The Keystone Kid: Tales of Early Hollywood [Paperback]

Coy Watson Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2001

Coy Watson, Jr., made his motion picture debut in 1912 when he was nine months old. Before he could walk or talk, Watson had appeared in several of Mack Sennett’s popular “Keystone Cop” comedies, earning him the nickname “Keystone Kid.” From 1912 to 1930, Watson acted in over 60 movies, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Puttin’ on the Ritz, I’m No Angel, and State’s Attorney. Here Watson shares his beautiful memories of the early days of Hollywood and of being raised as a member of “the First Family of Hollywood.” Watson and his five brothers and three sisters were featured in over one thousand movies, and their father acted alongside the biggest stars of popular Westerns before becoming the first special effects man—and the first animal trainer—in Hollywood. Watson’s marvelous tales are illustrated with several hundred photographs featuring behind-the-scenes images of such movie stars and directors as Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Jackie Coogan, Fatty Arbuckle, Lon Chaney, John Barrymore, D. W. Griffith, King Vidor, and Frank Capra.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A beautiful reminiscence that is extremely satisfying and entertaining. -- John Burke, Host, American Movie Classics

A charming memoir...the photos alone are worth the price of the book. -- Kevin Brownlow, Director & Film Historian

The stories have the ring of truth, and his storytelling, the wid-eyed wonder of youth. -- Bob Mondello, National Public Radio

The stories have the ring of truth, and the storytelling, the wide-eyed wonder of youth. -- Bob Mondello, National Public Radio

What a wonderful slice of Hollywood history! -- Leonard Maltin, Entertainment Tonight

You'll never get a more vivid description of what wen on behind studio walls. -- Johnny Grant, The Honorary Mayor of Hollywood

a wonderful slice of Hollywood history! It's high time the story of the watson clan was put into book form. -- Leonard Maltin, Entertainment Tonight

About the Author

Coy Watson, Jr., grew up in what is now known as Hollywood and appeared in more than 60 movies. He later went on to become a noted news photographer and television producer and introduced many film stars to television on his “Hollywood Reel” series. He lives in Alpine, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Santa Monica Press (November 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891661213
• ISBN-13: 978-1891661211
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #352,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For students and enthusiasts of early movies, January 13, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Keystone Kid: Tales of Early Hollywood (Paperback)

The Keystone Kid: Tales Of Early Hollywood is the personal autobiography and fascinating memoir of Coy Watson, Jr. Coy was Hollywood's first authentic child star, who started appearing in the popular "Keystone Cop" comedies before he could walk or talk. Black-and-white photographs add images and reminiscence to the warm, thoughtful, memories detailed on the pages. Within these pages are wonderful anecdotes of such "birth of Hollywood" greats as Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Fatty Arbuckle, Lon Chaney, Gloria Swanson, Tom Mix, Mabel Normand, Jackie Coggan, the Keystone Cops, Mack Swain, Lillan Gish, William S. Campbell, Mack Sennett, D.W. Griffith, King Vidor, Frank Capra, and others. The Keystone Kid is enthusiastically recommended reading for students and enthusiasts of early movies, cinema history, and especially for fans of Coy Watson, Jr.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Picture of Early Hollywood, September 27, 2002

By 

CJS (Hagerstown, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Keystone Kid: Tales of Early Hollywood (Paperback)

Coy Watson's story of early Hollywood provides an excellent picture of what life was like when the movies were being born. Watson is part of the famed Watson family (Dad worked for the studios and even rigged Fairbanks flying carpet and all the kids had parts in the early films - the most famous Watson is brother Bobs who appeared in Boys Town as Pee Wee and On Borrowed Time as Pud). This book lets you know how informal things were in the early days of Hollywood and how films were made before the studios were taken over by the moguls. It is a great history of early Hollywood.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Trip Down Memory Lane, May 22, 2010

By 

Barbara (Burkowsky) Underwood (Tumut, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Keystone Kid: Tales of Early Hollywood (Paperback)

I came across this book by chance, at first finding its large size and many photos appealing, and then I found it fun and easy to read as well. As I read through the pages, it gradually dawned on me what an important and special book this actually is, and that reading it had given me something beautiful, special and very positive. This story of one man's life is so much more than an autobiography, a collection of memories and a `who's who' of early Hollywood. Reading Coy Watson Jr.'s life story transports you back in time and makes the people, places and events very real, almost as if they had become part of your own history. Perhaps this is due to the informal style of writing, as well as the personal memories and feelings he expressed in between accounts of working with big names in Hollywood and how his father worked on the sets of famous silent movies. Genuine warmth and passion radiate from the pages and infect the reader, even if he or she is not a great fan of Mack Sennett and the Keystone Cops comedies. In fact, the passion is for life and everything good and happy life has to offer, and it was only circumstances that led to Coy Watson Jr growing up next-door to Mack Sennett's early film studio, watching the first slapstick and action-packed comedies in the making, and learning about the film industry along the way.

The reader can glean many other things from this book besides some early Hollywood names, such as what people and the way of life was in the early 1900s. Personal accounts and some insights into behind-the-scenes events on the sets of famous actors and movies are exciting to read for any film buff, and the down-to-earth style in which Coy relives his fond memories arouses deeper feelings of nostalgia, making the reader feel exactly what Coy expressed near the end of his story, namely that with the coming of sound, the happy, fun and carefree days of movie-making were over - and would never return. This is one of the things that makes "The Keystone Kid" a gem of a book, giving readers a glimpse into a life and times gone by.

Some of the highlights for silent film enthusiasts are the descriptions of Coy Watson Sr.'s pioneering work in using piano wire to create all kinds of stunts and tricks - from Mack Sennett's Keystone comedies to the prestigious Douglas Fairbanks movies, "The Thief of Bagdad" and "The Black Pirate". Earlier memories relate Coy's father working with the great Western film star, Tom Mix, and what happened off camera with horses and extras. Coy Jr himself worked in movies since early childhood, working with stars such as Jackie Coogan, Mary Pickford, Marion Davies, Ronald Colman, William Haines and Hobart Bosworth. After reading his life story which is divided into subheadings of years in chronological order - each page beautifully laid out, I might add - there is a section devoted to his best films, all with at least two nice and large pictures. Although the pictures are all non-glossy black and white, I suspect there are quite a few rare and special ones among them, as well as other memorabilia film historians and fans alike would enjoy. Throughout the book, there is at least one picture on each page, many from Coy's private collection, which all add to making this book feel like a personal encounter with a person, a life and a time that once was. A book worth reading and putting in a special place.