Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

186

Gender

Male

Birthday

1887-03-22

Day of death

1933-06-29 (46 years old)

Place of Birth

Smith Center, Kansas, USA

Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle

Biography

Roscoe Arbuckle (March 24, 1887 - June 29, 1933), widely known to audiences as “Fatty” Arbuckle, was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked with Mabel Normand and Harold Lloyd as well as with his nephew, Al St. John. He also mentored Charlie Chaplin, Monty Banks and Bob Hope, and brought vaudeville star Buster Keaton into the movie business. Arbuckle was one of the most popular silent stars of the 1910s and one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood at the time. In one of the earliest Hollywood scandals, Arbuckle was the defendant in three widely publicized trials between November 1921 and April 1922 for the rape and manslaughter of actress Virginia Rappe. Rappe had fallen ill at a party hosted by Arbuckle at San Francisco's St. Francis Hotel in September 1921, and died four days later. A friend of Rappe accused Arbuckle of raping and accidentally killing her. The first two trials resulted in hung juries, but the third acquitted Arbuckle. The third jury took the unusual step of giving Arbuckle a written statement of apology for his treatment by the justice system. Despite Arbuckle's acquittal, the scandal largely halted his career and has mostly overshadowed his legacy as a pioneering comedian.

Known For

  • Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema

    Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema

  • How've You Bean?

    How've You Bean?

  • The Rounders

    The Rounders

  • Go West

    Go West

  • The Knockout

    The Knockout

  • Hollywood

    Hollywood

  • Fatty Again

    Fatty Again

  • Tango Tangles

    Tango Tangles

  • The Masquerader

    The Masquerader

  • Traveling Salesman

    Traveling Salesman

  • Professor Bean's Removal

    Professor Bean's Removal

  • A Bandit

    A Bandit

  • Buzzin' Around

    Buzzin' Around

  • The Riot

    The Riot

  • Out West

    Out West

  • Back Stage

    Back Stage

  • The Gangsters

    The Gangsters

  • Crazy Days

    Crazy Days

  • Oh, Doctor!

    Oh, Doctor!

  • The Cook

    The Cook

  • The Sheriff

    The Sheriff

  • My Stars

    My Stars

  • Coney Island

    Coney Island

  • Close Relations

    Close Relations

  • A Noise from the Deep

    A Noise from the Deep

  • Love

    Love

  • Hey, Pop!

    Hey, Pop!

  • Brewster's Millions

    Brewster's Millions

  • Moonshine

    Moonshine

  • Mabel’s Wilful Way

    Mabel’s Wilful Way

  • That Little Band Of Gold

    That Little Band Of Gold

  • The Speed Kings

    The Speed Kings

  • Days of Thrills and Laughter

    Days of Thrills and Laughter

  • Wished on Mabel

    Wished on Mabel

  • Peeping Pete

    Peeping Pete

  • The Chicken Chaser

    The Chicken Chaser

  • A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition

    A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition

  • The Butcher Boy

    The Butcher Boy

  • Some Nerve

    Some Nerve

  • The Sanitarium

    The Sanitarium

  • Leading Lizzie Astray

    Leading Lizzie Astray

  • Fatty’s Faithful Fido

    Fatty’s Faithful Fido

  • A Reckless Romeo

    A Reckless Romeo

  • The Rough House

    The Rough House

  • Fatty Joins the Force

    Fatty Joins the Force

  • Fatty’s Plucky Pup

    Fatty’s Plucky Pup

  • Wine

    Wine

  • Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life

    Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life

  • His Favorite Pastime

    His Favorite Pastime

  • Murphy's I.O.U.

    Murphy's I.O.U.

  • Fatty's New Role

    Fatty's New Role

  • The Late Lamented

    The Late Lamented

  • Fatty and Mabel Adrift

    Fatty and Mabel Adrift

  • Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition

    Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition

  • When Comedy Was King

    When Comedy Was King

  • The Bell Boy

    The Bell Boy

  • A Quiet Little Wedding

    A Quiet Little Wedding

  • Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts

    Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts

  • Love and Rubbish

    Love and Rubbish

  • A Country Hero

    A Country Hero

  • Those Country Kids

    Those Country Kids

  • Fatty and the Heiress

    Fatty and the Heiress

  • Fatty's Finish

    Fatty's Finish

  • Zip, the Dodger

    Zip, the Dodger

  • A Film Johnnie

    A Film Johnnie

  • Crazy to Marry

    Crazy to Marry

  • Fatty's Magic Pants

    Fatty's Magic Pants

  • The Round-Up

    The Round-Up

  • Happy Times and Jolly Moments

    Happy Times and Jolly Moments

  • Rebecca's Wedding Day

    Rebecca's Wedding Day

  • Stars of Yesterday

    Stars of Yesterday

  • Fatty’s Chance Acquaintance

    Fatty’s Chance Acquaintance

  • Fickle Fatty's Fall

    Fickle Fatty's Fall

  • Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day

    Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day

  • Mabel and Fatty’s Married Life

    Mabel and Fatty’s Married Life

  • Almost a Rescue

    Almost a Rescue

  • Mabel, Fatty and the Law

    Mabel, Fatty and the Law

  • Fatty at San Diego

    Fatty at San Diego

  • Mother's Boy

    Mother's Boy

  • The Alarm

    The Alarm

  • Safe in Jail

    Safe in Jail

  • The Baggage Smasher

    The Baggage Smasher

  • Lover's Luck

    Lover's Luck

  • In the Clutches of the Gang

    In the Clutches of the Gang

  • A Bath House Beauty

    A Bath House Beauty

  • An Incompetent Hero

    An Incompetent Hero

  • Fatty and the Broadway Stars

    Fatty and the Broadway Stars

  • Where Hazel Met the Villain

    Where Hazel Met the Villain

  • Fatty’s Reckless Fling

    Fatty’s Reckless Fling

  • Mabel's New Hero

    Mabel's New Hero

  • Fatty's Tintype Tangle

    Fatty's Tintype Tangle

  • A Ride for a Bride

    A Ride for a Bride

  • The Sky Pirate

    The Sky Pirate

  • Help! Help! Hydrophobia!

    Help! Help! Hydrophobia!

  • When Love Took Wings

    When Love Took Wings

  • That Minstrel Man

    That Minstrel Man

  • Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers

    Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers

  • The Fast Freight

    The Fast Freight

  • A Flirt's Mistake

    A Flirt's Mistake

  • Leap Year

    Leap Year

  • His Sister's Kids

    His Sister's Kids

  • Love and Bullets

    Love and Bullets

  • Good Night, Nurse!

    Good Night, Nurse!

  • Fatty's Jonah Day

    Fatty's Jonah Day

  • Ben's Kid

    Ben's Kid

  • Their Ups and Downs

    Their Ups and Downs

  • Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

    Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

  • The Woman Haters

    The Woman Haters

  • Two Old Tars

    Two Old Tars

  • The Life of the Party

    The Life of the Party

  • Bombs and Bangs

    Bombs and Bangs

  • The Other Man

    The Other Man

  • Tomalio

    Tomalio

  • Making It Pleasant for Him

    Making It Pleasant for Him

  • Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20)

    Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20)

  • Chaplin Today: 'The Gold Rush'

    Chaplin Today: 'The Gold Rush'

  • Love and Courage

    Love and Courage

  • He Did and He Didn’t

    He Did and He Didn’t

  • Alas! Poor Yorick!

    Alas! Poor Yorick!

  • When Dreams Come True

    When Dreams Come True

  • Bright Lights

    Bright Lights

  • The Telltale Light

    The Telltale Light

  • The Under-Sheriff

    The Under-Sheriff

  • Character Studies

    Character Studies

  • Fatty's Flirtation

    Fatty's Flirtation

  • Looking for Mabel Normand

    Looking for Mabel Normand

  • The Milk We Drink

    The Milk We Drink

  • The Little Teacher

    The Little Teacher

  • A Robust Romeo

    A Robust Romeo

  • A Misplaced Foot

    A Misplaced Foot

  • The Pullman Porter

    The Pullman Porter

  • The Waiters' Picnic

    The Waiters' Picnic

  • Listen Lena

    Listen Lena

  • His New Profession

    His New Profession

  • Gasoline Gus

    Gasoline Gus

  • The Gypsy Queen

    The Gypsy Queen

  • The Hayseed

    The Hayseed

  • In the Dough

    In the Dough

  • Fatty's Day Off

    Fatty's Day Off

  • The Chaplin Puzzle

    The Chaplin Puzzle

  • Hogan's Romance Upset

    Hogan's Romance Upset

  • Shotguns That Kick

    Shotguns That Kick

  • The Water Dog

    The Water Dog

  • Twixt Love and Fire

    Twixt Love and Fire

  • Mabel's Dramatic Career

    Mabel's Dramatic Career

  • Passions, He Had Three

    Passions, He Had Three

  • The Garage

    The Garage

  • His Wife's Mistakes

    His Wife's Mistakes

  • Fatty's Wine Party

    Fatty's Wine Party

  • The Waiters' Ball

    The Waiters' Ball

  • A Rowboat Romance

    A Rowboat Romance

  • A Brand New Hero

    A Brand New Hero

  • For the Love of Mabel

    For the Love of Mabel

  • His Wedding Night

    His Wedding Night

  • Fatty's Gift

    Fatty's Gift

  • Mrs. Jones' Birthday

    Mrs. Jones' Birthday

  • Rastus and the Game Cock

    Rastus and the Game Cock

  • A Desert Hero

    A Desert Hero

  • The Dollar-a-Year Man

    The Dollar-a-Year Man

  • Lovers' Post Office

    Lovers' Post Office

  • Barnyard Flirtations

    Barnyard Flirtations

  • Camping Out

    Camping Out

  • Murders of Hollywood

    Murders of Hollywood

  • Fatty's Wild Night

    Fatty's Wild Night

  • Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume One

    Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume One

  • Buster Keaton The Shorts Collection 1917-1923

    Buster Keaton The Shorts Collection 1917-1923

  • The Sea Nymphs

    The Sea Nymphs

  • He Would a Hunting Go

    He Would a Hunting Go

  • A Small Time Act

    A Small Time Act

  • Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume Two

    Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume Two

  • The Fatal Taxicab

    The Fatal Taxicab

  • A Creampuff Romance

    A Creampuff Romance

  • A Suspended Ordeal

    A Suspended Ordeal

  • Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco

    Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco

  • Fatty and Minnie He-Haw

    Fatty and Minnie He-Haw

  • A Voice from the Deep

    A Voice from the Deep

  • How Old Are You?

    How Old Are You?

  • A Rural Demon

    A Rural Demon

  • A Scrap of Paper

    A Scrap of Paper

  • Those Happy Days

    Those Happy Days

  • A Village Scandal

    A Village Scandal

  • Our Country Cousin

    Our Country Cousin

  • Fatty's Debut

    Fatty's Debut

  • Caught in a Flue

    Caught in a Flue

  • So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM

    So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM

  • The Bank Clerk

    The Bank Clerk