If you never have dreams, they can never come true.

Years back, I made a wish. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were a statue honoring Buster Keaton in the "hometown" we share? A symbol to a man who made the world laugh - in a language we all understand.

I knew of only one in existence.

Never could I image that the same statue would find it's way to Muskegon.

Dare to Dream . . .

Forty-four years after his death, Buster Keaton’s back in town.

A life-size bronze statue of the great silent-film comedian has been purchased, for $22,000, by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.

This bronze statue of Buster Keaton will be placed on Western Avenue June 30.Formerly on display in California at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum, the statue arrived in Muskegon last week.

Subject to approval on an encroachment permit from the city of Muskegon, the statue will be unveiled publicly on June 30.

Fonzie, Morgan, Keaton and Jumping the Shark

I really need to thank Harry Morgan for that half day off. It's now 30 years overdue.

I can't say I had a real simple way to do it previously. I didn't know his agent, and had no faith in that Map of the Hollywood Stars booklet that Mom and Dad brought home back when I was a kid. In all honesty, I can't even say Harry's address was in the thing.

I guess I could have written to CBS. They were, after all, called the Tiffany Network. Seems like the kind of place that should have someone around that would forward an important document like a "Thank You" card to an actor on the set of the network's most popular show.

For whatever reason, I didn't do it. Probably too busy chasing skirts. Or playing baseball. Or figuring out what I was going to do for the rest of my life.

Well, some thirty years later, I've taken on the task.

Now, the Harry Morgan I'm talking about is indeed the Harry Morgan you're thinking about.

• Joe Friday's partner, Bill Gannon, on Dragnet.
• Col. Potter of the Four Oh Seventy-Seventh M.A.S.H. unit based in Korea.
• The guy in "Pete and Gladys" (Hey - I wonder why they don't show that on Nick at Nite?), a spin-off of December Bride.

Yep - that's him.

Sounds like he was a wonderful guy to those who had the chance to know him. Like B.J. Hunnicutt, or rather Mike Farrell, who has very nice things to say at Mike Farrell Online

Harry came back to Muskegon to film a television commercial back when I was in high school. It was for Life Savers. Part of that "They're like coming home" series they did with a number of Hollywood actors.
Of course I never met him. It was my junior year.
The campaign was handled by Dancer, Fitzgerald and Sample - a big player out of New York city. I guess they handled Toyota's "Oh What a Feeling" campaign.
Anyway, while they were filming, they blew the high school's circuit breakers. School officials decided that our 15 minutes of fame was more important then educating kids that day, so they sent us home.
Now I would have made the same decision, as I don't think too many of us were really thinking about the three R's when Hollywood was just out the window.
Half day of school! The equivalent of a partial snow day! It was GREAT!

Well, not as great as the gig that two of my classmates had. Dawn Plouhar and Lorna Barrett were earning scale as actors appearing in the commercial. They each picked up a check for $215 for their efforts. That's somewhere between $683.51 and $1,293.68 in 2009 coin.
The commercial made it's debut during a rebroadcast of an episode of Happy Days. It was, or would become, the most famous plot in the series' history. For those tuned in, Fonzie had been challenged to a water skiing contest.
Then Muskegon High School, Morgan, Barrett, Plouhar and Life Savers all hit the screen. Nobody in Skeetown knew in advance.
Yes - it was the "Jumping the Shark" episode. And if you missed the rerun, you missed the commercial. To the best of anyone's knowledge, the commercial never aired again.
I'd love to find a copy of the commercial. Can anyone help?
As the years went on, and my interests in Muskegon history grew, questions began to surface in my mind about Morgan career.
Harry Bratsburg, as he was once known, was born in Detroit in 1915, then moved to Muskegon - home of the Actors' Colony. By 1917, Buster Keaton had made his move into film. But the Actors' Colony and Pascoe's were still around.
Morgan would attend Muskegon High School as Harry Bratsburg, graduating in 1933. He received his start in acting under the direction of Miss Frances Kleaveland, an instructor at Muskegon High School. She would later marry Muskegon High School's varsity football and basketball coach, C. Leo Redmond.
Miss Kleaveland founded the city's "Civic Theater", later rechristened the "Port City Playhouse". The groups' first production, "The Silver Cord", featured Harry, along with Phyllis Cone, and Naomi Riordan. Bratsburg's would later move to summer stock in Washington D.C. In 1937, he had moved to New York where he joined the famed Group Theater. In 1939, he ventured west to California in 1939.
Born in 1961, I knew Morgan from re-runs of Dragnet, and of course, M.A.S.H. I wondered...

• Did he ever cross paths with Buster Keaton or any of the others from Muskegon and the Actors' Colony who ventured west?

Keaton, of course worked in film and television until he passed on in 1966. (December Bride was a Desilu Production that filmed on a set next to I Love Lucy.)
As a local sports historian, I wondered...

• What inspired the name of his character, Col. Sherman T. Potter, on M.A.S.H.?

Morgan replaced McLean Stevenson - Col. Henry Blake - and played the role as a tough yet good-humored and caring officer. I’ve seen reference that the character was named after General William Tecumsah Sherman, but no mention about his last name.
During his high school days in Muskegon, one of the school's athletic coaches was named Harry Potter. The personalities of Colonel Potter and Coach Potter, I’m told, were very similar. I’ve come across former football players who have used the comparison. Bratsburg played at least J.V. football at Muskegon, so as a youngster, he would certainly have known of Coach Potter. Is there a connection?

Those questions resurfaced the other day, as I leafed through an old yearbook. Some old newspaper clippings fell out, reminding me of that day.

Now, without question, I should have launched this quest some time ago. For the mathematicians among us, I know that Morgan is now 93. As I understand, four years ago he was doing quite well. A Norwegian, I hope that is still the case.

With a little luck, I may find answers.

Next:
Harry Morgan's son, Charley, answers my questions.
Click here to see the response.

Keaton and Public Law 100-446

Now I don't remember Keaton appearing in an episode of "Schoolhouse Rock." Must have been that one that started with that "I'm just a Bill" song. Guess I missed Buster's cameo.

So - what do you know about Public Law 100-446?

Well it seems that it started out as an appropriations bill for the United States Department of the Interior. Introduced on 6/20/1988 and sponsored by Representative Sidney Richard Yates of Illinois, the primary focus of this document was the annual appropriations of funds for the department, including, among many other things, "Authorization of the Secretary of the Interior to guarantee a loan made by the Federal Financing Bank to Guam for water system improvements.

It also contained something called the "Mrazek-Yates amendment". Film fans known this as the "National Film Preservation Act of 1988".

This little act of Congress directed the Librarian of Congress to establish a National Film Registry, and a National Film Preservation Board. It included three years of annual a quarter million dollars of funding to establish that Board, with the intent of selecting up to 25 films each year to include on that Registry. And, it addressed a major controversy of the day - the coloration of classic Black and White film.

Now Mr Eric J. Schwartz gives a nice little write-up on the Mrazek-Yates amendment, the controversy it sparked, and the work done by Representatives Yates, Robert Mrazek of New York, and Senators Patrick Leahy (Vermont) and Dennis DeConcini (Arizona) to draft, then get the amendment passed.

Schwartz states,

It has often been said that the two things people should not see king made are sausages and the law.

and notes that the Mrazek-Yates amendment represented a perfect example of this in action. It's well worth reading.

So - what does all this have to do with Keaton?

Well, on December 30, 2008 , the Library of Congress announced the latest 25 films added to the registry. The list now totals 500 shorts and feature length films. Too many?

I'll turn to a statement written by Andre Soares and found on the Alternative Film Guide

Sounds like a whole lot, no? Well, to put things in perspective: in a single year in the 1920s, they’d make as many as 700 motion pictures. And I mean features.

Here's the complete list.

Keaton's 1920 classic short "One Week" was one of the 2008 selections.

In past years, Keaton productions "The General" (1927, added 1989), "Sherlock Jr." (1924, added 1991) , "Cops" (1922, added 1997 ), and "The Cameraman" (1928, added 2005) have made the cut.

Congratulations Buster!

Community Legends

Does Muskegon have a Pete Secchia?

Imaging my surprise when I opened up my newspaper and learned about the unveiling of the first of 25 Community Legends in Grand Rapids, MI.

Lucius Lyon, a city founder, was created by world-renowned artist Stuart
Williamson and has been installed at the southwest corner of Monroe Avenue NW
and Lyon Street, near the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

Known as the "Community Legends" project, the effort is intended to commission one sculpture every two years for the next 50 years. Those pieces then would be donated to the city, or a nonprofit, and funded and endowed by Secchia and his family.

The next four sculptures have been chosen.

• Ottawa Indian Chief Nawquageezhig (Noonday), who helped open Michigan to
settlement.
• Helen Claytor, a local civil rights leader.
• Stanley
Ketchel, a city native and Hall of Fame boxer.
• The Most Rev. Frederick
Baraga, who funded a Grand Rapids church and school.

Isn't that fantastic! I must admit, the unveiling was the first time I had heard about project.

But it wasn’t the first time I had thought about the concept.

My five faithful readers know of my wish for a Buster Keaton statue. Others have heard me mention my thoughts of expanding the concept beyond to include others who once called Muskegon home.

To steal a phrase, my view is to "Think Globally, Act Locally."

As a historian, with definite Pop Culture leanings, my thoughts have been to honor those who have touched the world.

Names I’ve tossed around, beside Keaton, have included (in no particular order):

Haddon Sundblom, the illustrator who created our modern day concept of Santa during his days working for Coca Cola.

Sherm Poppen, and his invention, the Snurfer, which evolved into the Snowboard.

Harry Morgan, Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M.A.S.H. (my favorite episode Dear Sigmund from Season 5).

Iggy Pop, the father of Punk, born in Muskegon.

Bob Zuppke, the University of Illinois football mentor who got his start at Muskegon High School.

Bennie Oosterbaan, Muskegon grad and three-time All-American in football, who spent a lifetime helping develop athletics at the University of Michigan.

Jonathan Waker - the man with the branded hand.

Each, in some way, brought joy to the world.

Over time, I learned of other’s ideas for adding art to the area’s public spaces. To honor Muskegon’s lumbering heritage, Dr Richard Kislov pictured a lumberjack stationed in the waters of Muskegon Lake.

Kislov’s vision of St. Paul, the apostle, resides high above the ground at St Paul's Episcopal Church in downtown Muskegon,

A figure of a bearded and barefoot St. Paul, standing in
a shallow niche on church facade. His proper left hand is upraised and
pointing to the cross that tops the arched niche. His proper right hand holds a
scroll with Greek inscriptions. A sword lies near his feet. He stands atop a
shield that forms the base. The patina of the sculpture is antique green.

The redevelopment of the downtown area has spurred interest in featuring sculptures.

A piece created by James Clover, Sculpture with Stars previously featured on the old SPX headquarters location now rests at a new location in front of the Post Office building.

Plans for a piece honoring Muskegon’s greatest benefactor, Charles Hackley, is in the works for the downtown area thanks to a donation from Peter Turner.

With efforts to honor Winsor McCay now in full swing, Spring Lake is now investigating the creation of sculptures to highlight his pioneering animation works.

Holland, MI, just down the road apiece, has added sculpture in their downtown area.

Grand Rapids, of course has Fredrick Meijer Gardens.

Art has been added along the Hart-Montague bike trail.

Wouldn't it be wonderful of the area as a whole were known nationally for their public displays of sculpture?

Let me hear your suggestions...

Buster Keaton Images

Check out the New York Public Library for some classic Keaton images











And how about Profiles in History, for this one and 44 others from
Battling Butler and other films.

And what about the Life Magazine collection?

Watch this episode of Telescope, a Canadian half-hour documentary series from 1964.

And then there are these shots snapped in New York City in the summer of 1964 during the making of Samuel Beckett's near silent short, Film.

And the huge collection of Keaton's on REX.

And don't forget Corbus.

And Getty Images.

Now, how about checking out BusterStuff for Christmas ideas. Like...

Now this is cool!

Some of you may remember the image from Keaton's date book that I posted in this blog's earliest entry. It showed a smiling character "JOY" deboarding a train. Written on the page are the words,

MUSKEGON, MICH

LAY-OFF

HOME

In a post on the BusterKeatonFans discussion group hosted by Yahoo, Steven Rowe points out that the character "JOY" featured in the drawing comes from a popular comic strip titled "Joys and Glooms".

It was produced by T.E. Powers, and "was popular enough to get some animated films in 1912 -1923 time frame."


Vergil Noble then responds:

Thanks so much for pointing out the cartooning of T. E. Powers, Steven. After a quick search I found his 1939 obituary which includes the statements: Mr. Powers' political cartoons had a wide following and two elflike characters, "Joy" and "Gloom," with which he enlivened his drawings-always signed "T. E. Powers"- became one of the trademarks of his work during a career which made him one of the country's best known and most successful cartoonists.....

The characters "Joy" and "Gloom" which he used so often, cavorted in the corners of his cartoon. If optimism was in order, "Joy" chased "Gloom," and vice versa. "Gloom" was a mournful imp with a black beard, and "Joy" wore an eternal grin.

A note to the obit also states that Powers is reputed to be the first cartoonist to produce a newspaper comic strip in color (he drew several strips over the years in addition to his more famous editorial cartooning for the Hearst papers).

Found a couple of his cartoons posted at an on-line auction house, but none with the marginal figures. I then discovered that, in addition to two 1916 animated films, the Joy and Gloom Toy Co. was founded in 1926. An antique toy seller posts one actual item and ads for all four known toys they sold. The second ad leaves no doubt that Keaton knew the Powers cartoons and copied his style. Keaton's "Joy" is almost identical to the one depicted in that ad, particularly the half-circle skirt of the figure.

How cool is that!

The image I show is from a copy of date book page that hangs in the Muskegon Convention and Visitors Bureau in the old Union Station in downtown Muskegon. The train station was restored several years ago.

How I love this research stuff!!!

Even Buster Keaton paid homage to McCay

Keaton in "The Three Ages"

McCay emerges in his masterpiece,
"Gertie the Dinosaur"


Winsor McCay


Check out the blog Meeting McCay
Did you know that Spring Lake, MI was the childhood home to animation pioneer Winsor McCay? The city is a mere 15 miles away from Bluffton.

"Even Buster Keaton paid homage to McCay, in his 1923 film The Three Ages. He asked his writer, Clyde Bruckman, 'Remember Gertie the Dinosaur? . . . The first cartoon comedy ever made. I saw it in a nickelodeon when I was fourteen. I'll ride in on an animated cartoon.' "

"Before Mickey: The Animated Film"
by Donald Crafton

How about a Buster Keaton Statue in Bluffton?

For some years now, I've been working on this history of a vaudeville Actors' Colony started by, among others, Joe Keaton. His son, of course, was Buster.

Many ideas have emerged from the project. The first was a "Second Day of Issue" cancellation for the Keaton U.S. Postage Stamp (I was too late to the game to get the first day of issue). Then there was mounting an exhibit spanning his career at the local County Museum. It was enjoyed by local residents and visitors to Muskegon for the first Keaton Convention way back in 1995. Next came a the publication of a booklet entitled Buster Keaton and the Muskegon Connection - The Actors' Colony at Bluffton 1908-1938. Then it was showing Keaton films at the Frauenthal (14 years now and counting).

Three years into the original concept, we were able to request and purchase a Michigan state historical marker for the area. One side honors the colony, the other side, Keaton. It was placed in what I'll call a small pocket park overlooking the colony. Among my dreams for this space was a statue of Keaton.

My dreams are big...

Thanks to the city's greatest benefactor, Charles Hackley, Muskegon plays host to some beautiful public sculptures. Located in the downtown area, Joseph Carabelli created a 76-foot tall Civil War monument dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1892 in Hackley Park. Expanding the concept, Hackley commissioned sculptor Charles Niehaus to created monuments to Abraham Lincoln and David Farragut, and sculptor J. Massey Rhind to create pieces honoring Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. The four statues were dedicated on Memorial Day, 1900.


A year later, another monument was presented by Hackley. This one of Philip Kearny by Henry Kirke Brown was dedicated on Memorial Day 1901 and stands a short distance from downtown. Internet research states that it is a copy of the Kearny statue placed in the United States Capitol by the state of New Jersey.

Six weeks following the assassination of President William McKinley, Hackley commissioned Niehaus to create a piece honoring McKinley. It was unveiled on Memorial Day, 1902. It stands across the street from the "Hackley Park" collection.

Instead of a monument to war heroes, my thought was a monument to a man who made us laugh.

In sticking with tradition, my thought was to mimic the approach taken by Hackley. Wouldn't it be nice to put the piece on a block of granite? To take it a step further, it would be wonderful to dedicate it on a Memorial Day. After all, Keaton did serve in World War I.

Instead of formal pose, however, the image that I've always had in mind was this publicity shot of Keaton taken from the Navigator. Of all the stills that I've seen of Buster Keaton, it seemed most appropriate.

Using some of the rigging, Buster would be perched precariously on the granite block, gazing across the road, beyond Bluffton and the Colony, toward Muskegon Lake.

"Lake Muskegon", as Keaton referred to it, was the view that he had as a child while growing up in the family cottage, "Jingles Jungle". Keaton, according to his late widow, Eleanor, always considered Muskegon "home".

Of course, the concept has always been only a pipe dream.

Over the years I've bounced the idea around with some locals. While the image is detailed in my mind, I've always been asked to present a "model" of the monument, as well as estimated costs.

When it comes to costs - I've certainly asked around. To date, the estimates have been VERY rough, and have been for the most part, only guesses. (And, since it appears that a block of granite doesn't come cheap, my dream may need some modification...)

I'm a computer guy, not an artist, so I've been lost when it comes to creating a "model" of what I have in mind. Upon occasion, I come across something that may help advance the concept. 3D Printing is a good example, and certainly appeals to the computer guy in me...

That article led me to another site.

Unfortunately they needed more than the Keaton photograph...

From the looks of it, StudioEIS Bonzeworks would be an ideal source of such a creation. I'm sure there are others.

Now, what to do about funding...

Keaton at Columbia University's Oral History Research Office

In 1958, Columbia University's Oral History Research Office captured several lengthy interviews with Keaton about his life and career. They are available online, and are well worth checking out.

The interviews, which can be listened to or read here, provide
a rare glimpse of a vanished era from one of the masters of
slapstick. In doing so, they help give perspective and a sense
of history to the entertainment we see today.

Let me know what you think!

Another Keaton Weekend nearly complete

Well, another Keaton Weekend is nearly complete. Just a few more items to attend to then work begins on 2009 - the 15th annual convention.

The Damfinos are headed home. Some East, some West, some North, others South. A few will cross defined borders of countries. One couple, who met here, then married here one year ago, will cross an ocean.

They are, as the bride GraceAnn describes them, all part of the "Dam" family; Keaton fans celebrating the work of their favorite family member. This year, we got to meet many who were making their first trip to the family reunion.

Here's a "team photo" taken at the baseball field where Buster learned to love the game. Many of the group joined me for the walk through the neighborhood. Still more arrived on Saturday.

Friday's viewing of the mystery film - "Hospitality" (no - that's not a typo) I'm sure will be discussed in great detail on message boards across the internet. Saturday's talks, auction, and presentation of Battling Butler and The Navigator were met with laughter, joy, applause and standing ovations (Organist's Dennis Scott's performance for the films was incredible! - He even made MGM's lion roar!).

Hope you had the chance to partake in at least part of the festivities! It was, as always, a blast!

Ron - a Damfino in Muskegon

In Michigan, Buster never loses his luster

Check out the Detroit Free Press for more on Keaton. This article includes a quote from Patty Tobias, president of the International Buster Keaton Society, discussing this weekend's events.

The great debate over who was the best silent comedian -- Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton? -- has raged for nearly a century. If the number of recent screenings at the Michigan, Redford and Detroit Film Theatre is any indication, then Keaton, known as "the great stone face" for his expressionless delivery, wins hands down.

This weekend also marks the annual convention of the Keaton-crazy Damfinos, held each year in Muskegon, on the west side of the state. Why there? Because Keaton's family, along with other vaudeville acts, made this a vacation home each summer.

Buster Keaton's Midwestern Roots on Chicago Public Radio

Check out Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight program for the audio story on Keaton's midwestern roots.

When you think of silent films, the iconic Charlie Chaplin may come to mind. But true film fans know that Buster Keaton joins him as one of the most important silent film actors of all time. The great stone face was known for his wildly acrobatic maneuvers. What is less known is that his formative years were spent in Muskegon, Michigan. Keaton’s childhood was spent touring with his family on the vaudeville circuit. But his summers were spent at an actor’s colony in Muskegon founded by his father.

Follow this link for the slideshow that displays images of some of the sites talked about in the program.

Melissa Talmadge Cox

A great feature of the Google empire is their new venture to organize newspapers and move the content to the Internet. Check out this article from the Cloverdale Reveille. It is a wonderful example. The article highlights Buster's granddaughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, and her effort to keep her grandfather's name before the public. Yes, that's Dustin Hoffman standing next to her.

If it weren't for Google, what is the likelihood of finding such gems?

Another site that I use on a regular basis is newspaperarchive.com. Too bad their content from the state of Michigan doesn't run deeper.

LAKE Magazine

Check out the article on Keaton's Muskegon in the October issue of LAKE Magazine.

Here's a snippet:

Inside the historic depot in Muskegon, Mich. – a train station built in the late 1890s – a curious clue illustrates how Buster Keaton came through town: Above the reception desk, now the Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Bureau, hangs a framed copy of Keaton’s diary entries. On two dates, a sketch of a train car shows a stick figure jumping off to its destination. Next to the figure, one penciled-in word says it all: “Home.”

Along with contemporaries Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, Keaton is considered one of the greatest actors of the silent film era. He’s also one of the most innovative directors in motion picture history. His ability to perform acrobatic stunts while maintaining a deadpan facial expression earned him the nickname “The Great Stone Face.” And even if you don’t know the man, you’re bound to know his trademark porkpie hat.

Walking Tour of the Actors' Colony at Bluffton

Welcome to the Buster Keaton and the Muskegon Actors' Colony blog. Inspired by Morpheus' outstanding blog on legendary cartoonist and animator Winsor McCay,

Meeting McCay: Spring Lake: The Birthplace of Character Animation

I've decided to add a Blog to the
http://www.actorscolony.com/ website. The site focuses on an area
of the city of Muskegon known as Bluffton. It details the times
when the area played host to a group of vaudevillian performers
who gathered together to enjoy their summer vacation along the
shores of Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan. Together, they
formed an Actors' Colony. Among the residents was silent film
comedian, Buster Keaton.

My first blog entry highlights an opportunity for the public to visit the
Bluffton neighborhood that Keaton called "Home".This Sunday,
September 28, 2008 @ 1:30 p.m., I'm hosting a "Walking Tour of
the Actors' Colony at Bluffton." This "Keaton Walk" is open to the
public and is free of charge. Depending on questions, the walk
takes about an hour and a half.  We'll start in the parking lot at
Bluffton School, 1875 Waterworks Rd. Muskegon, MI 49441 

Comfortable shoes (and perhaps a bottle of water) are recommended.
The last one - hosted on Labor Day - attracted over 30 folks from the
area.

Come on out and enjoy the beautiful fall weather!

Thanks!

Ron