Buster Keaton as "Malec" in France?

[oldposterho]

Does anybody know the story about Buster Keaton being called "Malec" and Al St. John as "Picratt" in France? Is there a date range for when this was going on?

Scored a poster for Arbuckle's The Cook and am trying to zero in on when it's actually from. I've always thought the Super-Film Paris company dealt in re-releases but it does have the Malec and Picratt names credited which makes me think it might be earlier than I think.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, tia.

[Tommie Hicks]

There is a French print of Al St.John's Educational/Reel Comedy short HIS FIRST CAR which was released in 1924 in which he and his wife are named "Mr. and Mrs Picrat".

Walter Kerr stated that "Malec" translated is "the hole in the donut."

[oldposterho]

That's what I'm thinking - early to mid-'20s. I was able to find a vague reference and if my tourist French was correct it does seem like the names were bestowed on St. John and Keaton by Super-Film. I do wonder if they were ever credited as themselves in the 'teens or if like "Charlot" they only had their French name. Fatty did seem to be able to keep his stage name, perhaps it was universal enough that they didn't feel compelled to change it.