For the past quarter-century, fans of Buster Keaton have flocked to Iola and Piqua to celebrate the silent film legend, his peers and their impact in the world of the arts.
That leads them to this weekend’s celebration, the 24th and final one, to pay homage to the Piqua native.
“Buster Keaton: Celebrating 100 Years of Laughter” runs Friday and Saturday, primarily at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, with a number of special activities tossed into the mix.
The event kicks off Friday morning at 10 with a short pilgrimage to Piqua’s Buster Keaton Museum — it’s in Piqua’s Water Office — filled with scores of photos, movie posters and other artifacts dedicated to The Great Stone Face.
The balance of the celebration will be at the Bowlus, and will feature several more films and movies than in years past.
Sprinkled amongst Friday’s films is a panel discussion and dedication at 2:05 p.m. to David Shepard, a film historian who reserved and restored more than 70 Keaton movies. Shepard was the first-ever recipient of the Buster Award, presented to him at the 1995 Keaton Celebration, for his “professional excellence” in the tradition of Buster Keaton. Shepard, 76, died of cancer Jan. 31 in Medford, Ore.
Another program, at 3:55, comes from Rob Arkus, who will show off a number of rare Keaton clips.
SATURDAY’S programs include Melissa Talmadge Cox, Keaton’s granddaughter, speaking about “Memories of Grandpa” at 10:45 a.m.
That will be followed by Cox hosting a panel discussion with Barbara Talmadge, Keaton’s daughter-in-law, Harry Keaton, his nephew, and moderator Hooman Mehran, a long-time Keaton Committee member.
Film historian Paul Gierucki has restored a number of Keaton rarities. Gierucki will be unable to attend Saturday’s program, due to illness, but attendees will still get to see his work at 1:35 p.m. with highlights from “Blue Collar Buster.”
A panel discussion about Keaton and the celebration is at 2:40 p.m. Saturday.
A NUMBER OF films and movies are on the playbill.
Friday
1:10 p.m. — “The Butcher Boy”
1:40 — “Cops”
2:45 — “Three Ages”
4:25 — “The Playhouse”
7:30 — “One Week”
8 — “The Fantastic Flying Books of Dr. Morris Lessmore”
8:30 — “The Cameraman”
Saturday
9:20 a.m. — “College”
2:15 p.m. — “The Blacksmith”
3:20 — “The Railrodder”
3:50 — “To Be Funny: 100 Years of Buster Keaton”
7:40 — “Spite Marriage”
9:15 — “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” (Keaton’s final film.)
An after-party will follow Saturday’s activities at Miller’s On Madison.
AS AN added bonus to this year’s celebration, the movie “Bender,” a story about the notorious Bloody Bender Family of Cherryvale, will be screened free of charge at the Bowlus at 7 p.m. Thursday. “Bender” features James Karen, a long-time friend of Keaton’s and frequent attendee to past Keaton celebrations. Also making a cameo is Keaton Committee member Bill Shaffer.
Admission for the rest of the celebration for out-of-towners is $20 (Iolans are admitted free of charge) to the panel discussions and afternoon programs.
The evening screenings Friday and Saturday are free and open to the public.
THE KEATON celebration is sponsored by the Clopton Family Trust, the City of Iola Convention and Tourism funding and with help from private donations.
