Inside History on Instagram: "Buster Keaton carried out one of his most nerve-racking stunts by standing directly in front of a moving train and calmly clearing debris from the tracks. In The General (1926), the locomotive barrels toward him as he casually tosses railroad ties and other obstacles aside at the very last second. There were no special effects, no trick photography, and no safety nets. A single slip or mistimed move could have been fatal. The scene perfectly showcases Keaton’s geniu

Explaining on Instagram: "Follow (us) @Explaining to Learn something NEW every day 🧠💫 Buster Keaton performed one of his most nerve-wracking stunts by standing directly in front of a moving train and calmly clearing debris off the tracks. 🎬😳 In The General (1926), the train rolls toward him as he casually tosses railroad ties and obstacles aside at the last possible second. There were no special effects, no trick photography, and no safety backups. If he slipped or mistimed a move, the conse

Horrifying History on Instagram: "In the fall of 1926, during the production of Buster Keaton’s silent film masterpiece The General, one of the most expensive and dangerous practical stunts in cinema history was executed. The scene required a real locomotive to crash through a burning trestle bridge and plunge into the water below. Keaton’s crew located a suitable site on the Oregon, Pacific and Eastern Railway near Cottage Grove, Oregon. They constructed a timber trestle bridge over the Row Riv