The Hayseed (1919) starring Fatty Arbuckle, Buster Keaton
The Hayseed is a very funny silent short film, where Buster is running a general store, and Fatty is the mailman. Fatty’s in love with a young lady, but he has a rival — who steals money from the mail and blamesFatty!
Comedy highlights
- Buster measuring Fatty for his new mail-order suit – including using a yardstick
- Buster having a “water fight” with the constable – throwing buckets of water on him from the roof of the general store
- The actual performances in the evening, where Buster does a hilarious comedy magic routine, and where Fatty’s lost his voice and can’t sing. Buster’s solution? Eat onions! Which recovers his voice, and repels everyone.
- At the end, the villainous constable running out of town … with Luke the Dog in hot pursuit!
Cast of characters
- Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle (The Knockout) … Mailman
- Buster Keaton (Seven Chances) … Manager, General Store
- Molly Malone (Back Stage) … Rural girl
- Jack Coogan Sr. (Back Stage) … Constable (as John Coogan)
Additional cast
- Kitty Bradbury (The Pilgrim) … The Girl’s Mother (uncredited)
- Dan Crimmins … General Store Owner (uncredited)
- Luke the Dog (Fatty and Mabel Adrift) … Self (uncredited)
Trivia
- Included in “Buster Keaton: The Shorts Collection” blu-ray set.