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)

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 (archive footage) (uncredited)

1943

Happy Times and Jolly Moments as (archive footage)

1933

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

1932

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

1931

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

1930

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

1927

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

1926

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

1925

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

Day Dreams ... (Story)
Special Delivery ... (Director)
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 Round-Up as Slim Hoover
The Life of the Party as Algernon Leary (as Roscoe Arbuckle)
The Garage as Mechanic / Fireman

1919

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

1918

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

1917

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

1916

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

1915

A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition as Himself
Wished on Mabel as Fatty
Fatty's Tintype Tangle as Fatty
Fatty’s Faithful Fido as Fatty
Fatty’s Plucky Pup as Fatty
Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition as Fatty
Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day as Fatty
Hogan's Romance Upset as Fight Spectator
A Village Scandal as Eddie - the Country Boy
Fatty's New Role as Fatty
Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life as Roscoe
That Little Band Of Gold as Fatty - the Husband
Mabel and Fatty’s Married Life as Fatty
Fatty and the Broadway Stars as Fatty - Studio Janitor
Mabel, Fatty and the Law as Fatty
Fickle Fatty's Fall as Fatty
Fatty’s Reckless Fling as Fatty
Mabel’s Wilful Way as Fatty
Fatty’s Chance Acquaintance as Fatty
When Love Took Wings as Reckless 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 Masquerader as Film actor
The Alarm
The Rounders as Mr. Fuller
Making a Living as Tough Guy (uncredited)
His New Profession as Bartender Smoking Cigar
The Knockout as Pug (uncredited)
Tango Tangles as Clarinetist
Those Country Kids as Fatty
Barnyard Flirtations as The Cop
His Favorite Pastime as Shabby Drunk
A Flirt's Mistake as Husband (uncredited)
The Sky Pirate as The Heiress
Fatty's Magic Pants as Fatty
Lover's Luck as Fatty
A Film Johnnie as Self
Love and Bullets as Film Actor (uncredited)
Leading Lizzie Astray as Fatty
A Bath House Beauty as Fatty
Fatty and Minnie He-Haw as Fatty
The Under-Sheriff as The Under-Sheriff
Fatty's Debut as Fatty
Zip, the Dodger as Zip
In the Clutches of the Gang as Cop
Fatty's Finish as Fatty
Bombs and Bangs as The Farmer's Daughter
Fatty's Gift as Fatty
Fatty's Wine Party as Fatty
Those Happy Days as Fatty
Fatty Again as Fatty Felix
A Brand New Hero as The Tramp
Lovers' Post Office as Fatty
Where Hazel Met the Villain as Fatty
An Incompetent Hero as Fatty
A Suspended Ordeal as The Cop
Rebecca's Wedding Day as Rebecca
The Water Dog as Fatty
A Robust Romeo as Fatty
The Sea Nymphs as Fatty
Their Ups and Downs as Fatty
Fatty's Jonah Day as Fatty
The Chicken Chaser as The Hired Man
Twixt Love and Fire as The Iceman
A Misplaced Foot as Fatty
Caught in a Flue as (unconfirmed)
Fatty and the Heiress as Fatty
Our Country Cousin as The Country Boy (unconfirmed)
A Rowboat Romance as (unconfirmed)
How Old Are You?
The Baggage Smasher as (unconfirmed)
Shotguns That Kick as Fatty
A Rural Demon
Fatty's Wild Night
That Minstrel Man as Belle

1913

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