Buster Keaton 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
The General
(1926)
Johnnie Gray
Sunset Boulevard
(1950)
Buster Keaton
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
(1963)
Jimmy the Crook
Sherlock Jr.
(1924)
Sherlock, Jr.
Around the World in Eighty Days
(1956)
Train Conductor
Our Hospitality
(1923)
William McKay
Limelight
(1952)
Calvero's Partner
The Cameraman
(1928)
Buster
Steamboat Bill, Jr.
(1928)
William 'Willie' Canfield Jr.
The Paleface
(1922)
Little Chief Paleface
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
(1966)
Erronius
One Week
(1920)
The Groom
Spite Marriage
(1929)
Elmer
The Navigator
(1924)
Rollo Treadway
Li'l Abner
(1940)
Lonesome Polecat
Cops
(1922)
The Young Man
Full Filmography
Acting
The Rough House
(1917)
Gardener / Delivery Boy / Cop
His Wedding Night
(1917)
Delivery boy
Coney Island
(1917)
Rival / Cop with Moustache
The Butcher Boy
(1917)
Buster
A Reckless Romeo
(1917)
Blind Organ Grinder
Oh, Doctor!
(1917)
Junior Holepoke
Good Night, Nurse!
(1918)
Dr. Hampton
The Cook
(1918)
The Waiter (uncredited)
Moonshine
(1918)
Revenue Agent
The Bell Boy
(1918)
Bellboy
Out West
(1918)
Sheriff, saloon owner
Back Stage
(1919)
Stagehand
The Hayseed
(1919)
Manager, general store
The Scarecrow
(1920)
Farmhand
The Round-Up
(1920)
Indian (Uncredited)
One Week
(1920)
The Groom
The Saphead
(1920)
Bertie Van Alstyne
Neighbors
(1920)
The Boy
Convict 13
(1920)
Golfer Turned Prisoner, Guard
The Garage
(1920)
Mechanic / Fireman
Hard Luck
(1921)
Suicidal Boy
The High Sign
(1921)
Our Hero
The Haunted House
(1921)
Bank Clerk
The Play House
(1921)
Orchestra / Minstrels / Dancers / Audience / Stagehand
The Boat
(1921)
The Boat Builder
The Goat
(1921)
The Goat
The Paleface
(1922)
Little Chief Paleface
The Electric House
(1922)
Buster
Seeing Stars
(1922)
Self
The Blacksmith
(1922)
Blacksmith's Assistant
The Frozen North
(1922)
The Bad Man
My Wife's Relations
(1922)
The husband
Cops
(1922)
The Young Man
Day Dreams
(1922)
The Young Man
Three Ages
(1923)
The Boy
Our Hospitality
(1923)
William McKay
The Love Nest
(1923)
Buster Keaton
The Balloonatic
(1923)
The Young Man (as 'Buster' Keaton)
The Navigator
(1924)
Rollo Treadway
Sherlock Jr.
(1924)
Sherlock, Jr.
Go West
(1925)
Friendless
Seven Chances
(1925)
James 'Jimmie' Shannon
The Iron Mule
(1925)
Indian (uncredited)
Battling Butler
(1926)
Alfred Butler
The General
(1926)
Johnnie Gray
College
(1927)
Ronald, The Boy
Life in Hollywood No. 1
(1927)
Self
Character Studies
(1927)
Himself (uncredited)
The Baby Cyclone
(1928)
Stunt Double (uncredited)
Steamboat Bill, Jr.
(1928)
William 'Willie' Canfield Jr.
The Cameraman
(1928)
Buster
Tide of Empire
(1929)
Drunk Cowboy Thrown Out of Saloon (uncredited)
The Hollywood Revue of 1929
(1929)
Self / Princess Raja
Spite Marriage
(1929)
Elmer
Free and Easy
(1930)
Elmer
Doughboys
(1930)
Elmer J. Stuyvesant, Jr.
Forward, March!
(1930)
The Voice of Hollywood
(1930)
Estrellados
(1930)
Canuto Cuadratin
The Stolen Jools
(1931)
Policeman
Sidewalks of New York
(1931)
Harmon
We're switching to Hollywood
(1931)
Self
Parlor, Bedroom and Bath
(1931)
Reginald Irving
Casanova wider Willen
(1931)
Reggie Irving
Speak Easily
(1932)
Professor Post
The Passionate Plumber
(1932)
Elmer E. Tuttle
Hollywood on Parade No. A-6
(1933)
Self
What! No Beer?
(1933)
Elmer J. Butts
The Gold Ghost
(1934)
Wally
Allez Oop
(1934)
Elmer
The King of the Champs-Élysées
(1934)
Buster Garner / Jim le Balafré
Hayseed Romance
(1935)
Elmer Dolittle
One Run Elmer
(1935)
Elmer
The E-Flat Man
(1935)
Elmer
Tars and Stripes
(1935)
Apprentice Seaman Elmer Doolittle
La Fiesta de Santa Barbara
(1935)
Self
Palooka from Paducah
(1935)
Jim Diltz
The Timid Young Man
(1935)
Milton
Blue Blazes
(1936)
Elmer
Mixed Magic
(1936)
Elmer 'Happy' Butterworth
Three on a Limb
(1936)
Elmer Brown
Grand Slam Opera
(1936)
Elmer Butts
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
(1936)
Himself
The Chemist
(1936)
Elmer Triple
The Invader
(1936)
Leander Proudfoot
Love Nest on Wheels
(1937)
Elmer
Jail Bait
(1937)
Ditto
(1937)
The Forgotten Man
Hollywood Cavalcade
(1939)
Buster Keaton
Hollywood Hobbies
(1939)
Himself
Mooching Through Georgia
(1939)
Homer Cobb
Pest from the West
(1939)
Sir
Li'l Abner
(1940)
Lonesome Polecat
The Villain Still Pursued Her
(1940)
William Dalton
Pardon My Berth Marks
(1940)
Elmer - Newspaper Copyboy
The Spook Speaks
(1940)
Buster
Nothing But Pleasure
(1940)
Clarence Plunkett
His Ex Marks the Spot
(1940)
Buster - the husband
The Taming of the Snood
(1940)
Buster Keaton
New Moon
(1940)
Prisoner - 'LuLu'
She's Oil Mine
(1941)
Buster Waters, plumber
So You Won't Squawk
(1941)
Eddie
General Nuisance
(1941)
Peter Hedley Lamar Jr.
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
(1941)
Self
Forever and a Day
(1943)
Wilkins
Take It or Leave It
(1944)
Himself
San Diego I Love You
(1944)
Bus Driver
That's the Spirit
(1945)
L.M.
That Night with You
(1945)
Sam - Short Order Cook
She Went to the Races
(1945)
Bellboy (uncredited)
Boom in the Moon
(1946)
God's Country
(1946)
Old Tarp / Mr. Boone
A Duel to the Death
(1947)
The First Fisherman
The Lovable Cheat
(1949)
Goulard
You're My Everything
(1949)
Butler
In the Good Old Summertime
(1949)
Hickey
The Misadventures of Buster Keaton
(1950)
Buster
Sunset Boulevard
(1950)
Buster Keaton
Life with Buster Keaton
(1951)
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
(1951)
(archive footage)
Limelight
(1952)
Calvero's Partner
Paradise for Buster
(1952)
Buster
L'Incantevole nemica
(1953)
L'apprenti boulanger dans la pièce de théâtre
The Awakening
(1954)
The Man
Around the World in Eighty Days
(1956)
Train Conductor
No Time at All
(1958)
Harrison
The Adventures of Mr. Pastry
(1958)
Professor
When Comedy Was King
(1960)
edited from 'Cops' (archive footage)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
(1960)
Lion Tamer
Lifetime of Comedy
(1960)
(archive footage)
The Devil To Pay
(1960)
Diablos
The Home Owner
(1961)
Himself / The Home Owner
Langlois-Keaton à Paris
(1962)
Self
Simon Pure Beer
(1962)
Himself
Crazy Days
(1962)
Various (archive footage) (uncredited)
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
(1962)
Self
The Triumph of Lester Snapwell
(1963)
Lester Snapwell
The Sound of Laughter
(1963)
Elmer Butts
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
(1963)
Jimmy the Crook
There's No Business Like No Business
(1963)
Himself
30 Years of Fun
(1963)
(archive footage)
Pajama Party
(1964)
Chief Rotten Eagle
The Big Parade of Comedy
(1964)
Buster in 'The Cameraman' (archive footage)
Sergeant Deadhead
(1965)
Airman Blinken
Film
(1965)
The Man
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
(1965)
Bwana
The Railrodder
(1965)
The Man
Salute to Stan Laurel
(1965)
Self
War Italian Style
(1965)
Gen. von Kassler
Beach Blanket Bingo
(1965)
Buster Keaton Rides Again
(1965)
Himself
The Scribe
(1966)
Journalist
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
(1966)
Erronius
4 Clowns
(1970)
(archive footage)
That's Entertainment!
(1974)
(archive footage) (uncredited)
It's Showtime
(1976)
Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
(1976)
(archive footage)
The Hollywood Clowns
(1979)
(archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(1984)
(archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
(1986)
Self (archive footage)
Dance Crazy in Hollywood
(1990)
Self - Actor (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
(1994)
(archive footage)
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume Two
(2001)
Various
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume One
(2001)
Various
So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Edge of Outside
(2006)
Buster (archive footage)
Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts
(2006)
(archive footage)
Industrial Strength Keaton
(2006)
Himself
Kings of Comedy: Masters of the Silent Screen
(2007)
(archive footage)
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
Laurel & Hardy: Their Lives and Magic
(2011)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
And the Oscar Goes To...
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Notfilm
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
Buster Keaton: The Genius Destroyed by Hollywood
(2016)
Self
Chaplin/Keaton: Duel of Legends
(2016)
(archive footage)
Buster Keaton The Shorts Collection 1917-1923
(2016)
Looking for Charlie: Or, the Day the Clown Died
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
The Image Book
(2018)
(film archive footage)
The Great Buster: A Celebration
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
Barney's Wall
(2019)
Himself (archival footage)
Time Travelers: Uncovering Old LA in Keaton Comedies
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Navigators
(2023)
Stunts: A Taste for Risk
(2023)
Various Roles (archive footage)
Directing
The Rough House
(1917)
Director
The Scarecrow
(1920)
Director
Convict 13
(1920)
Director
One Week
(1920)
Director
Neighbors
(1920)
Director
The Haunted House
(1921)
Director
The Goat
(1921)
Director
The Boat
(1921)
Director
The Play House
(1921)
Director
The High Sign
(1921)
Director
Hard Luck
(1921)
Director
The Blacksmith
(1922)
Director
The Paleface
(1922)
Director
The Electric House
(1922)
Director
Cops
(1922)
Director
The Frozen North
(1922)
Director
My Wife's Relations
(1922)
Director
Day Dreams
(1922)
Director
The Love Nest
(1923)
Director
The Balloonatic
(1923)
Director
Three Ages
(1923)
Director
Our Hospitality
(1923)
Director
The Navigator
(1924)
Director
Sherlock Jr.
(1924)
Director
Go West
(1925)
Director
Seven Chances
(1925)
Director
Battling Butler
(1926)
Director
The General
(1926)
Director
College
(1927)
Director
Spite Marriage
(1929)
Director
Streamlined Swing
(1938)
Director
Hollywood Handicap
(1938)
Director
Life in Sometown, U.S.A.
(1938)
Director
Writing
The Rough House
(1917)
Writer
One Week
(1920)
Writer
The Scarecrow
(1920)
Writer
Convict 13
(1920)
Writer
Neighbors
(1920)
Writer
The Haunted House
(1921)
Writer
The High Sign
(1921)
Writer
Hard Luck
(1921)
Writer
The Play House
(1921)
Writer
The Goat
(1921)
Writer
The Boat
(1921)
Writer
Cops
(1922)
Writer
The Blacksmith
(1922)
Writer
The Frozen North
(1922)
Writer
The Paleface
(1922)
Writer
The Electric House
(1922)
Writer
Day Dreams
(1922)
Writer
My Wife's Relations
(1922)
Writer
The Love Nest
(1923)
Writer
The Balloonatic
(1923)
Writer
Three Ages
(1923)
Writer
Go West
(1925)
Story
The General
(1926)
Screenplay
Doughboys
(1930)
Story
Grand Slam Opera
(1936)
Writer
Mooching Through Georgia
(1939)
Writer
Pest from the West
(1939)
Writer
Quick Millions
(1939)
Story
The Jones Family in Hollywood
(1939)
Story
Editing
Moonshine
(1918)
Editor
One Week
(1920)
Editor
Convict 13
(1920)
Editor
Cops
(1922)
Editor
Sherlock Jr.
(1924)
Editor
The Navigator
(1924)
Editor
Seven Chances
(1925)
Editor
The General
(1926)
Editor
Crew
Our Hospitality
(1923)
Stunts
The General
(1926)
Stunts
In the Good Old Summertime
(1949)
Additional Writing
The Smelly Janitor
(2008)
Thanks
Production
Our Hospitality
(1923)
Producer
Three Ages
(1923)
Producer
The Navigator
(1924)
Producer
Sherlock Jr.
(1924)
Producer
Go West
(1925)
Producer
Seven Chances
(1925)
Producer
Battling Butler
(1926)
Producer
The General
(1926)
Producer
Spite Marriage
(1929)
Producer
Free and Easy
(1930)
Producer
Speak Easily
(1932)
Producer