Joseph Talmadge Keaton was the first son born to comic actor Buster Keaton and his wife, actress Natalie Talmadge; he was also a nephew of silent screen actresses Norma and Constance Talmadge. His mother nicknamed him Jimmy.
He was a student at Blackfox Military Academy and a graduate of Santa Monica High School.
With the entry of the United States into World War II, he joined the Coast Guard in 1942 and volunteered for the OSS as an under water demolition expert. He served in the CIB Theatre (China/India/Burma) where he worked in a British one-man submarine, wearing a Lambertson Breathing Unit. While based in Ceylon, his mission was to blow up nets in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo harbors. Also, he trained for underwater duties in the Bahamas where one of his duties was, during a hurricane, to recover the bodies of two British pilots who were shot down and trapped in their planes.
After the end of World War II, he worked as a publicist/photographer at Twentieth Century Fox studio.
Mr. Keaton was a man of many interests. He was an avid collector and expert on firearms. He built and restored antique automobiles, specializing in Model T's, Model A's, and boat tailed speedsters. Too, he was an expert on Duesenbergs (he owned eight), and was often consulted for his knowledge on their history and restoration.
Travel was another one of this hobbies. With his family, he spent time in the High Sierras camps and Yosemite.
According to the Internet Movie Database, Joseph Keaton has a movie credit and television appearance. He was billed as Buster Keaton, Jr. in Our Hospitality (1923), with a cameo role as the infant Willie McKay. In 1957, he appeared as a guest on the television show This is Your Life, honoring his father's life and movie career.
He was married to Barbara Jane Tichenor, from October 1943 until his death in 2007.
He was preceded in death by Jim C. Talmadge, his eldest son. He was survived by his wife, Barbara, a son, Michael Talmadge, a daughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, his brother, Bob, nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
(Information for this memorial comes from the Internet Movie Database, YouTube website, and FindAGrave contributor Irene Schneider.)
He was a student at Blackfox Military Academy and a graduate of Santa Monica High School.
With the entry of the United States into World War II, he joined the Coast Guard in 1942 and volunteered for the OSS as an under water demolition expert. He served in the CIB Theatre (China/India/Burma) where he worked in a British one-man submarine, wearing a Lambertson Breathing Unit. While based in Ceylon, his mission was to blow up nets in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo harbors. Also, he trained for underwater duties in the Bahamas where one of his duties was, during a hurricane, to recover the bodies of two British pilots who were shot down and trapped in their planes.
After the end of World War II, he worked as a publicist/photographer at Twentieth Century Fox studio.
Mr. Keaton was a man of many interests. He was an avid collector and expert on firearms. He built and restored antique automobiles, specializing in Model T's, Model A's, and boat tailed speedsters. Too, he was an expert on Duesenbergs (he owned eight), and was often consulted for his knowledge on their history and restoration.
Travel was another one of this hobbies. With his family, he spent time in the High Sierras camps and Yosemite.
According to the Internet Movie Database, Joseph Keaton has a movie credit and television appearance. He was billed as Buster Keaton, Jr. in Our Hospitality (1923), with a cameo role as the infant Willie McKay. In 1957, he appeared as a guest on the television show This is Your Life, honoring his father's life and movie career.
He was married to Barbara Jane Tichenor, from October 1943 until his death in 2007.
He was preceded in death by Jim C. Talmadge, his eldest son. He was survived by his wife, Barbara, a son, Michael Talmadge, a daughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, his brother, Bob, nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
(Information for this memorial comes from the Internet Movie Database, YouTube website, and FindAGrave contributor Irene Schneider.)
Joseph Talmadge Keaton was the first son born to comic actor Buster Keaton and his wife, actress Natalie Talmadge; he was also a nephew of silent screen actresses Norma and Constance Talmadge. His mother nicknamed him Jimmy.
He was a student at Blackfox Military Academy and a graduate of Santa Monica High School.
With the entry of the United States into World War II, he joined the Coast Guard in 1942 and volunteered for the OSS as an under water demolition expert. He served in the CIB Theatre (China/India/Burma) where he worked in a British one-man submarine, wearing a Lambertson Breathing Unit. While based in Ceylon, his mission was to blow up nets in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo harbors. Also, he trained for underwater duties in the Bahamas where one of his duties was, during a hurricane, to recover the bodies of two British pilots who were shot down and trapped in their planes.
After the end of World War II, he worked as a publicist/photographer at Twentieth Century Fox studio.
Mr. Keaton was a man of many interests. He was an avid collector and expert on firearms. He built and restored antique automobiles, specializing in Model T's, Model A's, and boat tailed speedsters. Too, he was an expert on Duesenbergs (he owned eight), and was often consulted for his knowledge on their history and restoration.
Travel was another one of this hobbies. With his family, he spent time in the High Sierras camps and Yosemite.
According to the Internet Movie Database, Joseph Keaton has a movie credit and television appearance. He was billed as Buster Keaton, Jr. in Our Hospitality (1923), with a cameo role as the infant Willie McKay. In 1957, he appeared as a guest on the television show This is Your Life, honoring his father's life and movie career.
He was married to Barbara Jane Tichenor, from October 1943 until his death in 2007.
He was preceded in death by Jim C. Talmadge, his eldest son. He was survived by his wife, Barbara, a son, Michael Talmadge, a daughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, his brother, Bob, nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
(Information for this memorial comes from the Internet Movie Database, YouTube website, and FindAGrave contributor Irene Schneider.)
He was a student at Blackfox Military Academy and a graduate of Santa Monica High School.
With the entry of the United States into World War II, he joined the Coast Guard in 1942 and volunteered for the OSS as an under water demolition expert. He served in the CIB Theatre (China/India/Burma) where he worked in a British one-man submarine, wearing a Lambertson Breathing Unit. While based in Ceylon, his mission was to blow up nets in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo harbors. Also, he trained for underwater duties in the Bahamas where one of his duties was, during a hurricane, to recover the bodies of two British pilots who were shot down and trapped in their planes.
After the end of World War II, he worked as a publicist/photographer at Twentieth Century Fox studio.
Mr. Keaton was a man of many interests. He was an avid collector and expert on firearms. He built and restored antique automobiles, specializing in Model T's, Model A's, and boat tailed speedsters. Too, he was an expert on Duesenbergs (he owned eight), and was often consulted for his knowledge on their history and restoration.
Travel was another one of this hobbies. With his family, he spent time in the High Sierras camps and Yosemite.
According to the Internet Movie Database, Joseph Keaton has a movie credit and television appearance. He was billed as Buster Keaton, Jr. in Our Hospitality (1923), with a cameo role as the infant Willie McKay. In 1957, he appeared as a guest on the television show This is Your Life, honoring his father's life and movie career.
He was married to Barbara Jane Tichenor, from October 1943 until his death in 2007.
He was preceded in death by Jim C. Talmadge, his eldest son. He was survived by his wife, Barbara, a son, Michael Talmadge, a daughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, his brother, Bob, nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
(Information for this memorial comes from the Internet Movie Database, YouTube website, and FindAGrave contributor Irene Schneider.)
Bio by: Donna McClish
