Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
Born
March 22, 1887
Died
June 29, 1933 (46 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Smith Center, Kansas, USA
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.
Buster Keaton The Shorts Collection 1917-1923
2016
Looking for Mabel Normand
Self (archive footage)
2015
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Self (archive footage)
2007
Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts
(archive footage)
2006
So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM
Self (archive footage)
2004
Chaplin Today: 'The Gold Rush'
Self (archive footage)
2003
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume One
Various
2001
Arbuckle & Keaton, Volume Two
Various
2001
The Chaplin Puzzle
(archive footage)
1992
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
1988
Hollywood's Hidden Secrets
(archive footage)
1987
Crazy Days
Various (archive footage) (uncredited)
1962
Days of Thrills and Laughter
Self (archive footage)
1961
When Comedy Was King
edited from 'Fatty & Mabel Adrift' (archive footage)
1960
Happy Times and Jolly Moments
(archive footage)
1943
Tomalio
Wilbur
1933
In the Dough
Slim
1933
Close Relations
Wilbur Wart
1933
How've You Bean?
1933
Buzzin' Around
Cornelius
1933
Hey, Pop!
Fatty
1932
Stars of Yesterday
Self
1931
Character Studies
Self (uncredited)
1927
Listen Lena
Fat man with strategically covered face (unconfirmed)
1927
My Stars
Mailman (uncredited)
1926
Go West
Woman in Department Store (uncredited)
1925
Leap Year
Stanley Piper
1924
Hollywood
Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
1923
The Fast Freight
Ras Berry
1922
Crazy to Marry
Dr. Hobart Hupp
1921
Gasoline Gus
Gasoline Gus
1921
Traveling Salesman
Bob Blake
1921
The Dollar-a-Year Man
Franklin Pinney
1921
Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20)
Himself
1921
Brewster's Millions
Monte Brewster
1921
The Life of the Party
Algernon Leary (as Roscoe Arbuckle)
1920
The Round-Up
Slim Hoover
1920
The Garage
Mechanic / Fireman
1920
The Hayseed
Mailman
1919
Back Stage
Stagehand
1919
A Desert Hero
The Sheriff, the Desert Hero
1919
The Bank Clerk
1919
Love
Fatty
1919
The Pullman Porter
1919
Camping Out
1919
The Sheriff
Cook
1918
A Scrap of Paper
Fatty
1918
The Cook
The Chef
1918
Good Night, Nurse!
Fatty
1918
Moonshine
Revenue Agent
1918
The Bell Boy
Bellboy, barber
1918
Out West
Train Rider, Bartender
1918
A Country Hero
Village Blacksmith
1917
Coney Island
Fatty
1917
Oh, Doctor!
Dr. Fatty Holepoke
1917
The Late Lamented
Cameo Appearance (unconfirmed)
1917
His Wedding Night
Gas station employee
1917
The Rough House
Mr. Rough
1917
A Reckless Romeo
The Husband
1917
The Butcher Boy
Fatty / Saccharine
1917
A Creampuff Romance
1916
The Waiters' Ball
The Cook
1916
The Other Man
Fatty the Tramp (dual role)
1916
His Wife's Mistakes
The Janitor
1916
Bright Lights
Fatty
1916
He Did and He Didn’t
The Doctor
1916
Fatty and Mabel Adrift
Fatty
1916
Fatty and the Broadway Stars
Fatty - Studio Janitor
1915
A Village Scandal
Eddie - the Country Boy
1915
Fickle Fatty's Fall
Fatty
1915
Fatty's Tintype Tangle
Fatty
1915
Fatty’s Plucky Pup
Fatty
1915
The Little Teacher
Fat Unruly Student
1915
Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers
Finnegan's Daughter
1915
Mabel’s Wilful Way
Fatty
1915
Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco
Himself
1915
Wished on Mabel
Fatty
1915
When Love Took Wings
Reckless Fatty
1915
Fatty’s Faithful Fido
Fatty
1915
That Little Band Of Gold
Fatty - the Husband
1915
Fatty’s Chance Acquaintance
Fatty
1915
Fatty’s Reckless Fling
Fatty
1915
A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition
Himself
1915
Hogan's Romance Upset
Fight Spectator
1915
Mabel and Fatty’s Married Life
Fatty
1915
Fatty's New Role
Fatty
1915
Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition
Fatty
1915
Mabel, Fatty and the Law
Fatty
1915
Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life
Roscoe
1915
Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day
Fatty
1915
Fatty and Minnie He-Haw
Fatty
1914
Fatty's Magic Pants
Fatty
1914
Shotguns That Kick
Fatty
1914
Leading Lizzie Astray
Fatty
1914
The Sea Nymphs
Fatty
1914
Fatty's Wine Party
Fatty
1914
Fatty's Jonah Day
Fatty
1914
An Incompetent Hero
Fatty
1914
Lovers' Post Office
Fatty
1914
Zip, the Dodger
Zip
1914
Their Ups and Downs
Fatty
1914
Fatty Again
Fatty Felix
1914
Fatty's Debut
Fatty
1914
Bombs and Bangs
The Farmer's Daughter
1914
Lover's Luck
Fatty
1914
The Rounders
Mr. Fuller
1914
A Brand New Hero
The Tramp
1914
The Baggage Smasher
(unconfirmed)
1914
His New Profession
Bartender Smoking Cigar
1914
The Masquerader
Film actor
1914
Fatty's Gift
Fatty
1914
Caught in a Flue
(unconfirmed)
1914
Those Country Kids
Fatty
1914
That Minstrel Man
Belle
1914
Those Happy Days
Fatty
1914
The Sky Pirate
The Heiress
1914
A Rowboat Romance
(unconfirmed)
1914
Love and Bullets
Film Actor (uncredited)
1914
Fatty's Finish
Fatty
1914
Fatty and the Heiress
Fatty
1914
The Knockout
Pug (uncredited)
1914
Our Country Cousin
The Country Boy (unconfirmed)
1914
The Alarm
1914
A Suspended Ordeal
The Cop
1914
Where Hazel Met the Villain
Fatty
1914
A Bath House Beauty
Fatty
1914
The Chicken Chaser
The Hired Man
1914
Barnyard Flirtations
The Cop
1914
A Rural Demon
1914
His Favorite Pastime
Shabby Drunk
1914
Tango Tangles
Clarinetist
1914
A Film Johnnie
Self
1914
Twixt Love and Fire
The Iceman
1914
A Robust Romeo
Fatty
1914
The Water Dog
Fatty
1914
Rebecca's Wedding Day
Rebecca
1914
In the Clutches of the Gang
Cop
1914
A Flirt's Mistake
Husband (uncredited)
1914
The Under-Sheriff
The Under-Sheriff
1914
How Old Are You?
1914
Fatty's Wild Night
1914
A Misplaced Foot
Fatty
1914
He Would a Hunting Go
Count Chicori
1913
Some Nerve
The Jealous Man
1913
Fatty's Flirtation
Fatty
1913
His Sister's Kids
Dr. J. Jacobs
1913
A Ride for a Bride
Fatty
1913
The Woman Haters
1st Old Tar
1913
Fatty Joins the Force
Fatty
1913
Wine
The Waiter
1913
The Milk We Drink
The Dairy Farmer
1913
A Small Time Act
Theatre Owner
1913
Fatty at San Diego
Fatty
1913
The Speed Kings
Masher
1913
A Quiet Little Wedding
Fatty
1913
Two Old Tars
First Old Tar
1913
Mother's Boy
Mother's Boy
1913
When Dreams Come True
The Man
1913
The Fatal Taxicab
Mabel's Sweetheart
1913
The Gypsy Queen
Fatty
1913
Mabel's Dramatic Career
Man in Audience
1913
Fatty's Day Off
Fatty
1913
Mabel's New Hero
Fatty
1913
Almost a Rescue
Jimmie
1913
The Riot
Cohen - Jewish Neighborhood Leader
1913
Professor Bean's Removal
Man with Moustache
1913
Love and Courage
The Country Boy
1913
A Noise from the Deep
Bob
1913
Love and Rubbish
Fat Boy
1913
The Telltale Light
Tom aka Fatty
1913
Safe in Jail
Neighbor Woman
1913
Rastus and the Game Cock
Spectator
1913
For the Love of Mabel
Suitor
1913
A Bandit
Bully
1913
Peeping Pete
Pete's Wife
1913
The Waiters' Picnic
Oscar - the Waiter
1913
Passions, He Had Three
Henry
1913
Help! Help! Hydrophobia!
Jim Brown
1913
The Gangsters
Cop
1913
Alas! Poor Yorick!
Player in Female Costume
1913
Murphy's I.O.U.
(uncredited) (unconfirmed)
1913
A Voice from the Deep
Minor Role (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
1912
The Sanitarium
Charley Wise
1910
Making It Pleasant for Him
1909
Mrs. Jones' Birthday
1909
Ben's Kid
Fatty Carter
1909