Joe Keaton in non-Buster Keaton films

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Sara Ackerman
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Joe Keaton in non-Buster Keaton films

Postby Sara Ackerman » Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:45 pm

I was watching two films off of the first "American Slapstick" DVD, and noticed that Joe Keaton appeared in both films. They are Snub Pollard's "Sold At Auction" and Billy Bevan's "Lizzies of the Field". In Sold, he's wearing huge false eyebrows, and hates the German song, "Die Wacht Am Rhein", or "The Watch on the Rhine". In Lizzies, he's wearing an outfit similar to one he wore in Arbuckle's "Out West", along with a beard and glasses.

Does anyone agree with me and say it's Joe Keaton?

Thanks.

Sara

Brent Walker
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Re: Joe Keaton in non-Buster Keaton films

Postby Brent Walker » Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:26 pm

Sara Ackerman wrote:I was watching two films off of the first "American Slapstick" DVD, and noticed that Joe Keaton appeared in both films. They are Snub Pollard's "Sold At Auction" and Billy Bevan's "Lizzies of the Field". In Sold, he's wearing huge false eyebrows, and hates the German song, "Die Wacht Am Rhein", or "The Watch on the Rhine". In Lizzies, he's wearing an outfit similar to one he wore in Arbuckle's "Out West", along with a beard and glasses.

Does anyone agree with me and say it's Joe Keaton?

Thanks.

Sara


I doubt it is Joe in either one, but I'd have to check again. I'd have to watch SOLD AT AUCTION again to see who you're talking about (Jack Ackroyd played the grandfather with the long beard). In LIZZIES OF THE FIELD, the guy you see might be Jack Lloyd, who plays the father, or Ford West...who I remember seeing in it wearing glasses and a beard (you may know Ford West from SHERLOCK JR.).

There's probably a chance Joe Keaton could be in some of the Arbuckle-directed Al St. John comedies, though. That hayseed farmer look, with the beard and glasses, was a standard character stereotype of the period, also seen in Terry's Farmer Al Falfa cartoons. Andy Clyde, Jack Duffy, Frank Hayes, Al Thompson and others all at times played a variation on that makeup.

Richard M Roberts
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Re: Joe Keaton in non-Buster Keaton films

Postby Richard M Roberts » Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:45 pm

Brent Walker wrote:
Sara Ackerman wrote:I was watching two films off of the first "American Slapstick" DVD, and noticed that Joe Keaton appeared in both films. They are Snub Pollard's "Sold At Auction" and Billy Bevan's "Lizzies of the Field". In Sold, he's wearing huge false eyebrows, and hates the German song, "Die Wacht Am Rhein", or "The Watch on the Rhine". In Lizzies, he's wearing an outfit similar to one he wore in Arbuckle's "Out West", along with a beard and glasses.

Does anyone agree with me and say it's Joe Keaton?

Thanks.

Sara


I doubt it is Joe in either one, but I'd have to check again. I'd have to watch SOLD AT AUCTION again to see who you're talking about (Jack Ackroyd played the grandfather with the long beard). In LIZZIES OF THE FIELD, the guy you see might be Jack Lloyd, who plays the father, or Ford West...who I remember seeing in it wearing glasses and a beard (you may know Ford West from SHERLOCK JR.).

There's probably a chance Joe Keaton could be in some of the Arbuckle-directed Al St. John comedies, though. That hayseed farmer look, with the beard and glasses, was a standard character stereotype of the period, also seen in Terry's Farmer Al Falfa cartoons. Andy Clyde, Jack Duffy, Frank Hayes, Al Thompson and others all at times played a variation on that makeup.



I agree with Brent, neither of these are Joe Keaton. Apparently Keaton did do some supporting roles in films apart from Buster's, but I've never spotted him in one. There was a blurb in one of the trades that Joe Keaton had a part in a Buck Jones western at Fox sometime in 1923-24, but I've never found him listed in any of the cast listings.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Sara Ackerman
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Re: Joe Keaton in non-Buster Keaton films--Paging Paul Gierucki

Postby Sara Ackerman » Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:55 pm

Okay.

In "Sold at Auction", Joe plays a character named Mike Casey, the book thrower who bought James Finnlyson's books. The actor is basically the same height as Joe and has the same exact mannerisms. He's dressed with an Irish chin-like beard and huge eyebrows, and hates German music (played beautifully by Snub on the trombone).

In "Lizzies of the Field", Joe is found cheering with Andy Clyde both when the race starts, and when Billy & friend cross the finish line.

I wish I could upload the photos from the DVD, but they're too big for this site.

Sara

Richard M Roberts
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Re: Joe Keaton in non-Buster Keaton films--Paging Paul Gierucki

Postby Richard M Roberts » Sat Jul 11, 2009 4:32 am

Sara Ackerman wrote:Okay.

In "Sold at Auction", Joe plays a character named Mike Casey, the book thrower who bought James Finnlyson's books. The actor is basically the same height as Joe and has the same exact mannerisms. He's dressed with an Irish chin-like beard and huge eyebrows, and hates German music (played beautifully by Snub on the trombone).

In "Lizzies of the Field", Joe is found cheering with Andy Clyde both when the race starts, and when Billy & friend cross the finish line.

I wish I could upload the photos from the DVD, but they're too big for this site.

Sara


Okay, I actually wasted my time on a Friday night pulling out both of my prints of SOLD AT AUCTION and LIZZIES OF THE FIELD and running them when I had far better things to do. The actor playing Mike Casey in SOLD AT AUCTION is not Joe Keaton, he's younger, rounder and larger head, less neck, and bulkier than Joe Keaton. He's heavily made up, and I think thats because it's either Charles Stevenson or Noah Young doubling up in their second part in the film. However, I had never spotted Gaylord Lloyd as Charles Stevenson's auctioneer assistant before, so it was not a total waste.

You're actually more in the ball park with LIZZIES OF THE FIELD, because although the actor next to Andy Clyde is not Joe Keaton, he is indeed as Brent said, Ford West, who plays Gillette the Butler in SHERLOCK JR, and the Barber who shaves Buster's moustache off in STEAMBOAT BILL JR and is frequently mistaken for Joe Keaton.

In any event, read my lips, NEITHER OF THEM IS JOE KEATON!!!!!! We've been doing this for a few years Kid, we know what we're talking about.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Steve Massa
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Re: Joe Keaton in non-Buster Keaton films

Postby Steve Massa » Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:47 am

Hi Sara
Last night I took a look at my copies of LIZZIES OF THE FIELD and SOLD AT AUCTION and came to exactly the same conclusion as Richard. It's definitely Ford West (with darkened hair) in LIZZIES, and whoever the heavily made up guy is in SOLD AT AUCTION he's too tall and bulky to be Joe (I don't think they would have had to make Joe up for the role anyway).

Joe really didn't appear in the general run of silent comedies, for the most part limiting himself to Buster's comedies, and to films starring or directed by Roscoe Arbuckle.

Steve

Sara Ackerman
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Re: Joe Keaton in non-Buster Keaton films

Postby Sara Ackerman » Sat Jul 11, 2009 5:50 pm

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your reply. I guess I just thought the man was Joe Keaton. I agree, they wouldn't have to make up Joe. :)

Richard, I just noticed Gaylord Lloyd the other night, too. It's amazing how much he looks like Harold.

Sara


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