Fatty Arbuckle: What Really Happened?
During the silent era, comedian Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle once raked in the big bucks. But a scandal — and false rumors — destroyed his career.
Today, even people familiar with the name of Fatty Arbuckle believe the worst of him. Few know he was eventually acquitted of his crimes (after three trials). Not only that, but the jury read an apology to Arbuckle.
Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault.
Who Was Fatty Arbuckle?
Fatty Arbuckle was born “Roscoe Conkling Arbuckle” in 1887. He didn’t like his nickname and asked friends to call him “Roscoe.” Like many comedians, he came out of a bad childhood and went on to make people laugh, first on Vaudeville and then in silent films. Not only did he make comedies; he also helped the careers of younger comedians ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Buster Keaton and even Bob Hope. The studios were willing to pay Arbuckle a lot of money because he made audiences laugh. Arbuckle got a huge contract, so his fortune was on the rise. Until it all came crashing down.
Most of his movies are now in the public domain, so you can watch them online through YouTube and…
