Steamboat Bill, Jr. Bill, Jr." McQueen stands in Keaton's place as a house facade falls over him. This film was shot from multiple angles, and the scene repeats over and over again while McQueen stands seemingly unaffected. Steamboat Bill, Jr. Steamboat Bill, Jr. is a 1928 silent comedy film starring Buster Keaton. Released by United Artists, the film is the last product of Keaton's independent production team and set of gag writers. It was not a box-office success and became the last picture Keaton made for United Artists. Keaton ended up moving to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer where he made one last film in his trademark
Mickey Mouse being they were still employed by Disney. This short would be the last they animated under this somewhat awkward situation. Mickey was first seen in a test screening of the cartoon short "Plane Crazy", on May 15, 1928, but it failed to impress the audience and, to add insult to injury, Walt could not find a distributor. Though understandably disappointed, Walt went on to produce a second Mickey short, "The Gallopin' Gaucho", which was also not released for lack of a distributor. "Steamboat Willie" was first released on November 18, 1928, in New York. It was co-directed by Walt Disney