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"Convict 13" (1920) - with film
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Sybil Seely, Eddie Cline, Joe Keaton
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by Metro Pictures
Release date October 27, 1920
Running time 19 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"Convict 13" is a short comedy starring Buster Keaton and featuring our star Joe Roberts.
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Joe Roberts
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"Cops" (1922) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Virginia Fox
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by First National Pictures Inc.
Release date March, 1922
Running time 18 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"Cops" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
The film is full of hilarious moments and demonstrates Buster Keaton's extraordinary athletic abilities."Cops" was added to the National Film Registry in 1997 as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The film is ranked number 66 in the list of The Top 100 Silent Era Films of the influential website Silent Era.
It enjoys a very strong rating in IMDB.
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Joe Roberts
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"Day Dreams" (1922) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton, Roscoe Arbuckle
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Renee Adoree, Joe Keaton
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by First National Pictures Inc.
Release date November 1922
Running time 23 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"Day Dreams" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
The film again demonstrates Buster Keaton's extraordinary athletic abilities.Click to enlarge: {imageshow sl=175 sc=3 /}
Buster Keaton
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"Hard Luck" (1921) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Virginia Fox
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by Metro Pictures
Release date March 14, 1921
Running time 22 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"Hard Luck" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.Buster Keaton is a depressed young man, who tries multiple times unsuccessfully to end his life. This bad luck turns for the better, however, as he gets a job in a scientific project. He then meets a lovely huntress and risks his life to save her from a dangerous bandit. Will he find love, or will bad luck come back to haunt him again?
The film enjoys a nice rating in IMDB.
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Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
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"My Wife's Relations" (1922) - with film
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Kate Price
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by First National Pictures Inc.
Release date May, 1922
Running time 24 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"My Wife's Relations" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.Click to enlarge: {imageshow sl=89 sc=3 /}
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton
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"Neighbors" (1920) - with film
Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Joe Keaton, Virginia Fox, Eddie Cline
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by Metro Pictures
Release date December 22, 1920
Running time 17 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles"Neighbors" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
This film is one more demonstration of Buster Keaton's extraordinary physical abilities and enjoys a strong rating in IMDB.
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Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
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"One Week" (1920) - with film
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Sybil Seely, Joe Roberts
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by Metro Pictures
Release date September 1, 1920
Running time 22 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"One Week" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
This is the first film released by Buster Keaton after he started his own career following his apprenticeship with Roscoe Arbuckle. And what a beginning it was!"One Week" was added to the National Film Registry in 2008 as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The film enjoys an outstanding rating in IMDB.
Click to enlarge: {imageshow sl=77 sc=3 /}
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton
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"Our Hospitality" (1923) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Buster Keaton, John G. Blystone
Produced by Joseph M. Schenck
Scenario by Jean Havez, Clyde Bruckman and Joseph Mitchell
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts
Cinematography Elgin Lessley, Gordon Jennings
Distributed by Metro Pictures Corporation
Release date November 19, 1923
Running time 1 hour, 14 minutes
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles"Our Hospitality" is a sparkling comedy, included in our program to celebrate the work and contributions of our star Joe Roberts.
The feud between the Canfield and McKay families has taken the lives of many men on both sides. When the infant Willie McKay (Buster Keaton) loses his father, his mother takes him away to be raised in safety.
Twenty years later young Willie receives a letter, inviting him to come back and claim the estate he inherited. His aunt, who raised him, tells him the story of the feud and warns him to stay away from the Canfields.
In a train trip full of adventures Willie travels with a girl going to the same town. Upon arrival he asks a young man for directions. The man is quick to inquire and learn that Willie belongs to the McKay family, his mortal enemy, as he himself belongs to the Canfields. The man makes several unsuccessful attempts to borrow a gun and shoot Willie.
The current patriarch of the Canfields, Joseph (Joe Roberts) upon learning that a McKay is in town mobilizes his sons to take care of business. In the meantime he is told by his daughter that she invited a nice young man from the train trip for dinner.
Serious complications arise when both sides realize that one enemy is a guest in the home of the other. The host is prevented by a certain code of honor to kill anybody in his home, so Willie makes himself a permanent resident of the house.
Things change, however, when the girl also learns about the identity of her suitor and rejects him. With nothing to lose Willie makes a daring escape and runs for his life, chased by the armed Canfield gang across fields, hills and rocky cliffs.
Then the girl changes her mind and decides that she doesn't want Willie to die. She tries to help him but they both end up being carried down the river towards deadly falls. In a daring and miraculous stunt Willie catches the girl from going down the falls to certain death.
After a fruitless chase the Canfields return home, only to find the parson getting ready to declare Willie and the girl man and wife in a marriage ceremony. Joseph Canfield is tempted to use his gun on Willie. Will he shoot his daughter's chosen man and make her miserable for life, or will he give her his blessings and relegate the family feud to history?
Three generations of the Keaton family played in the film: Buster Keaton's father Joe Keaton was the train engineer, Buster Keaton played Willie McKay and his infant son was baby Willie in the prologue.
Joe Roberts played his last role as Joseph Canfiled. He had a stroke during filming, but insisted on continuing work. He died shortly after the film was completed. This was the biggest role of his life, and he made a significant contribution to the film's tremendous success. Joe Roberts also partnered with Buster Keaton in 16 of his 19 short films as well as in "Three Ages".
The film is ranked number 28 in the list of The Top 100 Silent Era Films of the influential website Silent Era.
"Our Hospitality" enjoys a very strong rating in IMDB.
Click to enlarge: {imageshow sl=67 sc=3 /}
Joe Roberts
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"The Frozen North" (1922) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by First National Pictures Inc.
Release date August 28, 1922
Running time 17 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"The Frozen North" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
Here is what you should know in order to enjoy this film to the fullest:
- this is the only film of Buster Keaton, where he plays a bad guy, so we don't sympathize with him as usual
- this is as much a comedy, as it is a surrealistic parody: Buster Keaton takes digs at two of his contemporary directors (see slide show)
- a few minutes of the footage are missing, which does not help to follow the continuity, if any
- the quality of the print is not great compared to the other high-resolution films of Buster Keaton that we stream, so you should lower your expectations.
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Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
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"The Goat" (1921) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Buster Keaton, Malcolm St. Clair
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Buster Keaton, Malcolm St. Clair
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by Metro Pictures
Release date May 18, 1921
Running time 23 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"The Goat" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
The film is full of hilarious moments and a lot of fast action. It enjoys a very strong rating on IMDB.
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Joe Roberts
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"The Haunted House" (1921) - with film
Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Virginia Fox, Eddie Cline
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by Metro Pictures Corporation
Release date February 21, 1921
Running time 21 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles"The Haunted House" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
The film enjoys a strong user rating in IMDB.
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Buster Keaton
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"The Love Nest" (1923) - with film
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton
Directed by Buster Keaton
Produced by Buster Keaton Productions
Scenario by Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by Associated First National Pictures
Release date March 1923
Running time 19 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"The Love Nest" is a short comedy starring Buster Keaton and featuring our star Joe Roberts.
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Joe Roberts
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"The Paleface" (1922) - with film
Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by First National Pictures Inc.
Release date January, 1922
Running time 21 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles
"The Paleface" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
Buster Keaton barely escapes death walking into the camp of an Indian tribe. Later he helps the Indians retain their land and becomes one of them.The film enjoys a nice rating in IMDB.
Click to enlarge: {imageshow sl=81 sc=3 /}
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton
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"The Play House" (1921) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Virginia Fox, Eddie Cline
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by First National Pictures Inc.
Release date October 6, 1921
Running time 23 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles"The Play House" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
The film enjoys a very strong user rating in IMDB.
Click to enlarge: {imageshow sl=135 sc=3 /}
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton
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"The Scarecrow" (1920) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Joseph Schenck
Scenario by Eddie Cline, Buster Keaton
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Sybil Seely, Joe Keaton
Cinematography Elgin Lessley
Distributed by Metro Pictures
Release date December 22, 1920
Running time 20 min.
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles"The Scarecrow" is a short comedy, starring Buster Keaton and featuring Joe Roberts, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.
The film is full of hilarious moments and a lot of fast action. It enjoys a very strong rating on IMDB.
Click to enlarge: {imageshow sl=76 sc=3 /}
Joe Roberts and Sybil Seely
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"Three Ages" (1923) - with film
Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts
Directed by Edward F. Cline, Buster Keaton
Produced by Buster Keaton Productions
Scenario by Jean Havez, Clyde Bruckman and Joseph Mitchell
Starring Buster Keaton, Joe Roberts, Margaret Leahy, Wallace Beery, Lillian Lawrence
Cinematography Elgin Lessley, William C. McGann
Distributed by Metro Pictures Corporation
Release date September 24, 1923
Running time 64 minutes
Country United States
Language Silent film, English intertitles"Three Ages" is a sparkling comedy, included in our program to celebrate the work and contributions of our star Joe Roberts.
"Three Ages" is Buster Keaton's first feature film. Before that he created 19 amazing short comedies and Joe Roberts was his partner in 16 of them."Three Ages" tries to prove the point that love has not changed throughout human history, on the example of the stone age, the Roman civilization and modern times.
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Joe Roberts
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Joe Roberts
Joe Roberts and Buster Keaton in "Our Hospitality" (1923).
Silent Hall of Fame is looking for contributors to create an original biography for this star.
Joe Roberts (February 2, 1871 – October 28, 1923) was an American comic actor, who appeared in 16 of Buster Keaton's 19 silent short films in 1920-1922, as well as in BusterKeaton's first two feature films "Three Ages" and"Our Hospitality" (both 1923).
"Big Joe" Roberts, as he was known in vaudeville, toured the country with his first wife, Lillian Stuart Roberts as part of a rowdy act known as Roberts, Hays, and Roberts. Their signature routine was called "The Cowboy, the Swell and the Lady." At this time, in the first decade of the twentieth century, Buster Keaton's father, Joe Keaton, had started a summer Actors' Colony for vaudevillians between Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake in Michigan. Roberts became acquainted with the Keaton family as a member of this community.
When Buster Keaton's film apprenticeship years with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle came to an end, and Keaton began making his own shorts in 1920, he asked Roberts to join him. Roberts' hefty 6'3" frame, usually playing a menacing heavy or authority figure, made a striking and amusing contrast to the thin, 5'6" Keaton.
When Keaton began making feature films in 1923, he apparently intended to continue working with Roberts. Roberts had roles in Keaton's Three Ages, and Our Hospitality (both 1923). During the filming of the second feature, Roberts had a stroke but insisted on returning to the set to finish the film. After completion, Roberts suffered another stroke and died shortly afterwards.
From Wikipedia
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Filmography
- One Week 1920 - Free Movie
- Convict 13 1920 - Free Movie
- Neighbors 1920 - Free Movie
- The Scarecrow 1920 - Free Movie
- The Haunted House 1921 - Free Movie
- Hard Luck 1921 - Free Movie
- His Meal Ticket 1921
- The Goat 1921 - Free Movie
- Who's Who 1921
- The Devilish Romeo 1921
- Little Lord Fauntleroy 1921 - Free Movie
- The Play House 1921 - Free Movie
- The Paleface 1922 - Free Movie
- Cops 1922 - Free Movie
- The Primitive Lover 1922 - Free Movie
- My Wife's Relations 1922 - Free Movie
- The Blacksmith 1922
- The Frozen North 1922 - Free Movie
- The Electric House 1922
- Day Dreams 1922 - Free Movie
- The Love Nest 1922 - Free Movie
- The Fourflusher 1923
- Three Ages 1923 - Free Movie
- Our Hospitality 1923
- No Loafing 1923
- The Misfit 1924 - Hidden Gem
Joe Roberts and Mary Pickford in "Little Lord Fauntleroy" (1921)