Roscoe Arbuckle |
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Roscoe Arbuckle Biography |
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Roscoe Conkling Arbuckle, also known as Fatty Arbuckle (March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933), was an American silent film comedian, director, and screenwriter. Arbuckle is noted as one of the most popular actors of his era, but he is best remembered for a heavily publicized criminal prosecution that ended his career. Although he was acquitted by a jury with a written apology, the trial`s scandal ruined the actor, who would not appear on screen again for another 10 years.
His friends never referred to him as Fatty. Biography Credit: /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_Arbuckle |
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Trivia In 1924, he hired Bob Hope as a "cheap act" for his traveling vaudeville show. After seeing Hope perform at the Bandbox Theater in Cleveland, Arbuckle sensed he would be a major star if he just had the right break. He contacted some friends in Los Angeles and instructed Hope to do the same. Hope eventually followed his advice and headed west.
Began his career as an entertainer in vaudeville at the age of 12 in order to survive, after his mother died and his alcoholic father had abandoned him.
Once owned a quarry in southern California. Two months after he sold it, oil was discovered on the property.
Salary in 1921, $1,000,000.
Although he divorced his first wife Minta Durfee in 1925, they did in fact separate as early as in 1917.
Arbuckle is the only person to have the three top silent film comedians, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd appear in supporting roles in his films; Chaplin assists Arbuckle in The Knockout (1914) Lloyd is his co-star in Miss Fatty`s Seaside Lovers (1915) and Keaton supported him in at least 14 shorts.
Joined Keystone as a Keystone Kop in 1913.
It the subject of the novel "I, Fatty" by Jerry Stahl.
Started his movie career in 1909 with the Selig Polyscope Company.
Met Buster Keaton accidentally one day while strolling down Broadway in New York City with vaudeville veteran Lou Anger. Anger, who was an old stage acquaintance of Keaton`s, introduced them. Arbuckle immediately invited Keaton to visit the Colony Studio where he was about start a series of two-reel comedies for Joseph M. Schenck. The famous duo was thusly formed.
Some filmographies credit him as co-director of the film Sherlock Jr. (1924). The confusion comes from the fact that Buster Keaton did originally hope to have Arbuckle work as his co-director on the film, but ultimately Arbuckle was still too depressed over the scandal that had nearly ended his career three years earlier, and had become difficult to work with, so Keaton went ahead as the sole director of the film. The claim that Arbuckle was a co-director on the film was substantiated by Minta Durfee; however, her claims lose credibility when she also stated that Arbuckle was the sole screenwriter of the film. The script was definitely written by Joseph A. Mitchell, Jean C. Havez and Clyde Bruckman, Keaton`s usual team of gag-men from this era. Historians agree there is no credibility to the claim that Arbuckle ever directed so much as a frame of the movie.
It was written in his contract that his weight remain above 250 pounds and that he would be given a healthy yearly bonus if he exceeded that by 50 to 100 pounds. During his career he kept it well over 300.
The legend that his box office clout faltered after the scandal is not entirely true. Actually his films were making just as much money as they had been before the scandal, the problem was that with all the scathing headlines about him, studios were reluctant about putting him under contract and so he had problems getting work.
A screenplay about his life floated around Hollywood for years but never got sold. At one point John Belushi was considered for the part, then John Candy, then Chris Farley. All three died suddenly and the script has been shelved indefinitely.
He was the very first actor to be paid a million dollars a year.
An excellent breakdown of the rape/murder scandal is "Frame-Up!: the Untold Story of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle", by Andy Edmonds.
It is often reported that Arbuckle`s career as an actor ended with the rape trials and that he died forgotten. In fact, Arbuckle was in the midst of starring in a series of successful shorts and was on his way back up when he died.
Uncle of Al St. John
Cousin of actor Andrew Arbuckle and actor/writer Macklyn Arbuckle.
Was tried three times for rape and manslaughter of Virginia Rappe. The first trial (November 14-December 4, 1921) ended with the jury deadlocked 10 to 2 in favor of acquittal. The second trial (January 11-February 3, 1922) also ended in a hung jury; this time the majority had ruled against Roscoe - 10 to 2 for conviction. The third trial (March 13-April 12, 1922) finally ended with an acquittal after the jury deliberated for less than 5 minutes compared with 43 hours straight in the first trial and 44 hours in the second trial.
Weighed 300 pounds.
After his career was ruined, Buster Keaton personally supported him as repayment for giving him his break into film.
Directed under the name William Goodrich.
Obese comic actor whose career was ended by a scandal.
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