Forgotten genius of the silent comedy world
Anyone who knows Hollywood history has heard the sad story of comedian Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. His dramatic fall from grace in September 1921, from the heights of silent comedy success to the depths of despair, became one of the first highly publicized Hollywood scandals.
Arbuckle had achieved immense stardom working in silent films, often in tandem with fellow comedian and close friend, Buster Keaton. His films were wildly popular and his salary among the highest of any star of that era. Along the way, Fatty met and married the lovely young actress, Minta Durfee, though they had separated shortly before that fateful day, September 5, 1921.
Arbuckle fell victim to one of life’s cruelest blows, was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and managed to become entangled in the definitive scandal of the year. It was a horrible twist of fate that night…
September 5th, 1921, St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco
One unfortunate late summer day, Fatty Arbuckle checked into suites 1219, 1220 and 1221 for what he thought would be a well-deserved weekend of relaxation. What followed came to be known as the “Fatty Arbuckle Affair,” would quickly ruin his career and eventually bankrupt him.
Being at the top of the Hollywood heap came with a lot of work. Fatty had just completed several films, was exhausted from the grueling schedule, and needed some rest. Yet, success also affords a star a certain degree of privilege, something surely on Fatty’s mind when he had a friend acquire some bootleg “hooch.” Like most Americans, except for the WCTU – Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, the comedy superstar conveniently forgot the recently passed National Prohibition or Volstead Act.
A party ensued, and at that affair was a young woman named Virginia Rappé. As the record states, Miss Rappé, who by varying accounts was either an aspiring starlet or a professional escort, took violently ill. According to reports from witnesses in the Arbuckle suites, she was initially found in the bathroom huddled over a toilet bowl, later transferred to Fatty’s bed, then reportedly dunked in a bathtub full of ice to “cool her off.” Miss Rappé was eventually taken to a local hospital, where she soon succumbed to her malaise. Her autopsy and the subsequent death certificate determined that peritonitis was the cause of death, exacerbated by a ruptured bladder.
One Maude Delmont, a significantly older woman who had accompanied Miss Rappé to the St. Francis, later claimed that Fatty Arbuckle had “violated” her friend, causing said injuries. As star witness for the prosecution, Delmont was later determined to be of such questionable character that she was never called to testify at any of the three Arbuckle trials.
Media speculation about Virginia Rappé and Maude Delmont was rampant with accusations and conjecture, like Miss Rappé’s alleged history of promiscuity, venereal disease, and illegal abortions. Another favorite subject of media blabber was Miss Delmont’s lurid arrest history, reportedly for extortion and running a house of ill repute (buzz word of the day for madame).
For all the intricacies of the Arbuckle affair and its series of three courtroom dramas, please refer to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, for a remarkably precise account. There is a wealth of information available from other sources, as well.
Ultimately, Fatty Arbuckle, despite the allegations made by Maude Delmont, was found not guilty by a jury of his peers, which also took the unprecedented step of issuing a formal apology to the defendant.
Yet after the affair, Fatty’s career was a total disaster. Estranged wife, Minta Durfee, with whom he had reconciled and who stood loyally by his side throughout the trial, divorced him in 1925. Fatty eventually remarried but his friends, other than Buster Keaton, were conspicuously absent.
Mercifully, the end was quick. On June 29, 1933, Fatty died in his sleep from a massive heart attack. In the weeks before his death, his future was looking brighter, and he had a contract with Warner Brothers for a feature length film. He had also just celebrated his one-year wedding anniversary with Addie McPhail.
Completely unaware of what his final verdict from history would be, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle left behind a treasure trove of comedies like 1917’s “The Butcher Boy,” and 1918’s “The Cook.” Both comic masterpieces can be found on YouTube.
Enjoy this master’s work.