The Incredible Stunts of Buster Keaton
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- Опубликовано: 8 июн 2024
- Buster Keaton wasn't only one of the greatest directors and actors, but one of the main stuntmen in the history of cinema and the mastermind of Jackie Chan.
Narrated by Buster's great-granddaughter Keaton Talmadge (www.keatontalmadge.com/)
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
00:30 Who Are You, Mr. Keaton?
01:19 Stuntmen in the Early Cinema
02:00 His Own Stuntman
02:47 Stuntmen Talks About Buster
03:24 The Beginning of the Career
04:23 Jump From One Roof to Another
05:53 Truckee Rapids
07:04 The Waterfall Rescue
08:02 Riding the Handlebar
08:55 The Water Tower Stunt
09:58 Underwater Filming
11:21 The Avalanche
12:30 Railroad Ties
13:39 Riding the Crankshaft
14:36 Falling Facade
16:14 The Only One Stunt Double
16:59 Further Story
18:07 The Railrodder 
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Of all the amazing things about Buster Keaton, the fact he wasn't killed during any of these stunts is up there.
This is what you call total dedication to one's art....we love Buster.
Having spent 40 years working in HOLLYWOOD as both a writer and studio historian I congratulate you along with so many others here, on your outstanding presentation of the genius of BUSTER KEATON!
I was proud to have been consulted on John Bengston's 1999 book SILENT ECHOES... and I can well imagine the hard work and research you employed making this great salute to the legendary stunts of Buster Keaton. HOLLYWOOD never gave him the credit he deserved for being a pioneer, it wasn't until the 1960's that film scholars and fans alike began to appreciate his great contribution to the art of film.
Keaton's mathematical approach in planning and timing his stunts, was a template for so many stunt legends that followed like Richard Talmadge, Yakima Canutt, Hal Needham and my late friend Loren Janes.
I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing so many stuntmen over the years, and they all owed a debt to Keaton because he really wrote the book on their profession... he really understood how to make a stunt more dangerous than it was by simply understanding the importance of camera trickery and editing. He calculated the risks and reduced the danger as best he could, but you can never plan for everything as demonstrated in this video when the best laid plans can go wrong real quick... his instructions to the cameraman to keep rolling were well founded, after all if you're going to risk your life over a movie stunt, you at least want something to show for it -right!
"his instructions to the cameraman to keep rolling were well founded, after all if you're going to risk your life over a movie stunt, you at least want something to show for it -right!" - You have awesomely summed up his Diligence Dedication and Daringness !!!
@@tonygreenmike Thank you Mike...
A long time ago I wrote an article for the LA Times about stunt safety in the movie/TV business, where I mentioned that you don't have to put real bullets in the gun to kill someone in a scene... meaning we are in the illusion business just like Buster with his stunts, danger can be easily faked in the editing and precise positioning of the camera!
Sadly though, the "movie people" and especially the lead actor on RUST, were nowhere near professional enough or even simple common sense enough, to check and recheck what they were doing with that gun... or the explosions on the set of the TWILIGHT ZONE MOVIE!
he's jackie channing it
This is seriously one of the best short Keaton Documentaries I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much! I love Keaton so much!
100 years later still fresh, new and super funny.
He's the best
My Grandfather, born in 1906, always said he preferred Keaton's comedy to Chaplan's. Said Chaplan's movie had more snickers, but Keaton's had more full-on belly laughs. His favorites were Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, and the Marx Brothers. Two generations later, they were mine, too. What a testimonial to these comedians, that their comedy would remain funny, and relevant for that long! I wonder if any of the movie comedians now, will still be considered funny 80 years from now?
He was a genius of so many levels! A true and unique pledge of Mastery! There will never be another buster Keaton, ever. Thanks for sharing.
Harold Lloyd too deserves a mention. He was a great athlete and actor and most successful silent era comedian than Chaplin or Keaton.
Keaton became alcoholic , Chaplin always had a darker side but Harold Lloyd escaped any such scandals and was dedicated to his wife and gay son.
@@waverider1674 Buster had a period of alcoholism in the 30s, when he had lost his own studio due to a horrible divorce. He was forced to give up creative control and to work as a contract comedian for MGM. Buster was a really nice and dignified person; this is well known by Buster-o-philes. He was deeply admired by such directors as Orson Welles, Peter Bogdanovich, Martin Scorsese. He is on most lists of the best directors of all time. He was not a creep or loser.
Matthew Perry's physical comedy in The Whole Nine Yards was on par with these old legends IMHO.
The role of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in Keaton's career is often overlooked. They were very close friends. Arbuckle taught Keaton a lot, and even had some of his routines stolen by Chaplin when they worked at the same studio.
Such a face he had, Buster Keaton. As made for film. The greatest of all time.
Every time I watch one of these YT videos on Buster Keaton I just shake my head in amazement. His stunts are incredible for any era of film, not just the silent era.
This video goes beyond the others I've seen on YT and gives excellent insight into how he pulled them off.
Buster Keaton - What a legend!
AMEN
I was a 13 year old "Extra" on a Western pilot that starred Ernie Kovacs in the 1960s. I noticed Mr. Kovacs had driven a Bugatti sports car and was admiring it when I heard the assistant Director yell "Ouiet", the cameraman then stated "rolling" and then "speed" then the Director yelled "action".
The camera was aimed at the swinging doors of a Western saloon when a man dressed in a fringed leather jacket and leather pants came flying backwards, out through the swinging doors, over the walkway and tumbled onto the street in front of the saloon. The Director yelled "cut" and the actor stood up, turned around so I could see his face, and behold, it was Buster Keaton who must have been in his middle seventies at the time. I then realized why he was called "Buster". The "Pilot" was never sold probably because Ernie Kovacs died in an automobile accident 3 or 4 days later while driving his wife's station wagon.
Wow!!! Thank you so much for sharing!😍
There'll never be another like him....Wow!!!
Very cool, in less than 20 minutes, I now have even more appreciation for Buster. Very impressive man.
He was one of a unique individuals that we still talk, see, admire and enjoy even after 100 years has passed ❤LEGEND❤Buster Keaton Live Long❤
Well deserved praise in all the comments. Chaplin and Harold Lloyd did some wonderful stuff that wow'd you, but Keaton's stuff was just jaw dropping. A remarkable athlete who's pure genius created some of the greatest scenes EVER. Thank you for this delightful vid.
Thank you, so glad you like it!
I have always grouped Keaton (in my mental faculties ) ,not in-with other actors , comedians & stars who were peers but in w the real radical genius normalcy breakers ,like John Lennon ,Jim Morrison or even the pure funny that was Norm MacDonald
Really well done. Fantastic job! I just saw "Sherlock Jr." in the cinema last week, accompanied by live piano music and it was one of the best cinema experiences I've ever had. Buster Keaton is a legend!
Thank you! He's pure magic. The author of the channel once needed to watch only half of "Sherlock" to become a total fan of his work
Period piano is essential.
Where’d you see that ?
@@sparky3006 I made a video about it actually - it is on my channel
Keaton was the best, by far. We will never see the like again.
Great job! And so many stunts you just didn't have time for. One that staggers my mind is when he grabbed a passing car one-handed in the 1922 short "Cops." Cartoon characters can do it, but humans have things like shoulder joints and arm muscles that are supposed to provide limits. Truly amazing.
lol - I am mesmerized by his abilities! So funny, genuine article of the absolute best!
I'm told he dislocated his shoulder on that one.
He did, but because he was in such great shape and conditioning. He pulled it off.
I was very surprised that didn't make the list yet lesser stunts did. Greatest silent comedian ever, head and shoulders above Chaplin and Lloyd.
Rarely you find people with the greatest devotion to their work. Rarest in Film industry. Keaton is the rarest of rare. Man put his life on line just to make us laugh. There is no one like him and there will never be..
They dont make actors like that anymore. Back then they actually had to have talent. Thank you Mr. Keaton for all of the wonderful laughs and exciting entertainment.
Buster is truly one of my heroes and should be considered a national treasure!
Excellent piece on Buster. There was no one like him. Great to hear from Keaton Talmadge too.
The only person that even comes close to his work, imo, is Jackie Chan. I believe that Chan has said that he took inspiration from Keaton. I'm not generally a fan of physical humor, but he and Jackie both just did it so well, I laugh my ass off every time I see either of them.
@@pickleballer1729 How interesting. I've never seen a Jackie Chan film, but will now make a point of it. Any recommendations?
Both A projects and police story 1,2.
@@aviduser1961 They're all pretty good. My first was called "Rumble in the Bronx" about a kid who enters a martial arts brawl. Not bad, but not as funny as so many of his others. Mr. Nice Guy is good. IF you're not familiar with him, Chan is a SPECTACULAR martial artist who chose to make movies with a comic side. Rush Hour and Super Cop are ok. High Noon, with Owen Wilson is one of the better ones, and then he made a follow up, Shanghai Knights, with the same two characters in London. The Spy next Door looks good from the DVD cover, but I don't think I've seen it. Not all his movies are comedies, but the best are. And with very few exceptions he does all his stunts. Make sure to watch all the way to the end, because during the credits, they show his stunt outtakes.
@@pickleballer1729 Thanks for all the info. I think I'll check out High Noon based on your recommendation. Thanks.
This is already one of my favourite videos of all time, congratulations!
So happy you love it! ☺
Oh Buster Keaton! Sigh. The BEST ever. So glad you’re doing what you can to keep him alive. I worry that he, laurel&hardy, the Marx brothers and others will not be known in the future and that breaks my heart! These old movies are priceless. Thank you! ❤
Buster was amazing and entertaining. I’ve watched many of his shorts and they’re so funny and timeless.
He was truly one of the greats.
Buster is my all time favorite "old school" actor. So much so that our Siamese cat's name was Buster, our orange tabby was named Keaton. I love hearing interviews with him. His role in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" was one of his last. I have a couple Buster t-shirts, I've turned a lot of folks on to Buster just by wearing them and answering the inevitable question "Who is that".
Ha ha! Funny that you say that about your cats! Lol
If you were to ask me the best stunt man in Hollywood, I would say hands-down, Buster Keaton. No doubt. Funny as hell to! Never to be duplicated. I understand fella, I love him too.
Thanks for sharing.
The Incredible Stunts of Buster Keaton. 15.7.23. amazed at how many folk demand to be deemed a long lost relation of the arch chameleon, buster Keston. Ahahahhaaahahah....
He’s little but one of the most savage people to have ever existed. Good lord he was strong as Hell too. That waterfall stunt where he catches the woman proves how strong and durable he was.
once, at the end of 1955, when he was undergoing an operation and he came out of anesthesia too early, according to the worlds of his relatives, it took 6 orderlies to keep him
When I was 12 my neck was broken in 5 places. I walked around like that for three days and finally woke up on the hospital. Buster is the only other person that I can totally relate to because he's been there and done that.
What an absolute legend. hardly surprising we don't see his type anymore.
I love the Buster Keaton films, and you get a A+ for great reporting of his skill and dedication to his craft!
This is the best Buster vid I've seen! The way the narrator changed to Buster's cadence when quoting him seems like a small thing but it really makes it feel like he's saying it. It had all of the missing deep-dive details I hadn't heard before, they were a joy to hear. Also, I liked the graphics that show weight and height just to put emphasis on what an insane feat each scene was.
Thank you so much! The narrator is Buster's great-granddaughter, Keaton Talmadge, and I'm sure she will be glad to hear it :)
Keaton was a genius. Wonderful video 👌👌👌👌👌
He really was, and thank you!❤️
Man of courage, and calculated risk of that era, easily could have been fatal in some of his stunts. Buster was truly amazing, and funny at the same time.
And, with no script? No special effects other than camera trickery? Safety precautions seem to be clearly at the window! No room for that win you are dedicated to genuine article of the absolute best….. He is
Great video! When I was a kid I watched the movie The General with my dad who was a train engineer. When we saw the part where Keaton rides the crankshaft my dad said "Wow! That stunt took a lot of sand, and I'm not just talking about courage." He later explained to me that to prevent the wheels from spinning on steep grades they would put sand on the rails for traction. Besides the sand it also helped that the train had just enough of a load to provide traction but not too much to cause wheel spin. He also said that if the wheels had spun with Keaton on the crankshaft it would have probably tossed him into the next county or wrapped him up like spaghetti on a fork.
Thank you! Really adds to the story, because Buster never gave much details about it
@@busterkeatonvk The back story can be just as interesting. Movie making is so different now but some of the techniques they developed back then are still used today. Thank you again for the video.
"...but he was Buster Keaton, and who the hell am I to tell him what to do?"
I'd heard the name of course, but didn't know much about him. I watched "The Goat" and then this. Damn, was this man talented. Thx for uploading.
He really was. Try "Sherlock Jr." or "The General" sometime. Sherlock is probably the first known example of a "movie within a movie" with a character moving from "real life" into a film; and even Orson Welles called "The General" the most poetic and maybe just the best movie he had seen
@@busterkeatonvk High Praise from a Master himself. I will, ty for the recommendations.
I spent years studying Keaton's work during graduate school, watching all the films he made & appeared in (incl. all the shorts & full lengths, even those with Arbuckle & at MGM & on early TV). I researched all the books & documentaries I could find on him. (This was all while I was supposed to be doing other tasks more related to my chosen field of literature). I even wrote a play about him after I finished my dissertation! And I can honestly say that this overview of his early life & summary of many of his big stunts is very well researched & edited, excellent in its detail, & in keeping with Buster's POV on himself & the practicalities of his work. Brava, Keaton Talmage, imho your great-grandad would be moved & proud! And BTW if anyone wants to know more about Keaton, the all-time best full-length video bio of him is Kevin Brownlow's British TV 3-part documentary "Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow." And thank you BusterKeatonVK for posting this here!!!
Has to be the bravest and most agile actor, ever.
Absolutely ⭐️
Next to Jackie chan?
@@mr.roberto1898 Jackie loved Buster✊
I can work out most Hollywood stunts.
These, however, really have me stumped.
Great video, really good to hear the stories behind the stunts, which of course are worth watching time and time again.
One critic said of the train stunts: "One false move and Buster would have been mangled like a paper jam in an office copier."
He was my dad’s favourite movie personality . Just hearing busTer Keaton makes me smile
Epic
What an icon ,the road is really rocky and unpredictable.
Then you witness him and the grit and determination of this man,is truly amazing !!!
Long live the Mountain Climbers
He should not have lived so long or should have been crippled but Buster Keaton defied the odds through shear guts and preparation (and a little luck). His masterpiece The General was what our teacher in high school showed us as an example of the brilliance of silent movies.
What an amazingly brave fellow he really deserved his fame and fortune
This was such a pleasure to watch.
Great documentation. Buster Keaton is the Leonardo da Vinci of Stunts. There is something supernatural about his physical abilities. If you didn't see what's happening, you'd say it's impossible!
Entirely true
It's so true! The man was held together by some superhuman form of muscle, stronger than his bones!
Great comment!! He always denied the fact of his having been a genius of an artist. He was excruciatingly humble & self-effacing throughout all the decades of his unique career. But even 1 or 2 very early newspaper reviews of the family act when he was a child stage performer called him a prodigy & boy-genius. And loads of artists, filmmakers, critics, & fans for generations to come have known it too!
What fantastic narration, thank you for this gem
Wow, you really impressed me this footage and commentary!!! A LOT!
Until just now, I thought the railroad-tie-tossing scene used real railroad ties, but I did not know that a real railroad tie weighed 200lbs.!
Unlike Buster, I loved the film where Buster inherits lots of money, and these potential 'Brides' chase him all over town -- constantly increasing in numbers (well, you know women love to talk!), until their numbers became hilariously ridiculous!
I think Buster (My DEFINITE #1 favorite) and Harold Lloyd are my two favorite actors/stunt people of this era -- with Chaplin a VERY VERY distant third!
Did you know that Harold Lloyd performed many of his stunts, including hanging by one hand -- with a hand where his thumb had been blown off by some fake/real bomb?
One of my heroes to this day… a century later.
Today,despite of most advance technology one cant dare to do so stunts as Buster keaton had done..
Great! Salute to him
You may find The Railrodder on RUclips, as I did some years ago. Starting with Buster jumping in The Thames, after having seen a travel commercial naming Canada and later going a shore from the sea.
S as a lifelong fan of Buster, this is the best compilation video I’ve seen on him. If anyone wants to get into Buster Keaton, this is a great place to start!
I first learned about Buster Keaton when I was very young and he was doing Alka Seltzer commercials in the 60's. He's really great in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". But he was funny in anything he did.
Buster was the best, I loved everything he did, there was never anyone like Buster before, during or after........thanks for the laughs Mr. Keaton and may you forever RIP.
He was one of a kind...
There will never , ever be a Buster Keaton again...
One of the all time best, the likes of, we'll never see again. Buster was phenomenal. Miss that man, immensely.
Great video!! I never realized the full extent of Buster Keaton's expertise!! Thank you for this fantastic post!
Thank you!
I am about 50 and he's always been one of my heros and a major inspiration ; it's a shame he is lost on today's world but video's like this remind younger folk how incredibly talented ,revolutionary ,ingenious, cinema-industry transformative and brilliant Buster Keaton was.
Thank you! But, well, he's not so totally lost for the world - there were two his bio's published last year, and now we are possibly awaiting two his biopics :)
@@busterkeatonvk I realized after late-friday evening ( 🍸😉) replying that , since I'd last considered the subject , there's likely been material released I don't know about ; now, did I Google ANYTHING b4 replying?
nope: like atypical know-it-all internet peon, I shot that reply out blindly & confidently 😅
knowing that I was wrong but too gone to care about fixing my blunder att .... thanks for straightening me out
A brilliant vid! The amount of research and work put into this is just amazing
Oh, thank you! It really took a lot of time to research and create the video - we're so glad you love it!
Very good presentation, I’m looking forward to see more. Thank you
Best way to spend Galentines Day, this is so good. I love that Keaton narrated it... my heart is glad.🥰
Great-granddaughter.
Always loved the stuntman actors. Jackie Chan was my dude. The blooper reels, alone, were the stuff of legends for us. I'd watch a series on these guys in a second!
Jackie Chan did Buster Keaton stunts in his movies. Jackie did the falling facade one, but wasn't willing to risk his life. He ran around as the building front fell so he could be in the window when the wall came down.
@@peterbonucci9661 I go back before the internet. Was a bootleg kung fu kid. Didn't know about Buster til many years later. Absolute wildman.
"Seven Chances" is still my favourite Keaton film. Folks can gabble about Chaplin all they want, but Buster was the greatest comedy genius of the silent era.
I think W.C.Fields is underrated.
I had no idea until recently that Buster Keaton taught Lucille Ball, but it completely makes sense.
Yes, they were both sidelined at Columbia in the mid-40s when Lucy was past her ingenue & leading lady phase but not yet on TV. Buster was thought of as an old hand at the studio, making cheap shorts that didn't showcase his genius & creating brilliant gags for others. But when not working, he took Lucy, who was not yet a comedienne, but had been an actress, under his wing. He taught her about comic timing, pratfalls, how to handle props in physical comedy, etc. And Keaton contributed physical gags & comic direction for Lucy & Desi when they traveled the country doing a live version of the pilot of "I Love Lucy." This was to convince reticent producers that TV audiences would respond well (since some aspects of ILL were as-yet untried in the new medium at the time). That's a story that begs for its own book/biopic!!!
This was absolutely great. I knew the stories of all of these stunts, but you added some details I wasn't aware of. And the presentation is gorgeous! And that last bit from "Buster Keaton Rides Again" reminds me again of how much I adore Buster Keaton as a human being. (Also, as an example of Buster's ability to do stunts even as an old man, look up the promotional film on Maryvale, AZ ("The Homeowner") that he did when he was around 65, where he is flung over a shopping cart into a pool. Perfectly executed - and he probably considered it "child's play." There were a number of funny moments in that movie, pure Buster, but that one made me gasp.)
I have been a fan of Buster Keaton for many years. TCM used to show many of his films-I do not know if they still do. He also appeared on "Candid Camera" and was amazing. This is worth searching for!
Excellent documentary and one thing is for sure Buster keaton was a great actor, stuntman and director to ever grace Hollywood - pioneer in his time
He was so incredible! I've been watching his movies here on RUclips!
great docu. thanks loads! And Buster ... was absolutely bad ass.
absolute legend.. nearly brings a tear to your eye
The Incredible Stunts of Buster Keaton. Keaton talmadge... now there's a moniker to ponder.....
Buster Keaton was beyond amazing!
Excellent mini-doc on Buster Keaton. He was one of a kind, copied by many, never equaled, except maybe by Jackie Chan--and HE did many amazing stunts himself. Some of Keaton's falls and moves were truly terrifying. How he wasn't killed or crippled is beyond me. But he did it. He was that great.
Buster is the absolute champ bar none.
Fantastic documentary! As action packed as a Buster Keaton film should be. Wonderful pacing. Wasn't bored for a second.
Thank you!
First time I even heard of Buster Keaton was when l was in high school back in the seventies and my history teacher showed us The General in increments every day for a week, I was hooked. Buster Keaton is without a doubt the best silent era comedian hands down.
One of the greatest action hero’s ever in Hollywood …
Amazing documentary. We just lost Gerald Potterton in August 2022. He was a dear friend and I miss him terribly.
Yes I saw that and was so saddened!!! Potterton' made such an important historic document by having some of his thin crew film a documentary of the making of "The Railrodder" promotional film in '64, less than 2 yrs before Keaton died. His doing so allowed the legion of Buster fans & fellow artists to come to see (& hear!) the great master at work on something that used a brief touch of his genius, something otherwise lost to anyone not on set with him in the glory days when he still had some independence. A unique contribution for which all Busterphiles are profoundly grateful!!!
Buster Keaton is my favorite silent film star.
Awesomely excellent video; thank you very much for posting this compilation; I love Buster Keaton!!
As a life long fan of Buster Keaton this made me laugh out loud and got me all misty eyed.
Great to hear that!
"... and who the hell am I to tell him what to do?" Great last line for the documentary. Well done.
Thank you! Gerald Potterton, who is quoted here, passed away on August 23 of this year, unfortunately.
@@busterkeatonvk Feels like the bad ones go on forever and the good ones are falling away.
Just amazing.
I wish a worthy biopic was made on Keaton -one hell'va story!
Yes but who on earth could play him convincingly onscreen? And what production company would dare chance injuring their star by letting him perform even a fraction of Buster's most famous stunts? (And if CGI'd, who would want to see them?)
This was fantastic! Thank you for it!
I knew he was badass mo fo but this really highlights his insane tactics that stunt men today not be willing to do, and he owned the studio and was the leading man
This is gold! I love Buster Keaton! There is also the Twilight Zone episode Once Upon a Time that was written expressly for him. There aren't any dangerous stunts, but it does give another generation a glimpse into how great an actor this man was.
I remember him in A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To The Forum .
Amazing 👏 !! Keaton, greatest !!
Thanks for reminding me about Buster - what a guy!
Keaton was astounding.
A genuinely excellent video which does much more than run a bot voiceover with some old clips. Keaton was an extraordinary man.
During the initial run of the 1960s show "Burke's Law", Buster Keaton starred in one episode. True to form, he never uttered a word and never cracked a smile.
Very true, so cool and funny episode there
Beautiful narration and editing.
Fabulous video.
I’ve always been fascinated by Keaton’s stunts in his movies.
His movies are some of my favorites, period. So much fun to watch.
This is a truly wonderful history of Buster Keaton's work, and very thorough, too. Some of the details you show were new to me, and it was terrifically written, edited, and most of all voiced. Terrific work about one of the true stars of cinema, of any age.
Great video. Thanks, I really enjoyed it.
THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL - BUSTER KEATON ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ !!!!!!!!!!!
Wow! This was amazing and I learned so much!
I adored him! I was lucky enough to be a kid in the 60s and watched all his films, what an incredible talent he was.
Great video. Thanks especially for including the footage of Keaton later in life; I didn't realize he was active so long. And it make him even more amazing to know his talent wasn't confined to his younger days.
Oh yes, he was active up to the last days of his life - on TV, in ads, short industrial films, supporting roles and so on. Thank you!
Entering, concise, and very well written! Thank you
Loved this ... about to watch again. Thank you 👍
amazing video. thank you. thank you. thank you!
Great video .... very nicely narrated! Thank you :o)
Buster Keaton was one of the greatest actors ever, a very funny man that never got the recognition he deserved. If he hadn't of smoked and drank, he probably would have lived to be 100 years old or older! It was amazing what he could do and so perfectly timed!