A Great Keaton Impersonation for Christmas

Find out about the latest releases and exhibition of classic films.
Richard M Roberts
Godfather
Posts: 2895
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm

A Great Keaton Impersonation for Christmas

Postby Richard M Roberts » Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:21 am

I recently picked up the DVD from Legendary Entertainment Alliance (sounds like a comic-book super-hero group)’s of three Garry Moore Christmas shows from 1959-61 and was delighted not only to have three episodes of the hard-to-get Garry Moore Show but also to find that on the 1960 Christmas Show Moore does an extended sketch featuring his impression of Buster Keaton.

I saw Moore do Keaton the first time on the 1970’s episode of TO TELL THE TRUTH in which Raymond Rohauer was a contestant. Moore opened the show with a short bit as Keaton having lunch on a park bench, and I was struck then how good the impression was. Moore certainly resembled Keaton facially, far more than Donald O’Connor does, and despite doing less of the physical humor, Moore gets an incredible number of the mannerisms, the lope, the tip of the hat, the clasping of the hands together, it’s a really rather canny impersonation.

Moore started doing the imitation on his Television show in the 50’s, having always been a Keaton fan and having Buster on as a regular guest. I have a photo of at least one of Keaton’s appearances where Moore stands beside him in Keaton costume (perhaps we have another undocumented mirror routine resurfacing somewhere among the Moore Kinescopes), and apparently Keaton himself coached Moore on the impersonation. It apparently was a hit with audiences to the point that Moore would do it as a regular bit on his Variety show for several years, and after seeing the sketch on the Christmas Show, one can see why.

The bit revolves around Moore/Buster trying to mail out a Christmas parcel on Christmas Eve, and it is conceivable that Keaton might have contributed gags to it. Moore does the Keaton gag of heading the long post office line at a closed window only to have another window at the other end, suddenly leaving him last in line, and the whole routine has an authentic Keaton feel to it. It was really an enjoyable bit and a great tribute to a then-still-alive comedy legend.

I heartily recommend this DVD, just for a glimpse of another Television legend who name is now rather unjustly forgotten due to the unavailability of much of his work, and the Keaton impersonation is an added happy bonus. The full title of the DVD set is THE GARRY MOORE SHOW PRESENTS A CAROL BURNETT CHRISTMAS (Burnett was a Garry Moore Discovery and a regular on his Variety show for a number of years and though she indeed does appear on all three of these Christmas Shows, perhaps Legendary Entertainment Alliance has promoted her name a bit more than Moore’s to sell a few more discs), and here is the Amazon link to it:

http://www.amazon.com/Gary-Moore-Show-P ... ol+burnett


Worth a look if just to read all the whiners complaining about being duped into buying what they stupidly misread and believed to be a CAROL BURNETT SHOW Christmas DVD while missing the rare gems that are indeed on the set.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Joe Moore
Associate
Posts: 332
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 12:17 pm

Re: A Great Keaton Impersonation for Christmas

Postby Joe Moore » Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:54 pm

I strongly second Richard's endorsement of this DVD. The Gary Moore Show with Gary doing his Buster Keaton skit was a big hit at our weekly Movie Night this past week.

You can also really see where the show was a great training ground for Carol Burnett. She still praises it strongly to this day.

Here's hoping more of the Moore shows surface and make their way onto DVD and such.

Happy Holidays

Joe Moore

Gary Johnson
Cugine
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:15 am
Location: Sonoma, CA
Contact:

Re: A Great Keaton Impersonation for Christmas

Postby Gary Johnson » Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:57 pm

Growing up I remember Garry Moore as a TV pitchman rather than as a variety host. I just cannot picture Moore as Keaton. He always seemed so full of face - more like George Jessel.

Richard M Roberts
Godfather
Posts: 2895
Joined: Sun May 31, 2009 6:30 pm

Re: A Great Keaton Impersonation for Christmas

Postby Richard M Roberts » Mon Dec 24, 2012 7:31 am

Gary Johnson wrote:Growing up I remember Garry Moore as a TV pitchman rather than as a variety host. I just cannot picture Moore as Keaton. He always seemed so full of face - more like George Jessel.



Well, he wasn't, he looked a lot like Keaton, and frankly, later in life Keaton was fuller-faced himself. Moore has the eyes, nose, and cheekbones, and in the costume and hat, it's pretty amazing.


RICHARD M ROBERTS


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 33 guests