Roscoe Arbuckle

Born: 1887-03-22 in Smith Center, Kansas, USA

Died: 1933-06-29

Known For: Acting

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.

Filmography

2015

Looking for Mabel Normand as Self (archive footage)

2009

The Parrott Chase as (archive footage) (uncredited)

2007

Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema as Self (archive footage)

2006

Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts as (archive footage)

2004

So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM as Self (archive footage)

2003

Murders of Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
Chaplin Today: The Gold Rush as Self (archive footage)

2001

Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume One as Various
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume Two as Various

1995

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies as Self (archive footage)
The Casting Couch

1992

The Chaplin Puzzle as (archive footage)

1988

Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies as (archive footage) (uncredited)

1962

Crazy Days as Various (archive footage) (uncredited)

1961

Days of Thrills and Laughter as Self (archive footage)

1960

When Comedy Was King as edited from 'Fatty & Mabel Adrift' (archive footage)

1943

Happy Times and Jolly Moments as (archive footage)

1933

Tomalio as Wilbur
In the Dough as Slim
Buzzin' Around as Cornelius
How've You Bean?
Close Relations as Wilbur Wart

1932

Keep Laughing ... (Director)
Bridge Wives ... (Director)
Hollywood Luck ... (Director)
Anybody's Goat ... (Director)
Moonlight and Cactus ... (Director)
It's a Cinch ... (Director)
Hey, Pop! as Fatty
Niagara Falls ... (Director)
Mother's Holiday ... (Director)
Hollywood Lights ... (Director)
Gigolettes ... (Director)

1931

Marriage Rows ... (Director)
That's My Line ... (Director)
Three Hollywood Girls ... (Director)
The Lure of Hollywood ... (Director)
Idle Roomers ... (Director)
Smart Work ... (Director)
Pete and Repeat ... (Director)
Queenie of Hollywood ... (Director)
The Back Page ... (Director)
The Tamale Vendor ... (Director)
Up Pops the Duke ... (Director)
Windy Riley Goes Hollywood ... (Director)
That's My Meat ... (Director)
Once a Hero ... (Director)
Ex-Plumber ... (Director)
One Quiet Night ... (Director)
Take 'em and Shake 'em ... (Director)
Crashing Hollywood ... (Director)
Honeymoon Trio ... (Director)
Beach Pajamas ... (Director)
Stars of Yesterday as Self

1930

The Cuckoos ... (Writer)
Up a Tree ... (Director)
Won by a Neck ... (Director)
Si Si Senor ... (Director)

1927

Character Studies as Self (uncredited)
Special Delivery ... (Director)
The Red Mill ... (Director)
Listen Lena as Fat man with strategically covered face (unconfirmed)
Peaceful Oscar ... (Director)

1926

My Stars as Mailman (uncredited)
Home Cured ... (Director)
One Sunday Morning ... (Director)
His Private Life ... (Writer)
Fool's Luck ... (Director)

1925

The Movies ... (Director)
The Tourist ... (Director)
Go West as Woman in Department Store (uncredited)
Cleaning Up ... (Director)
Dynamite Doggie ... (Writer)
Curses ... (Director)
The Fighting Dude ... (Director)
The Iron Mule ... (Director)

1924

Lovemania ... (Director)
His First Car ... (Director)
Leap Year as Stanley Piper
Stupid, but Brave ... (Director)

1923

Hollywood as Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
No Loafing ... (Director)

1922

Special Delivery ... (Director)
Day Dreams ... (Story)
The Fast Freight as Ras Berry

1921

Gasoline Gus as Gasoline Gus
Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20) as Himself
Brewster's Millions as Monte Brewster
Traveling Salesman as Bob Blake
Crazy to Marry as Dr. Hobart Hupp
The Dollar-a-Year Man as Franklin Pinney

1920

The Life of the Party as Algernon Leary (as Roscoe Arbuckle)
The Garage as Mechanic / Fireman
The Round-Up as Slim Hoover

1919

Love as Fatty
The Hayseed as Mailman
A Desert Hero as The Sheriff, the Desert Hero
The Pullman Porter
Back Stage as Stagehand
The Bank Clerk
Camping Out

1918

Good Night, Nurse! as Fatty
The Cook as The Chef
The Bell Boy as Bellboy, barber
Moonshine as Revenue Agent
Out West as Train Rider, Bartender
A Scrap of Paper as Fatty
The Sheriff as Cook

1917

Oh, Doctor! as Dr. Fatty Holepoke
The Butcher Boy as Fatty / Saccharine
The Rough House as Mr. Rough
His Wedding Night as Gas station employee
Coney Island as Fatty
A Country Hero as Village Blacksmith
A Reckless Romeo as The Husband
The Late Lamented as Cameo Appearance (unconfirmed)

1916

He Did and He Didn’t as The Doctor
A Creampuff Romance as Fatty
His Wife's Mistakes as The Janitor
Bright Lights as Fatty
The Waiters' Ball as The Cook
Fatty and Mabel Adrift as Fatty
The Other Man as Fatty the Tramp (dual role)

1915

Fatty’s Faithful Fido as Fatty
Fatty’s Plucky Pup as Fatty
Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day as Fatty
Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition as Fatty
Hogan's Romance Upset as Fight Spectator
Fatty's Tintype Tangle as Fatty
That Little Band Of Gold as Fatty - the Husband
A Village Scandal as Eddie - the Country Boy
Wished on Mabel as Fatty
Mabel and Fatty’s Married Life as Fatty
Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life as Roscoe
Fickle Fatty's Fall as Fatty
Fatty's New Role as Fatty
Mabel, Fatty and the Law as Fatty
When Love Took Wings as Reckless Fatty
A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition as Himself
Fatty and the Broadway Stars as Fatty - Studio Janitor
Fatty’s Reckless Fling as Fatty
Mabel’s Wilful Way as Fatty
Fatty’s Chance Acquaintance as Fatty
Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers as Finnegan's Daughter
Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco as Himself
The Little Teacher as Fat Unruly Student

1914

The Alarm
A Rural Demon
Making a Living as Tough Guy (uncredited)
Those Country Kids as Fatty
The Rounders as Mr. Fuller
The Masquerader as Film actor
Tango Tangles as Clarinetist
Love and Bullets as Film Actor (uncredited)
The Under-Sheriff as The Under-Sheriff
Fatty's Wine Party as Fatty
The Sky Pirate as The Heiress
A Flirt's Mistake as Husband (uncredited)
A Film Johnnie as Self
The Knockout as Pug (uncredited)
A Brand New Hero as The Tramp
Fatty's Magic Pants as Fatty
In the Clutches of the Gang as Cop
A Bath House Beauty as Fatty
An Incompetent Hero as Fatty
Fatty and Minnie He-Haw as Fatty
Barnyard Flirtations as The Cop
Lover's Luck as Fatty
Their Ups and Downs as Fatty
Caught in a Flue as (unconfirmed)
A Rowboat Romance as (unconfirmed)
Fatty's Debut as Fatty
Zip, the Dodger as Zip
A Suspended Ordeal as The Cop
Where Hazel Met the Villain as Fatty
A Robust Romeo as Fatty
The Chicken Chaser as The Hired Man
The Sea Nymphs as Fatty
Fatty's Jonah Day as Fatty
Rebecca's Wedding Day as Rebecca
Shotguns That Kick as Fatty
Twixt Love and Fire as The Iceman
Bombs and Bangs as The Farmer's Daughter
Those Happy Days as Fatty
The Baggage Smasher as (unconfirmed)
Leading Lizzie Astray as Fatty
Lovers' Post Office as Fatty
His Favorite Pastime as Shabby Drunk
A Misplaced Foot as Fatty
His New Profession as Bartender Smoking Cigar
The Water Dog as Fatty
Our Country Cousin as The Country Boy (unconfirmed)
Fatty's Finish as Fatty
Fatty and the Heiress as Fatty
How Old Are You?
Fatty's Gift as Fatty
Fatty's Wild Night
That Minstrel Man as Belle
Fatty Again as Fatty Felix

1913

Peeping Pete as Pete's Wife
Wine as The Waiter
Love and Rubbish as Fat Boy
Alas! Poor Yorick! as Player in Female Costume
Fatty Joins the Force as Fatty
Fatty at San Diego as Fatty
His Sister's Kids as Dr. J. Jacobs
Rastus and the Game Cock as Spectator
When Dreams Come True as The Man
A Quiet Little Wedding as Fatty
Two Old Tars as First Old Tar
Safe in Jail as Neighbor Woman
Mabel's Dramatic Career as Man in Audience
Fatty's Flirtation as Fatty
Passions, He Had Three as Henry
The Speed Kings as Masher
The Gangsters as Cop
A Small Time Act as Theatre Owner
The Waiters' Picnic as Oscar - the Waiter
A Ride for a Bride as Fatty
The Riot as Cohen - Jewish Neighborhood Leader
For the Love of Mabel as Suitor
Help! Help! Hydrophobia! as Jim Brown
Mabel's New Hero as Fatty
Fatty's Day Off as Fatty
A Noise from the Deep as Bob
Professor Bean's Removal as Man with Moustache
The Woman Haters as 1st Old Tar
A Bandit as Bully
The Gypsy Queen as Fatty
Murphy's I.O.U. as (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Almost a Rescue as Jimmie
The Fatal Taxicab as Mabel's Sweetheart
Love and Courage as The Country Boy
He Would a Hunting Go as Count Chicori
Some Nerve as The Jealous Man
Mother's Boy as Mother's Boy
The Telltale Light as Tom aka Fatty
The Milk We Drink as The Dairy Farmer