Buster Keaton films

Buster Keaton with his Oscar
Buster Keaton with his Oscar

Starring Roscoe Arbuckle, featuring Buster Keaton

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
April 23, 1917The Butcher BoyBusterFirst film role
June 25, 1917The Rough HouseGardener / Delivery Boy / CopCo-directed and co-written by Roscoe Arbuckle
August 20, 1917His Wedding NightDelivery boy
September 30, 1917Oh Doctor!Junior Holepoke
October 29, 1917Coney IslandRival / Cop with mustacheAlice Mann, Roscoe Arbuckle, Buster Keaton in "Coney Island" - buy from Amazon.com
December 10, 1917A Country HeroVaudeville artistLost film
January 20, 1918Out WestSheriff / Saloon ownerGunfight at the bar in "Out West" with Buster Keaton, Fatty Arbuckle, Al St. John
March 18, 1918The Bell BoyBellboyThe Bell Boy - Fatty Arbuckle and Buster Keaton
May 13, 1918MoonshineRevenue agent
July 6, 1918Good Night, Nurse!Dr. Hampton / Woman with umbrellaGood Night, Nurse! with Buster Keaton, Fatty Arbuckle
September 15, 1918The CookWaiterThe waiter (Buster Keaton), The Cook (Fatty Arbuckle), the robber (Al St. John)
September 7, 1919Back StageStagehandThe stagehands try to stop the abusive strongman. And even an axe barely irritates him!
October 26, 1919The HayseedManager, general storeBuster Keaton measuring Fatty Arbuckle for his new suit in "The Hayseed"
January 11, 1920The GarageMechanic / FiremanBuster Keaton behind the counter in "The Garage"

Starring Buster Keaton under Buster Keaton Productions

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
September 1, 1920One WeekThe groomOne Week (1920) starring Buster Keaton, Sybil Seely
October 27, 1920Convict 13Golfer turned prisoner / GuardPublicity photo of Buster Keaton & Joe Roberts working on the rock pile in "Convict 13"
December 22, 1920NeighborsThe boyCops taking Buster Keaton away from his love interest in "Neighbors"
December 22, 1920The ScarecrowFarmhandBuster Keaton in "The Scarecrow" with Luke the dog
February 10, 1921The Haunted HouseBank clerkBuster Keaton as the bank teller, glued to the money, in "The Haunted House"
March 14, 1921Hard LuckSuicidal boyIn "Hard Luck", Buster Keaton drinks the "poison" and gets intoxicated
April 12, 1921The High SignOur heroBuster Keaton in "The High Sign"
May 18, 1921The GoatBuster KeatonThe GoatThe Goat (1921) starring Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox
October 6, 1921The PlayhouseAudience / Orchestra / Mr. Brown – First Minstrel / Second Minstrel / Interlocutors / StagehandStagehand Buster Keaton
November 10, 1921The BoatThe boat builderBuster Keaton and his film family in "The Boat"
January 1922The PalefaceLittle Chief PalefaceIndian brave and Buster Keaton in "The Paleface"
March 1922CopsThe young manIn Cops, Buster's not behind bars - yet. He's behind a get separated from his sweetheart in more ways than one
May 1922My Wife’s RelationsThe husbandMy Wife's Relations - and they clearly don't like Buster Keaton very much
July 21, 1922The BlacksmithBlacksmith’s assistantBuster Keaton shoeing the horse in The Blacksmith
August 28, 1922The Frozen NorthThe bad man
October 16, 1922The Electric HouseBuster Keaton
November 1922Day DreamsThe young manDistributed by
First National Pictures
January 22, 1923The BalloonaticThe young man
March 1923The Love NestBuster Keaton

Starring Buster Keaton for Educational Pictures

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
March 16, 1934The Gold GhostWally
May 25, 1934Allez OopElmer
January 11, 1935Palooka from PaducahJim Diltz
February 22, 1935One Run ElmerElmer
March 15, 1935Hayseed RomanceElmer Dolittle
May 3, 1935Tars and StripesApprentice seaman Elmer Doolittle
August 9, 1935The E-Flat ManElmer
October 25, 1935The Timid Young ManMilton
January 3, 1936Three on a LimbElmer Brown
February 21, 1936Grand Slam OperaElmer ButtsScreenplay by Buster Keaton and Charles Lamont
August 21, 1936Blue BlazesElmerfilmed in New York
October 9, 1936The ChemistElmer Triplefilmed in New York
November 20, 1936Mixed MagicElmer “Happy” Butterworthfilmed in New York
January 8, 1937Jail BaitOffice Boy
February 12, 1937DittoThe forgotten man
March 26, 1937Love Nest on WheelsElmer

Starring Buster Keaton for Columbia Pictures

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
June 16, 1939Pest from the West
Screenplay by Clyde Bruckman and (uncredited) Buster Keaton
August 11, 1939Mooching Through GeorgiaHomer Cobb
January 19, 1940Nothing But PleasureClarence Plunkett
March 22, 1940Pardon My Berth MarksElmer – Newspaper Copyboy
June 28, 1940The Taming of the SnoodBuster Keaton
September 20, 1940The Spook SpeaksBuster
December 13, 1940His Ex Marks the SpotBuster – the husband
February 21, 1941So You Won’t SquawkEddie
September 18, 1941General NuisancePeter Hedley Lamar, Jr.
November 20, 1941She’s Oil MineBuster Waters, plumber

Starring Buster Keaton for independent producers

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
October 15, 1952Paradise for BusterBusterIndustrial short for John Deere & Co., directed by Del Lord
1960The Devil to PayDiablosIndustrial short for the National Association of Wholesalers
1963There’s No Business Like No BusinessIndustrial short for Maremont Exhaust and the Gabriel Shocks Division of the Arvin Corporation
1963The Triumph of Lester SnapwellLester SnapwellIndustrial short, filmed in color, for the Eastman Kodak Company
1965The Fall GuyThe Fall GuyIndustrial short for U.S. Steel
January 8, 1965FilmThe ManExperimental project by Samuel Beckett
October 2, 1965The RailrodderThe ManNational Film Board of Canadatravelogue, filmed in color, to promote travel in Canada.
January 8, 1966The ScribeJournalistIndustrial short for the Construction Safety Association of Ontario

Directed by (but not featuring) Buster Keaton for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
February 26, 1938Life in Sometown, USA
May 28, 1938Hollywood Handicap
September 10, 1938Streamlined Swing
Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
1922Seeing StarsHimself
April 12, 1925The Iron MuleIndian
April 4, 1931The Stolen JoolsPoliceman
December 7, 1935La Fiesta de Santa BarbaraHimself
August 6, 1936Sunkist Stars at Palm SpringsHimself
May 3, 1939Hollywood HobbiesHimselfThird baseman on all-star baseball team

Feature films

Starring Buster Keaton for Metro Pictures

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
October 18, 1920The SapheadBertie ‘The Lamb’ Van AlstyneBuster Keaton looking disheveled in "The Saphead"

Starring Buster Keaton under Buster Keaton Productions

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
September 24, 1923Three AgesThe BoyCo-directed with Edward F. Cline
November 19, 1923Our HospitalityWillie McKayCo-directed with John G. Blystone
May 11, 1924Sherlock Jr.Projectionist / Sherlock Jr.Buster Keaton holds hands with The Girl
October 13, 1924The NavigatorRollo TreadwayCo-directed with Donald Crisp
March 15, 1925Seven ChancesJames ShannonBuster Keaton proposing in Seven Chances
November 1, 1925Go WestFriendlessBuster Keaton playing cards in "Go West"
September 19, 1926Battling ButlerAlfred ButlerBuster Keaton in the boxing ring, impersonating Boxing Butler
December 31, 1926 (Tokyo)The GeneralJohnnie GrayCo-written and directed with Clyde Bruckman
September 27, 1927CollegeRonaldCo-directed with James W. Horne
May 20, 1928Steamboat Bill, Jr.William Canfield Jr.Co-directed with Charles Reisner

Starring Buster Keaton for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
September 22, 1928The CameramanBusterCo-directed with Edward Sedgwick
April 6, 1929Spite MarriageElmer GantryCo-directed with Edward Sedgwick
March 22, 1930Free and EasyElmer
July 7, 1930EstrelladosCanuto CuadratinSpanish-language version of Free and Easy
August 30, 1930DoughboysElmer
January 23, 1931De frente…marchenCanuto de la MonteraSpanish-language version of Doughboys
February 28, 1931Parlor, Bedroom and BathReginald IrvingThe numerous young women come to "comfort" Buster Keaton as he's recovering in "Parlor Bedroom and Bath"
September 26, 1931Sidewalks of New YorkHarmon
October 19, 1931Casanova wider WillenReggie IrvingGerman-language version of Parlor, Bedroom and Bath
December 23, 1931Buster se marieReggieFrench-language version of Parlor, Bedroom and Bath
February 6, 1932The Passionate PlumberElmer E. TuttleCostarring Jimmy Durante
August 13, 1932Speak EasilyProfessor PostCostarring Jimmy Durante
December 30, 1932Le plombier amoureuxElmer TuttleFrench-language version of The Passionate Plumber
February 10, 1933What! No Beer?Elmer J. ButtsCostarring Jimmy Durante

Starring Buster Keaton for independent producers

Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
December 11, 1934Le Roi des Champs-ÉlyséesBuster Garner / Jim le Balafré
January 2, 1936The InvaderLeander Proudfoot
August 2, 1946El Moderno Barba AzulGI / PrisonerAlso known as A Modern Bluebeardand Boom in the Moon
October 30, 1965Buster Keaton Rides AgainHimselfDocumentary about the making of The Railrodder
Release dateTitleCredited asNotes
WriterDirectorRole
October 10, 1920The Round-UpIndianUncredited
December 23, 1928Brotherly LoveBarberUncredited, appearance is speculative
April 23, 1929Tide of EmpireDrunk thrown out of barUncredited
June 20, 1929The Hollywood RevueHimself / Princess Raja
Unreleased, scheduled for September 1930The March of TimeCaveman
November, 1931Wir schalten um auf HollywoodHimselfTruncated German-language version of The March of Time
October 13, 1939Hollywood CavalcadeHimself
July 19, 1940New MoonPrisoner – ‘LuLu’most scenes deleted
October 11, 1940The Villain Still Pursued HerWilliam Dalton
November 1, 1940Li’l AbnerLonesome PolecatBuster Keaton as Lonesome Polecat in Li'l Abner 1940
March 26, 1943Forever and a DayWilkins
September 29, 1944San Diego, I Love YouBus Driver
June 1, 1945That’s the SpiritL.M., angel
September 28, 1945That Night with YouSam
November 4, 1945She Went to the RacesBellboy
March 15, 1946God’s CountryMr. Boone aka Old Tarp
July 25, 1946Easy to WedUncredited
April 13, 1949Take Me Out to the Ball Game
May 11, 1949The Lovable CheatGoulard
July 29, 1949In the Good Old SummertimeYesHickey
August 1949You’re My EverythingButlercameo appearance
August 10, 1950Sunset BoulevardHimselfcameo appearance
October 23, 1952LimelightCalvero’s Partner in the finale
June 14, 1953The Enchanting EnemyBuster
October 17, 1956Around the World in 80 DaysTrain Conductor – San Francisco to Fort Kearney
August 3, 1960The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnLion Tamer
November 7, 1963It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldJimmy the Crook
November 11, 1964Pajama PartyChief Rotten EagleBuster Keaton a a Native American in "Pajama Party"
April 14, 1965Beach Blanket BingoBuster
July 14, 1965How to Stuff a Wild BikiniBwana
August 18, 1965Sergeant DeadheadAirman Blinken
December 2, 1965War Italian StyleGeneral von Kassler
October 16, 1966A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumErroniusFinal film role, released posthumously
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Professional clown for over 25 years - happily married, with 5 children and 1 grandson