Due to his father's increasingly erratic behavior because of excessive drinking, Keaton and his mother left the act when Keaton was 21 and moved to New York City.
His deadpan expression became his trademark for the rest of his career. In The Three Keatons, Buster was frequently tossed about by his father and learned to take his falls with a straight face in order to get more laughs. He earned the nickname "Buster" for his ability to take falls without injury (Keaton had sometimes claimed that Houdini gave him the nickname, though many historians believe this is a myth). By the age of three, the young Keaton had learned to take falls and joined his parents in their act, now called The Three Keatons.
His mother, Myra, and father, also named Joseph, were a comedy act named The Two Keatons in a traveling show that at one point also included famed magician Harry Houdini. Joseph "Buster" Keaton was born into a vaudeville family while they were on the road. Fun Fact: Keaton broke his neck while performing a stunt during the filming of 1924's Sherlock Jr., but the injury was not discovered until a decade later during a doctor's visit.Key Accomplishments: Keaton was one of the major comedy stars of the silent era and even continued his career in sound film.Key Roles: One Week (1920), Our Hospitality (1923), Sherlock Jr.Occupation: Actor, director, producer, and screenwriter.