Deadpan vaudeville days, Buster Keaton developed his deadpan expression. Keaton realized that audiences responded better to his stony expression than when he smiled, and he carried this style into his silent film career. The 1980 film "Airplane!" was performed almost entirely in deadpan. Many popular American sitcoms use deadpan expressions to deliver dry humor, including "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Arrested Development", and "My Name Is Earl". More recent examples are Andre Braugher as Captain Raymond Holt from the TV show "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", Jennette McCurdy as Sam Puckett in "iCarly", and Louis C.K. in "Louie". Another example is the comedy of Steven Wright.
Frank Erlanger Frank Erlanger Frank Erlanger (March 25, 1882 – 1961), also credited as Frank A. Erlanger or Frank Charles Erlanger was a Hungarian-American silent film actor best known for his work with the Balboa Amusement Producing Company. The Erlangers were a well-established Hungarian family living in what was then Austria-Hungary. Frank's father, Ottmar, was a colonel in the 7th Regiment of the Imperial and Royal Hussars. His mother, Theresia de Retsky, was an actress. The family originally resided in Budapest but relocated to Vienna before or after Frank's birth. While Frank's family, including sister Elizabeth, remained there, he was sent to