The story was based on a true incident, described in William Pittenger’s The Great Locomotive Chase.  Disney made its own version of the story in 1956, using this title.

Although now regarded as one of the finest comedies ever put to film, and despite being Keaton’s own favourite of his films, The General was a flop on release.  Critical comments included: ‘long and slow’, and ‘a pretty trite and stodgy piece of screen craft’!

Supposedly a forest fire was caused during filming, due to Keaton’s insistence that wood be used as fuel for the train.  Also, supposedly, the locomotive which crashes over the ravine remains there to this day.

Joseph Francis Keaton was nicknamed ‘Buster’ by no less than Harry Houdini, after seeing him survive a fall as a baby.