Backstage (1919)

“Back Stage,” a 1919 American silent comedy, directed by and starring Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, also features Buster Keaton and Al St. John. The film follows Keaton, Arbuckle, St. John, and others as they work behind the scenes as stagehands in a playhouse, dealing with eccentric performers.

When the performers rebel, the stagehands, along with Arbuckle’s love interest, step in to perform, including Keaton in drag performing butterflies and no-handed cartwheels. This film introduces a falling wall gag later used by Keaton in his own works, notably in “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” (1928).

You can watch the full movie here:

Backstage (1919) – Cast

• Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle as Stagehand
• Buster Keaton as Stagehand
• Al St. John as Stagehand
• Charles A. Post as Strongman
• Molly Malone as Strongman’s Assistant
• John Henry Coogan Jr. as Eccentric Dancer (credited as John Coogan)
• Uncredited Actor as Stagehand

Backstage (1919) – Story Line

Fatty, Keaton, and St. John work as stagehands at a theater, getting ready for the upcoming show. Fatty hangs a sign on the theater’s front door advertising Gertrude McSkinny, a famous star who will be performing as the Little Laundress for the first time the next day at 2 PM. However, Fatty accidentally leaves the door open, obscuring part of the sign, which makes it appear as if Miss Skinny will undress at 2 PM.

The evening’s entertainment begins with an incredibly flexible dancer, whom Fatty and Keaton comically attempt to imitate. Next, a tall and egotistical strongman mistreats his assistant, Malone. The stage crew tries to intervene, but the strongman’s power is overwhelming. He blows Fatty away with just his breath and remains unfazed when Keaton repeatedly hits him with an axe. Eventually, they subdue the strongman by challenging him to lift a heavy weight, then electrocute him.

Later that night, the theater is packed due to the partially obscured sign. However, the mistreated strongman quits, taking the dancer with him. This forces Fatty, Keaton, and the assistant to improvise an operetta titled “The Falling Reign.” Fatty and Keaton dress in drag and perform an elaborate dance routine. The dancer who had left earlier heckles the show but is knocked out by Keaton’s energetic dancing.

In the second act, Fatty and Keaton are meant to be covered in fake snow, but the theater is too hot. Keaton removes his coat, ruining the illusion. A mishap with the fake snow further adds to the chaos. During a serenading scene, Fatty accidentally knocks over a facade, but it miraculously fits around him, saving him from harm.

Despite the disastrous performance, the audience thinks it’s all part of the act and applauds and laughs heartily. The enraged strongman, sitting in the audience, shoots his former assistant and starts a brawl with the stage crew. While Keaton and St. John keep the strongman occupied, Fatty drops a trunk of weights on his head, knocking him out.

The short ends with Fatty visiting the recovering assistant in the hospital.