Fred Gabourie

Fred Gabourie (October 5th, 1922 – July 12th, 2017)[1] was a technical director for silent films.

Gabourie was born in Tweed, Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Seneca Indian tribe.[1] He served in the Spanish–American War.[2]

He worked primarily for Buster Keaton, figuring out how to make Keaton's innovative stunts work. As one author put it, "Fred Gabourie had the most interesting job in the world: He solved problems for Buster Keaton."[3] As technical director, he was responsible for set design, construction, props management, and location scouting.[3] During this time, he designed the electric house in The Electric House, which featured an automated staircase, library, swimming pool, and dining room.[4] He located and purchased the ship for The Navigator. Only after Gabourie found the ship and suggested to Keaton that it would be a great prop to build a movie around did Keaton and his staff come up with a script.[5] Gabourie also worked out how to accomplish the famous stunt in Steamboat Bill, Jr. in which the front of a house (weighing two tons) falls on Keaton without harming him.[6]

Keaton and Gabourie, working with an architect, co-designed Keaton's lavish Beverly Hills mansion, eventually called the Italian Villa.[7]

Gabourie was also responsible for the ships in the silent version of The Sea Hawk.[1]

Gabourie went to MGM with Keaton but worked on just one picture with him (The Cameraman) before MGM promoted him to construction superintendent, a position he held until he died.[8]

Gabourie's son, Fred Gabourie Jr., played some small parts in film and on TV, but eventually became a judge.[9]

Notes
  1. "Fred Gabourie (I)". IMDb. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  2. Foote 2014, p. 197.
  3. Foote 2014, p. 182.
  4. Blesh 1966, pp. 155-156.
  5. Blesh 1966, pp. 251-252.
  6. Blesh 1966, p. 290.
  7. Sainte-Claire, Victoria. "PARLOR, BEDROOM AND BATH: Inside the Italian Villa". Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  8. Meade 1995, p. 401.
  9. "Fred Gabourie (II)". IMDb.

Bibliography

Blesh, Rudi (1966). Keaton. New York: The MacMillan Company.

Foote, Lisle (2014). Buster Keaton's Crew: The Team Behind His Silent Films. McFarland & Company.

Meade, Marion (1995). Buster Keaton: Cut to the Chase. HarperCollins.

Further reading
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