100 years ago on 11th September 1921, American silent movie star Fatty Arbuckle was arrested for rape and murder.
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| Arbuckle pictured in 1919 with his dog Luke. |
Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle was an American silent movie star, comedian and screenwriter who started out at the Selig Polyscope Company, moving on to the infamous Keystone Company where he worked with, amongst others Harold Lloyd. He was credited with mentoring Charlie Chaplin and discovered Buster Keaton and Bob Hope.
He was one of the most popular and highest paid Hollywood stars of the 1910's and in 1920 signed a contract to the value of $14,000 (equivalent to $181,000 in 2020).
Arbuckle was the defendant in three widely publicised trials between November 1921 and April 1922 for the alleged 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 Keaton testified for the defence in the third trial, which acquitted Arbuckle, and the jury gave him a formal written statement of apology.
Despite Arbuckle's acquittal, the scandal mostly overshadowed his legacy as a pioneering comedian and pretty much ruined his career.
Arbuckle died in his sleep from a heart attack in 1933 at the age of 46, reportedly on the day he had signed a contract with Warner Brothers to make a film which he hoped would resurrect his reputation and career.
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