The film stars Donald O'Connor, Ann Blyth, Rhonda Fleming, Peter Lorre, Larry Keating and Jackie Coogan.

But Gloria recognizes his talent and recommends him to studio head Larry Winters, who offers him a contract.

As his comic talent becomes more apparent and his fame and money-making power grows, he is offered a contract to direct and star in his own silent films.

He does in “The Gambler”, which is released at the same time as Al Jolson’s blockbuster talkie, “The Jazz Singer”, reducing public interest in it.

He pursues a silent film star throughout his early career, Peggy Courtney, who sneers at his boarding-house manners and eventually marries a European Duke in order to become a Duchess.

Things thaw between them; Buster has been offered a small part in a talking film by director Kurt Bergner.

Buster quits the film in anger as he is not allowed enough screen time to develop any of his famous comedy routines.

When he returns home, Gloria mistakes his elation from having made the children laugh for having gotten the motion picture part.