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Date of Release: March 22, 1930
Running Time: 92 minutes (10 reels)
Director: Edward Sedgwick
Screenplay: Paul Dickey and Richard Schayer
Dialogue: Al Boasberg
Cinematography: Leonard Smith
Film Editing: William LeVanway and George Todd
Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons
Costume Design: David Cox
Recording Engineer: Douglas Shearer and Karl Zint
Sound Assistant: Jack Jordan
Dance Director: Sammy Lee
Producer: Edward Sedgwick
Original Songs: Fred E. Ahlert and Roy Turk
Buster Keaton...Elmer Butts
Anita Page...Elvira Plunkett
Trixie Friganza...Ma Plunkett
Robert Montgomery...Larry Mitchell
Fred Niblo...Director Niblo
Edgar Dearing...Officer
Gwen Lee...Actress, bedroom scene
John Miljan...Actor, bedroom scene
Lionel Barrymore...Director, bedroom scene
William Haines...a Guest
William Collier, Sr....Master of Ceremonies
Dorothy Sebastian...Actress, cafe scene
Karl Dane...Actor, cafe scene
David Burton...Director Burton
Edward Brophy...the Stage Manager (uncredited)
Ann Dvorak...bit part (uncredited)
Richard Carle...bit part (uncredited)
Emile Chautard...cameo (uncredited)
Jackie Coogan...cameo (uncredited)
Cecil B. DeMille...cameo (uncredited)
Joseph Farnham...cameo (uncredited)
Arthur Lange...cameo (uncredited)
Beauty contest winner, Elvira Plunkett leaves her hometown (Gopher Springs, Kansas) with her mother and her manager, Elmer Butts, to conquer Hollywood. On the train she meets movie star Larry Mitchell and when they get to California, Mitchell invites her to the studio. Elmer loves Elvira and tries to discourage her interest in Mitchell to no avail. One of the earliest films to give us a look inside Hollywood with many stars and directors having cameo roles. A cute idea with quite a lot to offer suffers from several over-long production numbers, a lack of flow, and Buster Keaton's difficulty adjusting to comedy with words in this, his first talking picture.
Buster Keaton's first big talkie is in the bag - on ice - over the top with a large, vociferous bang. Little Frosty Face makes his audible debut in a whizzing comedy that has everything - from earthquaking laughter to a lot of interesting peeks beyond the watchman on the sound stages.
Keaton plays the manager of a beauty contest winner who brings the belle to Hollywood to crash pictures. Their adventures fill the film with screams and howls of joy.
Wandering around the studio you'll see, for the same admission price, Lionel Barrymore, Cecil De Mille, Gwen Lee, Fred Niblo and lots of others of note at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Anita Page is the girl, and Robert Montgomery is excellent as the romantic leading man. Keaton Kops or No Busts for Buster!
