The Hayseed

Buster Keaton's second movie after WW1 with Arbuckle turned out to be a career highlight for the pairing, October 1919's "The Hayseed." Buster had a lightbulb moment that followed him throughout the remainder of his career. He designed and shaped a new pork pie hat, a style he wore throughout his most popular years in cinema. The material stood up to the abuse the comedian had heaped upon himself for all those skits.

Arbuckle is a mailman while Buster is the owner of a general store. The villain of the movie is actor John Henry Coogan Jr, a lithesome, tall statured performer who had appeared as a dancer in "Back Stage." Here, he takes cash from a letter and later claims Fatty stole it. As a sidenote, John Coogan was the father of Jackie Coogan, who plays the little boy in Charlie Chaplin's 'The Kid,' as well as Uncle Fester in television's 'The Adam's Family.' Also starring was Luke the Dog, a Staffordshire Terrier who was the personal pet of Roscoe and his wife Minta Durfee. For six years Luke made several appearances in Fatty's movies, including "The Hayseed." He demanded and received a high salary of $150 a week, over $2,200 in today's dollars. When Minta split with Roscoe in 1921, the divorce agreement treated Luke like a treasured child, where Fatty had visitation rights with Minta winning custody of him.

One of the many gags in the film is a dance set that is not to be missed.