Buster Keaton

Cut to the Chase

By: Marion Meade

Narrated by: Douglas R. Pratt

Buster Keaton (1895-1966) was a brilliant comedian and filmmaker who conceived, wrote, directed, acted, and even edited most of his ten feature films and nineteen short comedies, which are perhaps the finest silent pictures ever made. With a face of stone and a mind that engineered breathtakingly intricate moments of slapstick, Keaton has become an icon of the American cinema.

Marion Meade's definitive biography explores his often brutal childhood acting experiences, the making of his masterpieces, his shame at his own lack of education, his life-threatening alcoholism, and his turbulent marriages.

Based on four years of research and more than 200 interviews with notables such as Billy Wilder, Leni Riefenstahl, Gene Kelly, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Irene Mayer Selznick, as well as members of Keaton's family who had previously refused to discuss him, Buster Keaton: Cut to the Chase is a startling and moving account of the troubled life of a cinematic genius.

©1995 Marion Meade (P)2013 Marion Meade

Buster Keaton, in black and white

This is a fairly straightforward account of the highs and lows of Keaton's family and professional life. It's a well researched book and I learned a lot about the silent film legend. This said, I feel like some of the magic of his onscreen persona is missing here. The prose is functional, but not especially inspired. Mr. Pratt's narration doesn't help. It is clear and easy to understand, but he’s informal to the point of sounding like one's next door neighbor or a friendly uncle reading the book, sometimes making brief, awkward pauses. Personally, I think this audiobook would have benefited from a smoother narrator who was able to communicate the kind of playful elegance that made Keaton a star. It’s a very informative biography, however, so I do recommend it to his fans. I'm very happy to have listened to it.

A great book about an amazing genius.

I am a huge Buster fan and learned so much about him in this book. Additionally, I learned even more about the world and people around him and the times that he he lived in. A very well written book.

Great overall history of one of the greats

I had a hard copy of this book years ago and wanted to refresh my memory of the great Buster Keaton and couldn't be any happier with this audio book.

Buster, the greatest of the silent comedians.

As my favorite director / actor of all time, it's always fun to pick up more knowledge on the man who would make an impact on the stunt industry for decades and decades to come. Honestly wild to hear this book describe "Oh, Doctor!" as a lost film as it has since been found and now sits comfortably on my shelf in Blu-Ray format. Fun how times change.

A fascinating life

I so enjoyed this book. I didn't know about the ups & downs Buster Keaton went through in his life. Despite the mistakes and failings in his life, I came away really LIKING the man. The author painted a picture of an early comic genius who managed to retain his humility throughout life, and keep picking himself up after failures. Amazing story.