
In the Good Old Summertime
Hickey
1949
You're My Everything
Butler
1949
The Lovable Cheat
Goulard
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (6 episodes)
1948
A Duel to the Death
The First Fisherman
1947
Boom in the Moon
1946
God's Country
Old Tarp / Mr. Boone
1946
She Went to the Races
Bellboy (uncredited)
1945
That Night with You
Sam - Short Order Cook
1945
That's the Spirit
L.M.
1945
San Diego I Love You
Bus Driver
1944
Take It or Leave It
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1944
Forever and a Day
Wilkins
1943
She's Oil Mine
Buster Waters, plumber
1941
General Nuisance
Peter Hedley Lamar Jr.
1941
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Self
1941
So You Won't Squawk
Eddie
1941
His Ex Marks the Spot
Buster - the husband
1940
Li'l Abner
Lonesome Polecat
1940
Li'l Abner
1940
The Villain Still Pursued Her
William Dalton
1940
The Spook Speaks
Buster
1940
The Taming of the Snood
Buster Keaton
1940
New Moon
Prisoner - 'LuLu'
1940
Pardon My Berth Marks
Elmer - Newspaper Copyboy
1940
Nothing But Pleasure
Clarence Plunkett
1940
Hollywood Cavalcade
Buster Keaton
1939
Mooching Through Georgia
Homer Cobb
1939
Pest from the West
Sir
1939
Hollywood Hobbies
Self (uncredited)
1939
Love Nest on Wheels
Elmer
1937
Ditto
The Forgotten Man
1937
Jail Bait
1937
Mixed Magic
Elmer 'Happy' Butterworth
1936
The Chemist
Elmer Triple
1936
Blue Blazes
Elmer
1936
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
Self
1936
Grand Slam Opera
Elmer Butts
1936
Three on a Limb
Elmer Brown
1936
The Invader
Leander Proudfoot
1936
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
Self
1935
The Timid Young Man
Milton
1935
The E-Flat Man
Elmer
1935
Tars and Stripes
Apprentice Seaman Elmer Doolittle
1935
Hayseed Romance
Elmer Dolittle
1935
One Run Elmer
Elmer
1935
Palooka from Paducah
Jim Diltz
1935
The King of the Champs-Élysées
Buster Garner / Jim le Balafré
1934
Allez Oop
Elmer
1934
The Gold Ghost
Wally
1934
What! No Beer?
Elmer J. Butts
1933
Hollywood on Parade No. A-6
Self
1933
Speak Easily
Professor Post
1932
The Passionate Plumber
Elmer E. Tuttle
1932
Casanova wider Willen
Reggie Irving
1931
Sidewalks of New York
Harmon
1931
We're switching to Hollywood
Self
1931
The Stolen Jools
Policeman
1931
Parlor, Bedroom and Bath
Reginald Irving
1931
Forward, March!
1930
Doughboys
Elmer J. Stuyvesant, Jr.
1930
Estrellados
Canuto Cuadratin
1930
The Voice of Hollywood
1930
Free and Easy
Elmer
1930
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
Self / Princess Raja
1929
Spite Marriage
Elmer
1929
Tide of Empire
Drunk Cowboy Thrown Out of Saloon (uncredited)
1929
The Baby Cyclone
Stunt Double (uncredited)
1928
The Cameraman
Buster
1928
Steamboat Bill, Jr.
William 'Willie' Canfield Jr.
1928
Character Studies
Self (uncredited)
1927
College
Ronald, The Boy
1927
Life in Hollywood No. 1
Self
1927
The General
Johnnie Gray
1926
Battling Butler
Alfred Butler
1926
Go West
Friendless
1925
The Iron Mule
Indian (uncredited)
1925
Seven Chances
James 'Jimmie' Shannon
1925
The Navigator
Rollo Treadway
1924
Sherlock Jr.
Projectionist / Sherlock, Jr.
1924
Our Hospitality
William McKay
1923
Three Ages
The Boy
1923
The Love Nest
Buster Keaton
1923
The Balloonatic
The Young Man
1923
Day Dreams
The Young Man
1922
Seeing Stars
Self
1922
The Electric House
Buster
1922
The Frozen North
The Bad Man
1922
The Blacksmith
Blacksmith's Assistant
1922
My Wife's Relations
The Husband
1922
Cops
The Young Man
1922
The Paleface
Little Chief Paleface
1922
The Boat
The Boat Builder
1921
The Play House
Orchestra / Minstrels / Dancers / Audience / Stagehand
1921
The Goat
The Goat
1921
The High Sign
Our Hero
1921
Hard Luck
Suicidal Boy
1921
The Haunted House
Bank Clerk
1921
Neighbors
The Boy
1920
The Scarecrow
Farmhand
1920
Convict 13
Golfer Turned Prisoner, Guard
1920
The Round-Up
Indian (uncredited)
1920
The Saphead
Bertie Van Alstyne
1920
One Week
The Groom
1920
The Garage
Mechanic / Fireman
1920
The Hayseed
Manager, General Store
1919
Back Stage
Stagehand
1919
The Cook
The Waiter (uncredited)
1918
Good Night, Nurse!
Dr. Hampton
1918
Moonshine
Revenue Agent
1918
The Bell Boy
Bellboy
1918
Out West
Sheriff, Saloon Owner
1918
Coney Island
Rival / Cop with Moustache
1917
Oh, Doctor!
Junior Holepoke
1917
His Wedding Night
Delivery boy
1917
The Rough House
Gardener / Delivery Boy / Cop
1917
A Reckless Romeo
Blind Organ Grinder
1917
The Butcher Boy
Buster
1917