Buster Keaton was not just one of the funniest comedians who ever lived; he was also one of the cinema’s greatest filmmakers with an eye for visual splendor that rivaled John Ford’s. Conventional wisdom (one of the great oxymorons) has it that Keaton’s days of artistry ended when the Talkies came along.
As it turns out, conventional wisdom, as is so often the case, is a big load of hooey. Keaton the filmmaker found other outlets for outlets for his creative gifts, including television commercials and industrial films in the 1950s and 60s. In fact, it was his TV ads that first introduced us Baby Boomers to Keaton’s work.
Except for the handful of these commercials posted on YouTube, most of these miniature gems were believed to be lost. Fortunately, an invaluable collection of Keaton commercials and industrial films along with some rare appearance on live television in the 50s were compiled by film enthusiasts Paul E. Gierucki and Bruce Lawton in their priceless 2005 DVD set called Industrial Strength Keaton.
The sponsors for these ads included Alka-Seltzer, Country Club Malt Liquor, Northwest Orient Airlines, Simon Pure Beer, Shamrock Oil, Milky Way candy bars, Ford Motors and the Pure Oil Co. (In one particular clever Pure Oil commercial, Keaton is a gas station attendant who follows a motorist to his car stranded out in the middle of nowhere, the gas pump hose Keaton is holding stretching for miles all the way along the trek. Of course, the nozzle stops one foot from the motorist’s gas tank.)
Industrial Strength Keaton is a must have for aficionados of both great comedy and great filmmaking. (My thanks to Martin Higgins for bringing this treasure trove to my attention and kindly providing me with a copy.)
Industrial Strength Keaton is currently on sale at Oldies.com for the ridiculously low price of $4.98.
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