The films of Buster Keaton (1895-1966) were a familiar sight at the Loew’s Yonge St. Theatre and other downtown palaces.

Shortly before his death in 1965 — just as his silent films were being re-discovered by a new generation of film fans thanks to the efforts of film preservationists like Raymond Rohauer — he made his final silent film, The Railrodder, for the NFB. He then came to Toronto for The Scribe, an industrial short for the Construction Safety Association of Ontario. Helming the project was John Sebert, noted photographer and author of The Nabes, a book about Toronto movie-houses.

As a first-time director, Sebert was in awe of Keaton. Unlike the suits at MGM, he let the great Stone-Face loose: “You didn’t direct Buster too much,” he said to Marion Meade in her biography of Keaton.

Although 70 years old at the time, Keaton still performed his own stunts, although they relied more on timing than physical strength.

Sebert was also shocked to see Keaton smoking multiple packs of cigarettes per day. “He always had a cigarette in his hand,” he told Meade. “Then he’d go into these coughing fits that lasted four or five minutes. The racking that poor guy went through was terrible.”

Below is a roundup of Toronto Star advertisements of Buster Keaton’s films. Scroll over the thumbnail to learn the showdates.