#joseph Talmadge Keaton

[justbusterkeaton]

Interview by Margaret Werner for Movie Weekly Magazine, November 1923

Buster is a dear, pleasant boy, and I know that if we had had him all to ourself in some secluded nook, the confidences would have flowed like beer at a German picnic. But as it happened-

In a corner of the private sanctum above referred to, a young man of slender build rose politely, and we were shaking the hand of Buster Keaton. Of course, we were holding our breath, waiting to see whether he would smile, and smile he did. For the benefit of those who have heaved the jolly chuckle and bellowed the lusty laugh at the antics of this solemn-faced funmaker, let us assure you that if there are smiles more spontaneous and friendly than Buster's, we'd like to see them.

However, as we were saying, this interview was conducted under difficulties. Here we were, face to face with our victim, with a large man smoking a huge cigar listening attentively to every word, and secretaries flitting in and out, and numerous other distractions. Our spirits were sinking lower and lower, but we stuck manfully to our guns, and began our attack thus:

"Mr. Keaton, tell us something of your career."

Had we asked him to do a nose dive from the window, the poor dear could not have looked more horrified. The blue eyes grew wide as a frightened child's and he looked so imploringly that we were tempted to say: "There, there, sonny. Mama won't spank."

But he told us that he became a vaudeville performer at the ripe age of five, being one of the Four Keatons, whom thousands of you will remember. Then he went into the movies with Fatty Arbuckle, using the same funny line he had been using on the stage.

"But here's what's really agitating all of us, Mr. Keaton. How can you possibly go through all that clowning and make us all nearly pass out with mirth, and all the while keep your face as straight as a stick. What's the trick?"

"There's no trick to it, really," he replied. "You see, when I was pulling my stuff on the vaudeville stage, it would look terrible for me to grin from ear to ear every time I did something funny. That queers it, you know."

We nodded our complete understanding.

"And so," continued Buster, "I learned at a very early age that I simply was not allowed to grin while working. And what with the habit of years growing on me, it's really no trick at all. So that is how I got this way."

And he handed us some pictures of his young son.

"Don't you think he resembles-er-Norma?" he asked us.

"No sir!" we answered. "This baby has the Keaton expression!"

This time we were rewarded, not by a smile, but by a hearty, delighted laugh.

The large man with the huge cigar handed around some cigarettes.

We wished he would go away. Wasn't there a ball game this afternoon?

But he merely settled back more comfortably, and we tried to forget his presence.

Buster was perched on a bookkeeper's stool, his hair tumbling into his eyes, and his fingers played with a silver locket which he wore on his watch chain (he also had a watch, though). "What's that, Buster?" we inquired.

He handed us watch, chain, locket and all, and we snapped the locket open to discover another picture of the baby! Great heavens, what will he do when he has three or four? Keep pictures of them in his hatband, we suppose.

"What are you aiming to make of this young hopeful?" we asked. "Is he going to be a comedian, too, or will Shakespeare be more in his line?"

"Neither one, I hope." Buster twisted his feet around the legs of the bookkeeper's stool and regarded the picture fondly. "This kid is going to be his own boss, and whatever profession appeals to him when he grows up, well, that's the profession he's going to ornament. President or plumber, it's what little Buster chooses. That's the way they're bringing them up nowadays. The individuality of the child, and all that. The kid's recovering now from a long siege of work. There were three generations of us in Hospitality, which I've just finished--my dad, my son, and myself."

Buster is in New York for the World Series, and as we said good-bye, he told us he was going to dash right uptown to the game. We breezed past the staring typists, and ardently longed for a chance for a real tête-à-tête with the engaging Buster, the result to be called, "Buster Keaton as His Friends Know Him."

[friendlessghoul]

A group taken at Natalie's wedding. Left to right--Joseph M. Schenck, Norma Talmadge (his wife), Buster Keaton, and Natalie Talmadge; Mrs. Talmadge (mother), and Constance Talmadge.

-The Sunday Post, January 8, 1922

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day in Buster…December 8, 1923

The Ottawa Citizen reports on the many problems of the B. K. & J. M. S. R. R. - the Buster Keaton & Joseph M Schenck Railroad.  The replica Rocket came off its tracks, it ran out of gas & delayed a day’s filming, the drive shaft broke due to excess weight of passengers & took off down the hill!

[buster-keaton]

from filmplay magazine, july 1922

transcript:

Hard Knocks Make a Man

Joseph Francis Keaton, sometimes called "Buster", is living proof of the adage

By Spencer Russell

Buster Keaton, he of the frigid countenance, who bears the reputation of being one film comedian who has never been known to smile on the screen, may give the impression to the layman of one who is traveling through the highways and byways of life with a great sorrow in his heart.

It might be suspected that here is a young man who has been cheated out of all the joys of youth and boyhood. One wonders if as a small boy this sad-faced mirth-provoker of today ever smiled, or played or got into mischief like other boys. Then one is amazed to learn that he did.

The fact is that Buster enjoyed the many hard knocks he received in his young life and had a corking good time taking them. You see, Buster, even as a little fellow, was paid for the hard knocks that were dealt out to him. He laughed and smiled a great deal then. Perhaps Buster still smiles once in a while, though certainly never within range of a motion picture camera.

As a boy, Buster romped, and played, and worked all over the length and breadth of this great land. While on the stage he found that his audiences liked him best when he looked his saddest. And for some reason the face of gloom followed him into the film world with a heart that was really gay and carefree.

All of which explains why Buster refuses to laugh now when he faces a camera. He insists that no man is happier than he, and considering his happy marriage to charming little Natalie Talmadge, this claim may well be believed.

The future star of the Buster Keaton Comedies was born in the little town of Pickway[sic], Kansas, October 4, 1895. He was the first child of Myra and Joseph Keaton, both members of the well known stage families.

Young Keaton was named Joseph Francis and at the time of his arrival his parents were traveling with a medicine show, in which Harry Houdini, later one of the world's master magicians, was a leading performer. A few weeks following Buster's birth a cyclone came along and wiped the thriving young village of Pickway[sic] off the map. Fortunately, however, Buster and the other members of the Keaton family had moved away. Six weeks later Keaton became a member of his father's show.

Buster was called "Joseph," when it was necessary to refer to him, until he was six months old, when a wonderful discovery was made. He fell down a flight of stairs and didn't hurt them a bit. He himself escaped uninjured. From then on his name was Buster. At the manly age of four years Buster drew his first salary check, which was in payment for his services as a human football. He had a natural ability for falling and tumbling without injuring his little body and his father, who was an expert tumbler also, coached the little fellow until he became a marvel for one so young. His father sewed a trunk handle inside his coat and Buster's job was to be picked up by this handle and be thrown across the stage, knocking down sets and cutting up in other playful ways.

In all his twenty-odd years on the stage Buster has never suffered an injury. Many times, when a little fellow with his father, he was compelled to strip before officials to prove that his father was not practicing cruelty to his own child. Never was a bruise found. Two governors of New York state and one mayor of New York examined the lad because audiences stated he was roughly treated.

It was October, 1917, in New York City, that Roscoe Arbuckle, the screen comedian, saw Keaton, who, with his father and mother, was rehearsing for their act in the Winter Garden show, and offered him an opportunity to enter the film game. Keaton quit the show immediately to enter the film game. And he made good right at the start. Since that time he has been in motion pictures, and today he is a star in his own right, producing the Buster Keaton Comedies. So far he has never hurt anything but the scenery, a fact which may be hard to understand, for he is only five feet four inches in height and weighs but 139 pounds.

Buster has completed more than a dozen two-reelers since he has been elevated to stardom, and each one has proved successful following its release. Some of his most recent First National attractions are The Boat, The Paleface, Cops, My Wife's Relations, and The Blacksmith. In each of them he has found comedy in the most ordinary situations of everyday life. "Hard knocks of one kind or another have made most great men," says Buster, philosophically. "The only kind of hard knocks I never could get used to were those handed out by audiences and dramatic critics."

[ancientfaces]

If you are of "a certain age" or are a fan of old movies, you know Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (1895 - 1966).  Buster was born into a vaudeville family and he began acting at an early age. His father even owned a traveling show with the famous magician Harry Houdini. Buster married an actress, Natalie Talmadge, who was the sister of Norma and Constance Talmadge - stars in their own right. They remained married for 11 years but it was a bitter divorce and their sons legally dropped the surname "Keaton" and adopted Talmadge. The sons didn't really pursue a show business career and the dynasty stopped with them. We remember Buster Keaton and all the laughs he brought to us with his deadpan face at AncientFaces.

[screamscenepodcast]

This month's horror adjacent film was chosen from a selection of shorts, and our patrons selected Buster Keaton's THE HAUNTED HOUSE (1921, Cline)! Joseph "Buster" Keaton stars in this two-reel silent comedy, and we outline his long and illustrious career.

Context setting 00:00; Synopsis 38:14; Discussion 40:09

[thefyuzhe]

Natalie Talmadge and Joseph Talmadge Keaton aka Buster Keaton Jr. (aka Jimmie Talmadge)

[damfinofanfiction]

Chapter 18 (part one): The Departure

I’m back. it has been a long time. had been so busy with everything including work, loss of a family member, etc. i would like to give you thanks for the words of kindness. have a happy easter!

Santa Fe Station was full of celebrities and Studio Heads on Memorial Day when Joe Schenck was heading east for a business trip. Buster was surrounded by the Talmadge women as well as Rudolph Valentino, MGM studio heads, and even Hollywood nobility Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks have all wished the producer safe travels. They witnessed as President of United Artists Studio Mike Levee and Broadway star Al Jolson join Schenck on the train. Thereupon, Jolson called out “Toot toot tootsie, Goodbye!” to the cheers of the spectators. He waved like a bird as the Locomotive left the station.

Before they have to leave, Buster excused himself from his wife and his in-laws to make a quick call in the station’s phone booth. He dialed a number to Gail’s house but was left with repeating tones. Maybe she isn't home, Buster wondered as he disappointingly hooked up the receiver.

He will be leaving for Arizona for a film shoot and Gail will be returning to work once her arm heals. He didn't know how much time they would spend together. But for now, he should be with his family as they will always be around as long he doesn't mess things up.

Later that afternoon, the Keatons and the in-laws were at the beach by their rented home. It had become crowded thanks to Norma inviting some of the attendees. Buster was basking in the sun's rays with his bare torso. Meanwhile, Norma and Dutch were mingling and sharing ice-cold drinks with the guests. Natalie was next to the boys who were piling sand and Peg was sitting in the folding chair. 

Nearby, Buster kept the eye on his young sons and mostly on his wife. Because of the non-consensual kiss, Natalie didn't want to be closer than six feet from him except in the presence of her mother and sisters. Buster began apologizing to her every day and he would find the flowers he bought for her in the trash. It was then buster knew that he fucked up that night when he refused to apologize in the first place.

He sat up when hearing one of the female guests call out, “Hey Buster! Can you perform a trick or two?” 

Keaton stood up, put on his sleeveless shirt, and headed for the extra space by the audience. His feet were up as he performed a handstand, and then they were on the ground again after a somersault. Everyone clapped for his stunt. Buster saw that Natalie was among the witnesses, though she did not applaud. As Buster returned to his family, he picked up some seashells and lent them to the boys to use to decorate their lumps of sand.

“I think I had tanned enough,” Buster said to Natalie. “May I sit with you?” he asked. “For Bobby’s sake.” after a brief pause, he added, “And Jimmy’s.”

Natalie appeared surprised when she turned her head to him. Buster never mentioned the name James or Jimmy for their oldest son since he was to be named Joseph according to tradition for a firstborn Keaton and Natalie didn't want him to be called that. That had convinced her enough to accept his request and Buster sat alongside them, He whispered in her ear, “I’m sorry about that night.” Natalie seemed a bit annoyed, hearing that an umpteenth time. She gently patted his shoulder.

The next day was their fourth anniversary. Buster and Natalie exchanged gifts over their candlelit table. As a traditional wedding present, he gave her a rose brooch and she gave him a floral paisley tie. There was no lovemaking like the year before, the only physical contact was him smooching her hand.

When June arrived Monday, work began to pick up. The crew was prepping for location shooting. Keaton brought in a Mule to his studio to have it in the movie as he found them funnier for him to ride on than horses. The cow, Brown eyes, was so successful in her training that Buster replaced the rope with string. 

During the noon hour, Buster managed to reach Gail by phone. He smiled warmly upon hearing her voice greeting him. “I was trying to call you Saturday,” he said, leaning back on his office chair.

“Oh please forgive me, I was at Lenore’s. The new maid was helping Sally cook. I’m hoping she doesn't burn the fish next time.”

“It’s alright Gail, a lot is going on. How are you?”

“Now that I’m counting down the days until this arm is no longer in the plaster, I’m doing great. How about you?”

“I’m almost beat from today, though I’m kinda glad that the boss is away to the east. I don't know if you know that I'll be away too at the end of the week.”“How long are you there?” she questioned.He shrugged, “Maybe a month or three weeks. Give or take.” Buster’s eyes trailed onto her cast. “Such a shame I won't see your arm cast free before I go,” he said crestfallen. His tone was a bit cheerful when he added, I can send you flowers.”Gail replied, “That’ll be nice,” Buster asked, “Has it ever hurt? Sorry I didn't ask sooner.”“At first yes. The doctor prescribed me some painkillers. Now I didn't need them because I don't feel any pain.” “Doll, I would love to visit you this week but it won't happen on the account of my schedule. You can come over to my studio again if you want.” he didn't hear a response from her. “How much do you know about the game of bridge?”“I haven't practiced it since I moved out, though I still know a few basics.” the tone of her voice was less nervous.“That’ll be plenty! I’m still learning the game and could go for more skills. We can talk about it if you want to.”“Okay, sounds good to me!” After finishing the phone call, Buster found it was odd that Gail didn't sound a lot thrilled after revealing what she felt about him. He began to worry that she changed her mind about him and their blossoming relationship.The next day, he put aside his worries for Junior's birthday. The sister threw a small party at Norma’s home. Buster had taken an hour off from work for the occasion. Buster jr. or whom Natalie called “Jimmy” blew three candles on the cake and received a generous amount of presents from his doting aunts.  Buster was proud of how his toddler has grown. He himself has been lucky to reach his third birthday by the standards of having traveling show parents.As it was closing time on Wednesday, Buster called the studio carpenters in Arizona. He was informed that the bunkhouses in which the cast members will stay will be ready by the time filming begins. While on the line, Buster saw Gail entering his office. He signaled for her to sit down on the couch. After finishing the call, he brought out a deck of cards from his jacket and then moved next to her. Buster did all the shuffling due to Gail’s recovering arm.“I'd like to learn how to shuffle like that,” she said, admiring his skills.“If you could tell me how to win.”Soon enough, They began talking about the game and the ranks of the cards. Gail had been telling him what she had learned from practicing with Lenore. “It would be helpful for you not to react to what cards you have so the players won't know you have a good hand.” Buster nodded at her advice. In turn, he shuffled them for her. The first three cards he laid out were the king, a heart, and the queen. They both stared at how it was ordered. “I kissed Nate, my wife.” Gail turned to him upon Buster’s confession, “It was the night before I invited you over, the thrill of Roscoe’s wedding came over me,” He explained. “We were retiring to our bedrooms. I gave her a peck and Nate pushed me away. She was cold to me until the day before our anniversary. She kept pretending to be a puritan.” Buster would expect Gail to be heartbroken as he still advances his wife but she grasped his left hand with her right hand. She was feeling sorry for him.“Would you still see me when my arm gets better?” Gail asked.“Of course,” he replied softly. “Why couldn't I?” the two leaned on each other for a direct kiss. A liplock was what Buster needed after another chaste anniversary. His lips moved to the side of her neck, giving it several slow pecks. Gail gave out a light moan. If Natalie wasn't out with her sisters, the office bungalow was packed and the curtains were open, he wouldn't be doing this sort of activity. His hand went to the small of her back and the other one went under her skirt. He located a garter above her left knee. His finger hooked on it slightly. The hand slid onto her bare thigh and began rubbing it.

“Stop.”

He got confused upon hearing a whimper.

Gail pled to him, “Stop.” She pushed him off their embrace. Her face was pink but she was ashamed. Buster could almost think she was crying. She was heaving, “I'm sorry. I can’t.”

 “You're having second thoughts?” Buster asked in despair. He avoided getting close to Gail again in fear she would get away.

“No, I still like to be your sweetheart. I really do.” She was upset rather than timid, “It’s just that I promised my family long ago that I would remain a virgin until marriage.”

“How come you didn't mention this before?”

“I don't want to lose you. I knew that your wife was making you suffer when she didn't want any relations. I was right to wonder if you preferred sex,” she nearly cried.

Buster pleaded with her not to cry and to listen to him, “I’m fine with waiting if you want to. Besides, I wasn't planning on any hanky panky, your arm’s still healing. Didn't want to make it worse.” Buster didn't recall the last time he had made love to anybody. He knew it was when he made a brief visit to a red light district in late January. He considered an affair with Gail until he wanted her in his feature then she broke her arm. He was glad they had been kissed more than once. “We can do other things, right?” he asked.

Gail wiped her eyes as she nodded, “I would like a dance.”

Buster got up to move a couple of chairs out of the way and turned on the radio, and searched for the various stations until he found an instrumental song. “Then we’ll have a dance.” He extended his hand for her to gladly accept the dance. Gail and Buster smiled as they swayed on the floor. She rested on his shoulder to sniff his cologne. Content, He kissed her hand.

On Saturday, after bidding farewell to the family and the friends remaining in place, Buster along with the cast and the crew were driven to Kingston. Three carloads of equipment followed them. 

Buster looked out the window for every tree that passed by. He decided to take a shuteye. He still liked Gail and missed her, but was never certain about his future with Gail as long as she was never sure about him.

[365days365movies]

April 2, 2021: The General (1926)

From one legendary early filmmaker onto another!

Joseph Frank Keaton was born in Piqua, Kansas, on October 4, 1895. His parents were vaudeville performers, which might be sounding familiar to you, based on Chaplin’s life history. But Keaton’s childhood was VERY different, I promise. When he was an infant, he fell down the stairs in front of a family friend, and stood up afterwards, seemingly fine. The actor said, “He’s a regular buster!” And the name stuck, as did Buster’s tendency to shake off what could be massive injury. And that proved useful, as he would soon lose the tip of his finger, hit his own eye with a rock, and was also SUCKED OUT OF A WINDOW BY A TORNADO AND DROPPED TWO CITY BLOCKS AWAY. FUCKING SERIOUSLY. And according to some accounts, al of that happened in the same fucking day. Allegedly, because that shit would be CRAZY if true.

Regardless, he was brought on to work with his parents on stage when he was three, and they became “The Three Keatons”. During the act, Buster would be thrown against the scenery, into the orchestra pit, or into the audience itself! He earned to take trick falls quickly, and was billed as “the little boy who can’t be damaged”. And kid was INDESTRUCTIBLE. Sure, he never got hurt because of surprisingly well-thought out stage trickery, but he also was VERY good at landing on his feet, describing himself once as “landing like a cat” on regular occasions. But eventually, the law banned child performers in vaudeville, putting an end to the act.

But that wouldn’t stop Buster Keaton, NO SIR. It did stop his father, though, who eventually succumbed to alcoholism and wrecked the family business. But Buster and his mother left for New York City, and Buster moved on to his lifelong passion: acting. While acting on stage, Keaton met a young man named Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, who would become one of the most prominent early film stars. But then, World War I happened, and Buster served in France, where he would become permanently deaf in one ear.

When he came back, he was a writer for Arbuckle’s films before breaking out on his own projects, being able to write, direct, and act in his own films. In the process, he developed his unique style of acting and filmmaking, which was extremely visual and full of slapstick. In acting, he became famous for his emotionless stony face, known as the “deadpan”. He also ALWAYS did his own stunts, which sometimes resulted in some major consequences.

Yeah. YEAH. Dude did a stunt that caused him to BREAK HIS NECK, and he DID NOT REALIZE THIS for YEARS AFTER THE INCIDENT! This man is the GREATEST BADASS THAT FILM HAS EVER KNOWN. That was on Sherlock, Jr. in 1924, and by this point, Keaton was a millionaire, and one of the biggest names in Hollywood, alongside Charlie Chaplin, of course. He was married to actress Natalie Talmadge (who was the SAME AGE as him, go figure), and they had three children together by 1924. And their marriage...also began to suffer. Just like Chaplin, except that Keaton wasn’t abusive to Natalie or the kids, thankfully. It was her spending habits, and the two of them growing apart. 

And then, in 1925, inspired by history like Chaplin was with The Gold Rush, Keaton was inspired by a true story from the Civil War, known as the Great Locomotive Chase. See, Buster LOVED trains, and with the money and resources at his disposal, he had the ability to make his magnum opus, his favorite film, and one of the most expensive films ever made. Working with Chaplin’s United Artists, he made today’s film of focus: The General. And, uh...this would have mixed results, I’ll just say that much for now.

I’ll tell you what happens to Buster after this in the review, but for now, let’s jump into the movie! It’s a short one, but that’s OK! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap

Y’know, I considered saving this one for Historical July or War November, but I think it’s better here for a few reasons. Plus, I’d rather those films not be comedic, if I can help it. Anyway: Marietta, Georgia, 1861!

The Western & Atlantic Railroad train known as The General is bring driven by its chief engineer Johnnie Gray (Buster Keaton). As a title screen tells us, Johnny loves two things: the majestic The General, and his equally majestic fiancée, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack). Living in the decadent pre-Civil War South, the two are happy with each other, although Johnnie is somewhat awkward in his way. He provides Annabelle with a photo of him and The General.

Just then, though, Annabelle’s brother (Frank Barnes) comes in and tells her and their father (Charles Smith) that Fort Sumter’s been fired on. UH OH. It’s war. As Annabelle’s brother immediately goes to enlist alongside many other men, Johnnie follows suit. However, when he gets to the enlisting station, he’s refused the opportunity, as he will be needed to act as a railroad engineer. Which, to be fair, does make sense. Railroad engineers would be vital for the effort. However, they never tell him why he isn’t fit for the job, so he just goes back and tries to enlist under a false name. They catch him, though, and he’s again refused. Dejected, he goes back to the train.

However, as he leaves, Annabelle’s father and brother see him in line, and try to get him in to join them. He shakes his head, but instead of assuming that he’s been rejected, they assume that he’s too cowardly to join. They relay this message to Annabelle, who goes to him directly He tells him the truth, that he’s been rejected, but she IMMEDIATELY assumes he’s lying, and tells him not to speak to her again unless he’s in uniform. Dammit, Annabelle! And poor Johnnie doesn’t even know how important he is! Geez, guys, get your shit together.

A year passes, and the war continues in earnest. We go to a Union camp, where Captain Anderson (Glen Cavender) plots with General Thatcher (Jim Farley) to ambush a train and steal it, in an effort to debilitate the train and the South’s efforts as a whole. Meanwhile, Annabelle’s father is wounded, causing her to go and see him. This requires a trip on The General, and a brief and awkward reunion with Johnnie.

However, we now have a much bigger problem than lost love. Because the train is stopped for Johnnie and the passengers to get some food at a nearby stop. And this is when Captain Anderson takes the opportunity to steal The General right from under Johnnie’s nose. And Annabelle, who catches them in the act, is kidnapped in order to hide their scheme.

The men take off with The General and Annabelle, and now BOTH of Johnnie’s loves are taken away from him. He chases after the train, first running, then using a handcar, and THEN taking a man’s penny-farthing bicycle. By the way, fun fact about me: it is my life’s goal to be able to afford a penny-farthing bicycle and ride it around town while wearing a top hat and coat, like it’s completely fucking normal. I need this - I FUCKING NEED THIS, UNDERSTAND???

He rides that penny-farthing to another stop, where he encounters Confederate soldiers, who he tries to recruit to aid him in retrieving his train. However, he accidentally leaves them all behind, using a small engine, Texas to chase after his train and the robbers. Johnnie’s soon leading them in a hot pursuit, also managing to procure a cannon on the way.

However, the robbers have taken notice now, and the Captain is under the mistaken impression that the Texas carries reinforcements. Instead, they keep going. Meanwhile, Johnnie’s hooked the cannon up to the back of the Texas, and is trying (and failing) to fire it at the robbers. Instead, he accidentally unhooks it as it’s about to fire, and it’s aimed at the Texas instead. To avoid the shot, Johnnie...Johnnie does THIS.

...Damn, Buster Keaton, that’s awesome. That’s him doing this, FOR REAL, in this film. Holy shit. Tom Cruise, eat your heart out. Anyway, the cannon misses the Texas, but ends up firing pretty close to The General, spooking the men onboard. To stave him off, they first detach their last car, which falls off the tracks when Johnnie’s looking away, confusing him greatly. Then, they through railroad ties on the tracks, which Johnnie has to clear by getting off the train, riding it’s grill (again), and removing by hand! God, I love this dude.

The Union soldiers divert the tracks, driving Johnnie into a dead end, but he manages to reverse the Texas and switch back onto the right track. Meanwhile, the Union men are building fires in The General’s train cars, and leaving those cars on covered bridges in order to burn them down. They do this on one, and the Texas follows, driving into it, and pushing it OUT of the bridge. And goddamn, this movie is cool as shit.

As Johnnie deals with this latest situation, the train drives through Chattanooga, where the Confederate Army is in full retreat, chased away by the Union. And it’s at this point that I should point something out: I really, really should be rooting aginst Johnnie here, for obvious reasons. But, the movie is putting him in position as the protagonist, and it works, because I do like this guy, even if he’s inevitably on the wrong side of history.

It’s also at this point where Johnnie COMPLETELY loses any advantage, as the men on The General have now realized that he’s the only one on the train, and start fighting back, throwing things at him and the Texas from above. Now in danger, Johnnie takes off and runs into the forest, where he hides. This, mind you, is also as Annabelle is watching from The General.

That night, he happens upon a house in enemy territory, and goes there to hide. As he does, however, a group of officers come in, and discuss their plans to ambush the Confederate soldiers, and to secure one of their bridges for their own trains. Johnnie, all the while, is hidden under a table.

Annabelle is brought in, and the men decide to hold her for now, until the deed is done and they can make other plans. However, Johnnie also hears this, and waits until the officers clear out of the house, leaving him, Annabelle, and a couple of guards. Johnnie, being a badass, knocks out the guards, put on one of their uniforms, and rescues Annabelle. The pair of them escape back into the forest, as a thunderstorm rages. They also encounter a bear in the woods, because that’s basically par for the course with these movies, it would seem.

So is a beartrap, which Annabelle briefly gets caught in (yikes), until she’s freed by Johnnie...who also gets caught in it right afterwards. Nice. With all this trouble in the dark, the two decide to hunker down in the woods. Annabelle thanks Johnnie for coming after her, even in the country of their enemy. And they reconcile as they sleep for the night. Thatnext morning, Johnnie gets his bearings, and sees The General at an encampment down below. Wearing a Union uniform, he devises a plan to get to the train, and warn the South of the Union’s plan.

He convinces Annabelle to hide in a burlap sac, which he carries with him into the encampment. Dude’s a strong guy for being as scrawny as he appears to be. He carries her over his shoulder to the train, then puts her on one of the cabins. The makes his way to the front, and surprises the few men there, pushing them off of it, and stealing back The General! Badass!!!

He gets Annabelle out of the bag and the two attempt to outrun the Union together. They block the way with telephone poles, then grab some wood from recently constructed fences in order to fuel the engine (with some humorous difficulty). The Union catches up quickly, however, and the two are forced to flee again. They dump barrels and other items on board the train onto the tracks, then attempt to replenish the water reserves for the steam locomotive (again with some humorous difficulty) before moving on.

But precious little seems to impede the train’s pursuers. Meanwhile, Annabelle makes herself busy by sweeping the train? Oh ho ho, silly women, with their cleaning and uselessness in vital combat situations! Tee hee hee, why isn’t she pregnant in the kitchen right now? Silly baby receptacles, I mean, women! 

OK, that mildly chauvinistic moment aside, the two continue speeding ahead, but then, at a moment when Johnnie gets off the train for manipulate the tracks, Annabelle winds up on The General by herself!. She reverses the train at almost EXACTLY the wrong moment, nearly causing an accident, but Johnnie’s trick with the track works, diverting the Union trains to another unfinished track. And the two gain a wider lead once again. And then...we reach the Rock River Bridge.

This is where the Union troops are meant to be meeting the trains for supplies, and a vital part of the Union’s plans in the area. Turning the tables on the Union, Johnnie sets a massive fire on the bridge, but gets trapped behind it, and is forced to jump into the river as The General moves off of it. However, he gets back up just in time, and they head out to the southern territories.

As they do, Johnnie changes uniform to a Confederate Grey, so as not to get shot at once they arrive. He warns the Confederate troops or the coming Northern invasion, and they quickly mobilize. He and Annabelle figuratively and literally dress down the commanding officer (nice), and they head out to engage the Northern Invaders! I’m sure it’ll go well for everybody involved. It’s also here that Annabelle reunites with her father, alive and healing. Johnnie, meanwhile, tries to go and help the army face the North.

Speaking of the Union, they’re STILL trying to repair the train track that Johnnie messed up. They finally succeed, and head off to the Rock River Bridge, with the Texas ahead of them. The other troops meet with them after all, and the commander insists that the bridge is in tact enough to cross the bridge. And that leads to...the most expensive scene ever shot, at least at the time.

That’s real. Are you listening to me, THAT IS 100% FUCKING REAL! BUSTER KEATON COLLAPSED A BRIDGE WITH A TRAIN ON IT FOR THIS MOVIE!!! That shit? That’s some next level shit. The Union forces, now basically fucked, try to ford the river, only for the Confederate forces to fend them off, with Johnnie’s help. The Captain, hidden on the bank, starts to pick off soldiers that Johnny’s talking to, only for Johnnie to accidentally kill him with a sword, which flies through the air to get him. Which, yeah, is funny in a macabre way. He also accidentally takes out a dam, flooding the river and fishing the Union soldiers out, forcing them into retreat! Their other supply train is disabled, and the South has won this battle! I mean, booo, but I’m happy for Johnnie, at least.

Hailed as a hero with the rest, they all return to the town, where Johnnie reunites with The General in peace. However, he’s nearly done for, as one of the soldiers, an officer that he knocked out a WHILE ago, has actually been on the train the entire time, and has only now regained consciousness. Johnnie takes him prisoner, and the general in charge of this unit is so impressed by his actions that he brings Johnnie into the army, and promotes him to lieutenant, giving him the Union officer’s sword in the process! Good for you, Johnnie! Proud of you, bud.

Now officially enlisted at last, he and Annabelle happily reunite in love, and makeout right next to The General. And then, Johnnie marches off to war for an army on the losing side of history that’s defending slavery, and in all likelihood dies in the deadliest war in American history. Probably. The movie actually ends on the kiss, but it’s the Civil War, we all know what the fuck went down.

And that’s The General! Wow. I get why Keaton was so excited about this movie; it’s a massive accomplishment in film history, and engaging and entertaining movie, and a cinematic masterpiece...that was directly responsible for eventually ending Keaton’s career.

...See you in the Review! I’ll explain the last part, I promise.

[justbusterkeaton]

Joseph Schenck’s United Artists dinner party at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles on April 8, 1925

The guests included: Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, William S. Hart, Norma Talmadge, Rudolph Valentino and Charlie Chaplin, and of course our Buster

[friendlessghoul]

Talmadge Family All in New York The entire Talmadge family, Constance, Mrs. Peggy, Joseph Schenck, Buster Keaton, Natalie Keaton and Joseph Keaton, are all in New York, leaving Norma Talmadge quite alone in her big English home. Eileen Percy is Norma's constant companion since her family left her, and the other day Santa Monica Beach saw Norma and Eileen in horn rimmed glasses, stunning bathing suits, a hot dog in each hand.

Daily News, October 23, 1923

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day in Buster…May 31, 1921

Buster Keaton marries first wife, Natalie Talmadge, at the home of brother & sister-in-law Joseph M Schenck & Norma Talmadge.  Although the marriage lasted only 11 years, it resulted in sons Jimmy & Bobby & there was love for a time.

[silent-era-of-cinema]

Norma Marie Talmadge (May 2, 1894 – December 24, 1957) was an American actress and film producer of the silent era. A major box-office draw for more than a decade, her career reached a peak in the early 1920s, when she ranked among the most popular idols of the American screen.

A specialist in melodrama, her most famous film was Smilin’ Through (1922), but she also scored artistic triumphs teamed with director Frank Borzage in Secrets (1924) and The Lady (1925). Her younger sister Constance Talmadge was also a movie star. Talmadge married millionaire film producer Joseph M. Schenck and they successfully created their own production company. After reaching fame in the film studios on the East Coast, she moved to Hollywood in 1922.

Talmadge was one of the most elegant and glamorous film stars of the Roaring '20s. However, by the end of the silent film era, her popularity with audiences had waned. After her two talkies proved disappointing at the box office, she retired a very wealthy woman.

According to her birth certificate, Talmadge was born on May 2, 1894, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Although it has been widely reported she was born in Niagara Falls, New York, after achieving stardom, she admitted that she and her mother provided the more scenic setting of Niagara Falls to fan magazines to be more romantic. Talmadge was the eldest daughter of Fred Talmadge, an unemployed chronic alcoholic, and Margaret "Peg" Talmadge, a witty and indomitable woman. She had two younger sisters, Natalie and Constance, both of whom also became actresses.

The girls' childhoods were marked by poverty. One Christmas morning, Fred Talmadge left the house to buy food, and never came back, leaving his wife to raise their three daughters. Peg took in laundry, sold cosmetics, taught painting classes, and rented out rooms, raising her daughters in Brooklyn, New York.

After telling her mother about a classmate from Erasmus Hall High School who modeled for popular illustrated song slides (which were often shown before the one-reeler in movie theaters so the audience could sing along), Mrs. Talmadge decided to locate the photographer. She arranged an interview for her daughter, who after an initial rejection, was soon hired. When they went to the theater to see her debut, Peg resolved to get her into motion pictures.

Norma Talmadge was the eldest of the three daughters and the first pushed by their mother to look for a career as a film actress.[9] Mother and daughter traveled to the Vitagraph Studios in Flatbush, New York, just a streetcar ride from her home.[7] They managed to get past the studio gates and in to see the casting director, who promptly threw them out. However, scenario editor Beta Breuil, attracted by Talmadge's beauty, arranged a small part for her as a young girl who is kissed under a photographer's cloth in The Household Pest (1909).

Thanks to Breuill's continued patronage, between 1911 and 1912, Talmadge played bit parts in over 100 films. She eventually earned a spot in the stock company at $25 per week and got a steady stream of work. Her first role as a contract actress was 1911's Neighboring Kingdom, with comedian John Bunny. Her first real success came with Vitagraph's three-reel adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities (1911), in which she played the small role of the unnamed seamstress who accompanies Sidney Carton to the guillotine. With help from the studio's major star, Maurice Costello, the star of A Tale of Two Cities, Talmadge's acting improved and she continued to play roles from leads to extras, gaining experience and public exposure in a variety of characters—from a colored mammy to a clumsy waitress to a reckless young modern, she began attracting both public and critical notice. By 1913, she was Vitagraph's most promising young actress. That same year, she was assigned to Van Dyke Brooke's acting unit, and throughout 1913 and 1914, appeared in more films, frequently with Antonio Moreno as her leading man.

In 1915, Talmadge got her big break, starring in Vitagraph's prestigious feature film The Battle Cry of Peace, an anti-German propagandist drama, but ambitious Peg saw that her daughter's potential could carry them further, and got a two-year contract with National Pictures Company for eight features at $400 per week. Talmadge's last film for Vitagraph was The Crown Prince's Double. In the summer of 1915, she left Vitagraph. In the five years she had been with Vitagraph, she made over 250 films.

In August, the Talmadges left for California, where Norma's first role was in Captivating Mary Carstairs. The whole enterprise was a fiasco; the sets and costumes were cheap and the studio itself lacked adequate backing. The film was a flop, and the small new studio shut down after the release of Mary Carstairs. The demise of National Pictures Company left the family stranded in California after only one picture. Deciding it was smarter to aim high, they went to the Triangle Film Corporation, where D. W. Griffith was supervising productions. On the strength of The Battle Cry, Talmadge got a contract with Griffith's Fine Arts Company. For eight months, she starred in seven features for Triangle, including the comedy The Social Secretary (1916), a comedy written by Anita Loos and directed by John Emerson, that gave her an opportunity to disguise her beauty as a girl trying to avoid the unwelcome attentions of her male employers.

When the contract ran out, the Talmadges returned to New York. At a party, Talmadge met Broadway and film producer Joseph M. Schenck, a wealthy exhibitor who wanted to produce his own films. Immediately taken by Talmadge both personally and professionally, Schenck proposed marriage and a production studio. Two months later, on October 20, 1916, they were married. Talmadge called her much older husband "Daddy". He supervised, controlled, and nurtured her career in alliance with her mother.

In 1917, the couple formed the Norma Talmadge Film Corporation, which became a lucrative enterprise. Schenck vowed he would make his wife the greatest star of all, and one to be remembered always. The best stories, most opulent costumes, grandest sets, talented casts, and distinguished directors, along with spectacular publicity, would be hers. Before long, women around the world wanted to be the romantic Norma Talmadge and flocked to her extravagant movies filmed on the East Coast.

Schenck soon had a stable of stars operating in his studio in New York, with the Norma Talmadge Film Corporation making dramas on the ground floor, the Constance Talmadge Film Corporation making sophisticated comedies on the second floor, and the comic unit with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle on the top floor, with Natalie Talmadge acting as secretary and taking occasional small roles in her sisters' films. Arbuckle brought in his nephew Al St. John and vaudeville star Buster Keaton. When Schenck decided it was financially advantageous to rent Arbuckle to Paramount Pictures for feature films, Keaton took over the comedy unit and was soon brought into the Talmadge family fold, at least for a time through an unhappy arranged marriage to Natalie Talmadge.

Talmadge's first film for her studio, the now lost Panthea, (1917) was directed by Allan Dwan with assistants Erich von Stroheim and Arthur Rosson. The film was a dramatic tour de force for her in a story set in Russia of a woman who sacrifices herself to help her husband. The film was a hit, turning Talmadge into a sensation and established her as a first-rate dramatic actress.

Talmadge's acting ability improved rapidly during this period. She made four to six films a year in New York between 1917 and 1921. Under Schenck's personal supervision, other films followed, including Poppy (1917), in which, she was paired with Eugene O'Brien. The teaming was such a hit, they made 10 more films together, including The Moth, and The Secret of the Storm Country, a sequel to Tess of the Storm Country (1914), starring Mary Pickford.

In 1918, she reteamed with Sidney Franklin, who directed The Safety Curtain, Her Only Way, Forbidden City, The Heart of Wetona, and 1919's The Probation Wife. These films have small-scale settings and familiar actors appearing from one film to the next. An advantage of the East Coast locale was access to the country's best high-fashion designers, such as Madame Francis and Lucile. Between 1919 and 1920, Talmadge's name appeared on a regular monthly fashion advice column for Photoplay magazine; her publicist was Beulah Livingstone.

Throughout the 1920s, Talmadge continued to triumph in films such as 1920's Yes or No, The Branded Woman, Passion Flower (1921), and The Sign on the Door (1921). The next year, she had the most popular film of her entire career, Smilin' Through (1922) directed by Sidney Franklin. One of the greatest screen romances of the silent film era, it was remade twice, in 1932 with Norma Shearer, and in 1941 with Jeanette MacDonald.

After Smilin' Through, Schenck closed the New York studios and Norma and Constance moved to Hollywood to join Keaton and Natalie. Talmadge's Hollywood films were different from her New York films. Bigger and glossier, they were fewer but more varied, often with period or exotic settings. She teamed with cinematographer Tony Gaudio and some of Hollywood's finest costume designers for a more glamorous image. She also worked with top-flight directors such as Frank Lloyd, Clarence Brown, and Frank Borzage. With help from films directed by her first husband Joseph M. Schenck, she became one of the highest-paid actresses of the 1920s.

In 1923, a poll of picture exhibitors named Norma Talmadge the number-one box office star. She was earning $10,000 a week, and receiving as many as 3,000 letters weekly from her fans. Her film Secrets (1924), directed by Frank Borzage, marked the pinnacle of her career, with her giving her best performance and receiving the best reviews. In 1924, Schenck had moved over to head United Artists, but Talmadge still had a distribution contract with First National. She continued to make successful films such as The Lady (1925) directed by Frank Borzage and the romantic comedy Kiki (1926) directed by Clarence Brown, remade later by Mary Pickford as a sound film in 1931.

One of the at least nine theories of the origin of the tradition for celebrities to stamp a hand in Hollywood involves Talmadge. According to it, in 1927, she accidentally stepped into wet concrete in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Talmadge's last film for First National was Camille (1926), an adaptation of a novel by Alexandre Dumas the younger later remade by Greta Garbo. During filming, Talmadge fell in love with leading man Gilbert Roland. She asked Schenck for a divorce, but he was not ready to grant it. Despite his personal feelings, he was not going to break up a moneymaking team and continued casting Roland in Talmadge's next three films released by United Artists. Talmadge and Schenck separated, though he continued producing her films. He was now president of the prestigious but theater-poor United Artists Corporation, and the rest of Talmadge's films were released for that company. UA's distribution problems, however, began to erode her popularity. Her first films for this studio, The Dove (1927) and The Woman Disputed (1928), were box-office failures and ended up being her last silent movies.

By the time Woman Disputed (1928) was released, the talking film revolution had begun, and Talmadge began taking voice lessons in preparation. She worked diligently with voice coaches for over a year so she could make her sound debut. Her first talkie, New York Nights (1929), showed that she could speak and act acceptably in talkies. While her performance was considered to be good, the film was not. Talmadge next took on the role of Madame du Barry in the 1930 film Du Barry, Woman of Passion. With incompetent direction and Talmadge's inexperience at a role requiring very demanding vocal acting, the film was a failure, in spite of the elaborate sets by William Cameron Menzies.

On March 29, 1928, at the bungalow of Mary Pickford, United Artists brought together Talmadge, Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, John Barrymore, Dolores del Río, and D. W. Griffith to speak on the radio show The Dodge Brothers Hour to prove that Griffith could meet the challenge of talking movies.

Talmadge's sister Constance sent her a telegram with this advice: "Quit pressing your luck, baby. The critics can't knock those trust funds Mama set up for us". As time passed, it became increasingly clear that the public was no longer interested in its old favorites, and Talmadge was seen as an icon of the past. Talmadge had been increasingly bored with filmmaking before the talkie challenge came along, and this setback seems to have discouraged her from further attempts.

She still had two more films left on her United Artists contract. In late 1930, Samuel Goldwyn announced he had bought the film rights to Zoë Akins' comedy play The Greeks Had a Word for It for her. She reportedly did some stage rehearsals for it in New York, but within a few months, she asked to be released from her contract. She never again appeared on screen. (Goldwyn eventually made the film version of The Greeks Had a Word for It under the title The Greeks Had a Word for Them in 1932.)

Upon leaving the movie world, Norma Talmadge rid herself of all the duties and responsibilities of stardom. She told eager fans who were pressing her for an autograph as she left a restaurant, "Get away, dears. I don't need you anymore and you don't need me."

Some time before late 1932, Talmadge decided against marrying Gilbert Roland, as he was 11 years her junior and she feared he would eventually leave her. Mother Peg fell ill, and died in September 1925. In late 1932, Talmadge began seeing her ex-husband Joseph Schenck's poker friend, comedian George Jessel. In April 1934, Schenck, from whom she had been separated for seven years, finally granted Talmadge her divorce, and nine days later, she married Jessel. Schenck continued to do what he could for Norma and her sisters, acting as a financial adviser and guiding her business affairs.

Talmadge's last professional works consisted of appearances on Jessel's radio program, which was sagging in the ratings. The program soon ended, and the marriage did not last; the couple divorced in 1939. Schenck's business acumen and her mother's watchful ambition for her daughters had resulted in a huge fortune for Talmadge, and she never wanted for money. Restless since the end of her filmmaking days, Talmadge traveled, often shuttling between her houses, entertaining, and visiting with her sisters. In 1946, she married Dr. Carvel James, a Beverly Hills physician.

In her later years, Talmadge, who had never been comfortable with the burdens of public celebrity, became reclusive. Increasingly crippled by painful arthritis and reported to be dependent on painkilling drugs, she moved to the warm climate of Las Vegas for her final years. According to Anita Loos' memories of Talmadge, the drug addiction came first which caused arthritis and was the basis of Norma's interest in her physician husband. In 1956, she was voted by her peers as one of the top five female stars of the pre-1925 era, but was too ill to travel to Rochester, New York, to accept her award.

After suffering a series of strokes in 1957, Talmadge died of pneumonia on Christmas Eve of that year. At the time of her death, her estate was valued at more than US$1,000,000 ($9,180,462 in 2020). She is interred with Constance and Natalie in their own niche in the Abbey of the Psalms in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Norma Talmadge has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street.

Talmadge Street in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles is named in honor of the silent screen star. Also, the community of Talmadge, San Diego is named for her and her sisters, and one of the community's streets is named Norma in her honor.

[kayflapper]

Natalie Talmadge and Joseph Keaton aka Buster Keaton Jr. c.1920s.

[chiseler]

Amigo Gigolo: Gilbert Roland

In 1905, in Ciudad Juáraz, Chihuahua, Mexico, a bullfighter and his wife gave birth to a son, Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso. Young Luis intended to become a bullfighter just like his father, but when the family moved to California, he fell into acting after being cast as an extra in the Lon Chaney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). Two years later, Ben Schulberg at Paramount studios cast the 20-year old Luis opposite Clara Bow in a college comedy, The Plastic Age, where he was first billed as Gilbert Roland. He had the sort of looks that seemed different from different angles: romantic in profile, but somewhat shifty when he was seen full face with his eyes narrowed. When he opened his eyes wide, however, their greenness had a heart-stopping effect, even in black and white films. Many of his leading ladies took notice.

During filming of The Plastic Age, the macho but sensitive Roland only knew a little English, and he was nervous about acting: he would ask his fellow players, “Am I doing alright?” But the camera took to his steady presence right away, and so did Bow, who reacted with her patented reckless enthusiasm to his shy initial wooing (he affectionately called her Clarita). They were a hit in The Plastic Age, but off-screen, Bow was running wild and couldn’t be tied down to one man, and Roland displayed some recklessness of his own when he moved on to another, very different movie star, Norma Talmadge, with whom he played Armand in a film of Camille (1927) and with whom he had a years-long affair. Talmadge had made her name in sweet romances, and she was married to the powerful producer Joseph Schenck, who managed her career. Roland appeared in three more films with Talmadge, and he faced down Schenck’s wrath like the bullfighter he had hoped to be as a boy (a story has long circulated that Roland at one point proudly walked naked around the pool at the Hollywood Athletic Club to prove that Schenck had not had him castrated.)

In front of the camera, Roland always commanded attention, especially as a lover boy who kisses ladies’ hands so that he might get his own hands on their bankroll. In The Passionate Plumber (1932), a bedroom farce, Roland actually gets more laughs as the supposed studly straight man than Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante do as the star comics. “Oh, leave your guitar of a heart!” cries one of his women (Irene Purcell), as he tries to pitch some woo; later, we find out that where women are concerned, he prefers to “find, fondle and forget” them. His old girlfriend Bow called Roland back to her side for her penultimate movie, Call Her Savage (1932), where he plays Moonglow, a loyal friend who stands as still as a post when Bow gets in a temper and violently whips him. “I love to see your head bandaged,” she tells him after she’s tended to his wounds. “It looks so romantic!”

Roland instantly kisses Mae West’s hand in maybe her best movie, She Done Him Wrong (1932), and she takes kindly to his attentions. He plays Serge Stanieff, who is said to be the “new assistant” of the shady Rita  (Rafaella Ottiano). “Day or night work, Rita?” asks Mae, who then sweeps up the stairs as the film cuts to a close-up of Roland, wondering just when he should come up and see her. After he enters her boudoir, Roland’s Serge can’t seem to decide whether to look at her bosom or the diamonds that cover it, which leads to brief confusion behind his deadpan face until we can see him thinking, “I will have both!” The great Mae looks him up and down and pronounces him “warm, dark and handsome,” and he takes her innuendoes with his steely, bullfighter calm. “A boy with a gift like that should be workin’ at it!” says Mae before he goes, and she might have been speaking about Roland himself and the shadowy, two-faced presence he brings to all of his roles.

The following year, Roland was cleverly used by George Cukor as a straight-up gigolo to an older woman in a film adaptation of Somerset Maugham’s play Our Betters (1933). Duchess Minnie (Violet Kemble Cooper) calls Roland’s Pepi “a gambler, a spendthrift and an idler,” but she cannot give up the sexual satisfaction she gets from him, even when he refuses to make any pretense of loving her. Roland lasciviously eats a cake as he looks at Minnie’s friend Lady Pearl Grayston (Constance Bennett), which signals that he’s decided to have his cake and eat it, too. He wants Lady Pearl, right under Minnie’s nose, just as Roland romanced Talmadge right under the nose of her tycoon husband and still lived to tell about it, and even work on in Hollywood. You can hear Roland’s Mexican accent here more than in his other early films because he’s given arch things to say like “hang it,” but he’s able to get a big laugh by emphasizing the disconnect between Pepi’s words and his feelings: “After all, I have some pride,” he says, then stares ahead of himself and takes a drink so that we can see that he obviously has none and doesn’t care a damn that he doesn’t.

Roland then took up with Bennett, appropriately enough, and even married her, from 1941 to 1946. He served in World War II and did some westerns as The Cisco Kid, then made a major comeback in John Huston’s We Were Strangers (1949), digging a tunnel with John Garfield. After that, his range of roles expanded. He played the saintly Juan opposite Barbara Stanwyck in The Furies (1950), he was Gaucho, the star who tempts Gloria Grahame’s reckless Southern wife in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and he began to star in westerns where he spoke his own language and offered his beautifully weathered face and body to the camera as he had offered it to so many happy-to-indulge women off-screen and on.

He semi-specialized at this point in the Male Love Death, expiring in the arms of Cary Grant in Crisis (1950), and in the arms of Kirk Douglas in The Racers (1955), where he quips, “Baby, you can spit in my crankcase any time!” Roland headlined some spaghetti westerns and worked all the way up to 1982, when he made the Fred Schepisi western Barbarosa. He had gone from silent lover to early talkie gigolo to middle-aged manly grace, until he remained as a Grand Old Man of the cinema, mainly uncelebrated, but recalled with fondness by his friends, who called him “Amigo,” and by the many women he tempted, off screen and on, to the most devil-may-care of pleasures.

by Dan Callahan

[the1920sinpictures]

Kittyinva: 1923 c. Constance Talmadge and her nephew Joseph Keaton, Jr. From Silents Please!, FB.