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REQUESTING PHOTO HELP FOR KEATON BOOK - here is a July 3, 1940 wirephoto of Mack Sennett alumni and friends attending Ben Turpin's funeral. A similar photo was taken with Buster Keaton among the group. I have a barely visible postage stamp-sized copy of the image with Buster. If anyone has the Keaton photo in reasonable size and resolution, I would be indebted for its inclusion in the book BUSTER KEATON IN THE TALKIES and gratefully give a signed copy of the book in return. Thanks in advance -- for reading this and your possible assistance.

Don't know why Watz thinks he needs a new photo. This one looks fine.

(I didn't know that it snowed on Ben Turpin's funeral........)

Gary Johnson wrote:Don't know why Watz thinks he needs a new photo. This one looks fine.

(I didn't know that it snowed on Ben Turpin's funeral........)

You're right Gary, that is a splendid photo, snow notwithstanding -- it's just too bad that Buster Keaton is not in it.

Thanks to our generous Godfather (who graciously provided the rare image I was seeking), the photo of Buster at Ben Turpin's funeral will be included in the Keaton book.

(If I were an emoticon man there'd be a bunch of grinning smilies right here instead of this parenthetical comment.)

Thank you again, Richard!

Ed Watz wrote:

Gary Johnson wrote:Don't know why Watz thinks he needs a new photo. This one looks fine.

(I didn't know that it snowed on Ben Turpin's funeral........)

You're right Gary, that is a splendid photo, snow notwithstanding -- it's just too bad that Buster Keaton is not in it.

Thanks to our generous Godfather (who graciously provided the rare image I was seeking), the photo of Buster at Ben Turpin's funeral will be included in the Keaton book.

(If I were an emoticon man there'd be a bunch of grinning smilies right here instead of this parenthetical comment.)

Thank you again, Richard!

Happy to help Ed, you are again welcome.

You know, despite the sadness of the occasion, it is always nice to see the comedians in their Sunday best, not dressed as the oddballs and grotesques they made their livings playing. It's good to remind oneself from time to time that they were just men and women who lived as we all do, including burying their friends who have passed on.

Sometimes it's a shocker how normal they looked in real life, I remember watching footage of D. W Griffith's funeral and wondering who two distinguished looking older gentlemen were, until I realized they were Walter Long and James Finlayson.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Then there's Joe Murphy, You can put him in an expensive business suit, but nature gave him the body and face of a clown.

It's the glasses. Fin always seems to wear those small round glasses in candid off-stage shots. He looks like anyone's relative from a family album. Same for Langdon. Put him in a nice business suit and those reading glasses of his and you could mistake him for a CPA.