The Stewarts Put on a Stoneface at Sacred Fools
“We’re trying to re-create Buster’s life through the lens of his own movies,” says the playwright. Her husband adds, “We’re not trying to do a tribute show. You look for the person and not do a disserve to the bits. The problem is that he’s got a rabid fan base, and, the first time it was announced that I was doing this, they wanted to know if we were going to tell the truth about his life or just do another drunk story—and I didn’t want just another drunk story.”
Read More Here: http://www.lastagetimes.com/2012/05/the-stewarts-put-on-a-stoneface-at-sacred-fools/
I can’t wait to see this!!!!!
I know this is a horrible pic, but these two are just precious! Look how Mr. Multitask can pour coffee and read the paper at the same time! And that coffeegrinder table! Want!
This is the only pic of Harry “Jingles” Keaton I’ve seen where he bears a slight resemblance to big brother Buster. (or Stan Laurel, I can’t decide which).
Hard to make out the first word (scoop?), but it’s a Vaudeville-era Busterpic I hadn’t seen before. Wonder who’s handwriting that is?
Update: I just compared this to the Houdini letters. Definitely looks like Papa Joe’s handwriting.
I played hookey from work today to visit the Austin History Center’s exhibit on early movie houses. Compared to Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth & San Antonio, poor little Austin was pretty much a cultural backwater until the 60’s & 70’s when the Vulcan & Armadillo World Headquarters put us on the music map. Before that, folks pretty much stayed away from Austin in droves, despite its status as the State Capitol (too many politicians - probably scared everyone away!)
Nonetheless, ATX attracted some pretty big names at the turn of the century, and I was surprised to learn that Bernhardt, Nazimova, Anna Pavlova, and even Julian Eltinge (remember him from Seven Chances?) all appeared here in their heydays. I’m still trying to find any record of a performance by The Three Keatons. No luck so far, but I haven’t hit the microfilm yet. I know they had several dates at Texas theaters, and Austin had two on the Orpheum and Keith’s circuits, so maybe someone with a good Vaudeville/Keaton archive will save me from having to scroll through film! (hint).
The exhibit featured a reproduction of a Kinescope, which was pretty cool. Watched a couple of Melies & Edison clips, then I noticed they had a set of headphones hanging off the side. Yep, barrelhouse piano music. I resisted the urge to tell the docents that period nickelodeons didn’t have Sony headphones, and that not every single solitary silent film ever made had a soundtrack of tinny polka music.
Found an interesting snippet in an old Vaudeville program listing the pseudonyms of top theater performers, and a strange ad for a post-performance treat - Oyster Loaf. Whatthehell is an Oyster Loaf, and why would you want a warm one? I guess that’s what they ate before popcorn, Milk Duds and Shiner Bock beer was invented, huh?
I took a few more good HiRes pics of the various theaters. Will post a few tomorrow. BTW, I’ve listed this under the Buster tag cuz I know quite a few Keatoniacs who like to read about the world he grew up and worked in.
Howdy peeps! I went-a-Bustering again today and paid a visit to some archives in Austin I didn’t know existed! I’ll get some posts & pics together this evening after supper and do a proper Busterspam.
Also hit the Austin History Center where they’re having an exhibit on early Movie Houses and found some interesting stuff.
More later — stay tuned!
"She doesn’t want me longer. She has decided that I’m incompetent and unreliable— that I’m just a washout."
Buster Keaton on Natalie Talmage (via weepingforbuster)
Well, good thing Natalie didn’t want him or he would never have found Eleanor! (Source: news.google.com, via weepingforbuster)
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