''Grand Slam Opera'' is a 1936 American

short Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

starring

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

Plot

Elmer Butts (Keaton) is seen off by his friends as he boards a train to begin his journey to attempt a career in show business. He intends to audition for the radio show Colonel Crow's Amateur Night, but the show ends before he is able to audition. Meets a beautiful young girl (who it transpires lives downstairs from him) and asks her out but is turned down. That night he practices several dance routines in his bedroom which angers the girl, he asks her out again but is once again turned down. The next day Elmer attempts to audition for 'Amateur Night' once again but there is already an audition in process. As he sits in the waiting room, Elmer prepares himself by dancing to the various styles of music he hears emanating from the next room. Elmer finally gets his turn to audition for the show but is met with mockery when he reveals that he is a juggler and intends to describe his juggling techniques to the audience listening at home. During Elmer's performance he gets into several scuffles with the band leader who is trying to conduct music in the background. The live audience watching the show find the performance hilarious but Elmer is thrown out. Four weeks pass and Elmer is seen hitch-hiking at the side of a road. Overhearing a nearby car's radio he learns that his performance was voted the best of the night by the audience and his £100 prize has gone unclaimed. Elmer dashes back to the studio (via train, car and on foot) and his newly found wealth and popularity convinces the girl to finally go on a date with him.

Cast

as Elmer Butts *

Diana Lewis Diana Lewis (September 18, 1919 – January 18, 1997) was an American film actress and a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player. Early years The daughter of vaudeville performers, Lewis was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. She attended Fairfax ...

as The Girl Downstairs * Harold Goodwin as Band Leader * John Ince as Colonel Crowe * Melrose Coakley *

Bud Jamison William Edward "Bud" Jamison (February 15, 1894 – September 30, 1944)Okuda, Ted, and Edward Watz. 1999. The Columbia Comedy Shorts: Two-reel Hollywood Film Comedies 1933–1958'. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. . was an American film actor. ...

as Arizona Sheriff * Eddie Fetherston

External links

*
''Grand Slam Opera''
at the

International Buster Keaton Society The International Buster Keaton Society Inc.— a.k.a. "The Damfinos"—is the official educational organization dedicated to comedy film producer-director-writer-actor-stuntman Buster Keaton. Mission According to the Damfinos, their mission is "t ...

1936 films 1936 comedy films 1936 short films American black-and-white films Educational Pictures short films Films directed by Buster Keaton Films directed by Charles Lamont Films with screenplays by Buster Keaton American comedy short films 1930s American films {{short-comedy-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

External links