Gary Cooper as Robinson Caruso and Buster Keaton as Friday performing a walkaround at a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus benefit show for to St. John's Hospital in Hollywood.
Good old Buster has given us so much to watch and learn from. One of my favorite bits was one he did was for Candid Camera. They just gave him a bowl of soup in a busy diner and let the camera roll; patrons of the restaurant who sat next to Buster were given an up close show of a true master at work. Another gem is a half hour Alfred Hitchcock story involving a time travel helmet. They were both done latter in his life.
Little John, the time travel helmet story, "Once upon a time", was done for "The Twilight Zone", it aired on December 15 1961. In it Buster is delightful, as usual, but the episode is not very amusing. He did a lot better with "The Railrodder" a 1964 silent comedy made in Canada (his last film, maybe?). Could you post it, Pat?. I agree with you, John, the Candid Camera episode was priceless, the gags with the sandwich and the toupe were incredible. He is great, no doubt.
Peppo, you are so right, thank you. Yesterday I was unsuccessfully looking for that episode on a DVD treasure that I found in the Wal-Mart bargain bin. I was looking for my Alfred Hitchcock find that I bought on the same day that I bought the Twilight Zone. In my First of May days I had big ideas of clowning like Buster, but soon I realized that you first need to master Watch Repair, Levitation, Sharp Shooter, Dead and alive, and be able to get a laugh with a dumb walk around before you are ready to go for the good stuff. The only tribute to Buster that I was ever able to pull off was a hat that I could not keep on my head.
Good old Buster has given us so much to watch and learn from. One of my favorite bits was one he did was for Candid Camera. They just gave him a bowl of soup in a busy diner and let the camera roll; patrons of the restaurant who sat next to Buster were given an up close show of a true master at work. Another gem is a half hour Alfred Hitchcock story involving a time travel helmet. They were both done latter in his life.
ReplyDeleteLittle John, the time travel helmet story, "Once upon a time", was done for "The Twilight Zone", it aired on December 15 1961. In it Buster is delightful, as usual, but the episode is not very amusing. He did a lot better with "The Railrodder" a 1964 silent comedy made in Canada (his last film, maybe?). Could you post it, Pat?. I agree with you, John, the Candid Camera episode was priceless, the gags with the sandwich and the toupe were incredible. He is great, no doubt.
ReplyDeletePeppo, you are so right, thank you. Yesterday I was unsuccessfully looking for that episode on a DVD treasure that I found in the Wal-Mart bargain bin. I was looking for my Alfred Hitchcock find that I bought on the same day that I bought the Twilight Zone. In my First of May days I had big ideas of clowning like Buster, but soon I realized that you first need to master Watch Repair, Levitation, Sharp Shooter, Dead and alive, and be able to get a laugh with a dumb walk around before you are ready to go for the good stuff. The only tribute to Buster that I was ever able to pull off was a hat that I could not keep on my head.
ReplyDelete