Roscoe Arbuckle
Known for: Acting
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
Film
The Chaplin Puzzle
(archive footage)
1992
Film
The Alarm
1914
Film
Bright Lights
Fatty
1916
Film
Gasoline Gus
Gasoline Gus
1921
Film
Peeping Pete
Pete's Wife
1913
Film
The Sanitarium
Charley Wise
1910
Film
Love
Fatty
1919
Film
A Desert Hero
The Sheriff, the Desert Hero
1919
Film
A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
Self (Archival)
2026
Film
Character Studies
Self (uncredited)
1927
Film
Good Night, Nurse!
Fatty
1918
Wine
The Waiter
1913
Film
Those Country Kids
Fatty
1914
Film
A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition
Himself
1915
His Sister's Kids
Dr. J. Jacobs
1913
Film
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self (archive footage)
1995
Film
Mrs. Jones' Birthday
1909
Listen Lena
Fat man with strategically covered face (unconfirmed)
1927
Film
His New Profession
Bartender Smoking Cigar
1914
Film
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1988
Film
Go West
Woman in Department Store (uncredited)
1925
Film
The Masquerader
Film actor
1914
Film
The Casting Couch
1995
An Incompetent Hero
Fatty
1914
Film
Oh, Doctor!
Dr. Fatty Holepoke
1917
Film
Wonder Dogs! Canine Stars of the Silent Era (1898-1928)
2025
Film
The Rounders
Mr. Fuller
1914
Film
When Comedy Was King
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1960
Film
The Knockout
Pug (uncredited)
1914
Film
In the Dough
Slim
1933
Film
Tomalio
Wilbur
1933
Film
Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day
Fatty
1915
Film
Making a Living
Tough Guy (uncredited)
1914
Film
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Self (archive footage)
2007
Film
The Cook
The Chef
1918
Love and Bullets
Film Actor (uncredited)
1914
Film
Fatty's Tintype Tangle
Fatty
1915
A Bath House Beauty
Fatty
1914
Film
Fatty at San Diego
Fatty
1913
Film
Fatty’s Plucky Pup
Fatty
1915
Barnyard Flirtations
The Cop
1914
Film
The Butcher Boy
Fatty / Saccharine
1917
Film
Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty
archive footage
2020
Film
He Did and He Didn’t
The Doctor
1916
Film
Days of Thrills and Laughter
Self (archive footage)
1961
Fatty's Debut
Fatty
1914
Film
So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM
Self (archive footage)
2004
Film
My Stars
Mailman (uncredited)
1926
Film
The Waiters' Ball
The Cook
1916
The Parrott Chase
(archive footage) (uncredited)
2009
The Under-Sheriff
The Under-Sheriff
1914
Film
The Life of the Party
Algernon Leary (as Roscoe Arbuckle)
1920
Film
Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20)
Himself
1921
Film
Zip, the Dodger
Zip
1914
Film
A Film Johnnie
Self
1914
Fatty's Wine Party
Fatty
1914
Film
The Hayseed
Mailman
1919
Film
Tango Tangles
Clarinetist
1914
Film
The Water Dog
Fatty
1914
Film
Hogan's Romance Upset
Fight Spectator
1915
Lovers' Post Office
Fatty
1914
Film
Lover's Luck
Fatty
1914
Caught in a Flue
(unconfirmed)
1914
Film
His Wife's Mistakes
The Janitor
1916
Film
Fatty’s Faithful Fido
Fatty
1915
Film
Hollywood
Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
1923
The Sea Nymphs
Fatty
1914
Film
Fatty's Magic Pants
Fatty
1914
Film
Fatty and Minnie He-Haw
Fatty
1914
Film
His Favorite Pastime
Shabby Drunk
1914
A Small Time Act
Theatre Owner
1913
Film
The Round-Up
Slim Hoover
1920
Film
Love and Rubbish
Fat Boy
1913
Film
A Flirt's Mistake
Husband (uncredited)
1914
Film
When Love Took Wings
Reckless Fatty
1915
The Sky Pirate
The Heiress
1914
Fatty's Flirtation
Fatty
1913
Film
A Creampuff Romance
Fatty
1916
Film
Buzzin' Around
Cornelius
1933
Film
Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition
Fatty
1915
Film
Alas! Poor Yorick!
Player in Female Costume
1913
Film
Brewster's Millions
Monte Brewster
1921
Film
The Gangsters
Cop
1913
Film
Ben's Kid
Fatty Carter
1909
Film
Looking for Mabel Normand
Self (archive footage)
2015
Film
The Woman Haters
1st Old Tar
1913
Film
Out West
Train Rider, Bartender
1918
Their Ups and Downs
Fatty
1914
A Brand New Hero
The Tramp
1914
Rastus and the Game Cock
Spectator
1913
Film
In the Clutches of the Gang
Cop
1914
Those Happy Days
Fatty
1914
Film
A Village Scandal
Eddie - the Country Boy
1915
How Old Are You?
1914
A Voice from the Deep
Minor Role (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
1912
Film
The Bell Boy
Bellboy, barber
1918
Film
Wished on Mabel
Fatty
1915
Two Old Tars
First Old Tar
1913
Film
Back Stage
Stagehand
1919
Making It Pleasant for Him
1909
Film
Fatty's Day Off
Fatty
1913
Film
The Rough House
Mr. Rough
1917
Fatty's Gift
Fatty
1914
Film
Fatty's New Role
Fatty
1915
Film
The Garage
Mechanic / Fireman
1920
A Suspended Ordeal
The Cop
1914
Film
Fatty and Mabel Adrift
Fatty
1916
Film
Leading Lizzie Astray
Fatty
1914
Film
The Fast Freight
Ras Berry
1922
A Robust Romeo
Fatty
1914
Shotguns That Kick
Fatty
1914
The Pullman Porter
1919
Film
Murders of Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
2003
Film
The Riot
Cohen - Jewish Neighborhood Leader
1913
Film
Traveling Salesman
Bob Blake
1921
Fatty's Jonah Day
Fatty
1914
Film
Crazy to Marry
Dr. Hobart Hupp
1921
A Rowboat Romance
(unconfirmed)
1914
Film
That Little Band Of Gold
Fatty - the Husband
1915
A Quiet Little Wedding
Fatty
1913
Film
Chaplin Today: The Gold Rush
Self (archive footage)
2003
Film
Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers
Finnegan's Daughter
1915
Film
His Wedding Night
Gas station employee
1917
Film
Mabel, Fatty and the Law
Fatty
1915
Film
Mabel's Dramatic Career
Man in Audience
1913
Film
Mabel's New Hero
Fatty
1913
Film
Fatty’s Reckless Fling
Fatty
1915
Film
Mabel and Fatty’s Married Life
Fatty
1915
When Dreams Come True
The Man
1913
Film
Twixt Love and Fire
The Iceman
1914
Film
Close Relations
Wilbur Wart
1933
Film
The Late Lamented
Cameo Appearance (unconfirmed)
1917
Where Hazel Met the Villain
Fatty
1914
Film
The Other Man
Fatty the Tramp (dual role)
1916
Film
The Gypsy Queen
Fatty
1913
Film
Leap Year
Stanley Piper
1924
Film
Fatty’s Chance Acquaintance
Fatty
1915
Our Country Cousin
The Country Boy (unconfirmed)
1914
Film
Fatty Joins the Force
Fatty
1913
Film
Safe in Jail
Neighbor Woman
1913
Film
A Bandit
Bully
1913
Film
Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life
Roscoe
1915
Film
Happy Times and Jolly Moments
(archive footage)
1943
Fatty's Finish
Fatty
1914
Film
Coney Island
Fatty
1917
Love and Courage
The Country Boy
1913
Film
The Dollar-a-Year Man
Franklin Pinney
1921
Bombs and Bangs
The Farmer's Daughter
1914
Film
Moonshine
Revenue Agent
1918
Fatty and the Heiress
Fatty
1914
Film
Crazy Days
Various (archive footage) (uncredited)
1962
Film
The Sheriff
Cook
1918
Rebecca's Wedding Day
Rebecca
1914
Mother's Boy
Mother's Boy
1913
Film
A Reckless Romeo
The Husband
1917
Film
A Noise from the Deep
Bob
1913
Film
A Ride for a Bride
Fatty
1913
Film
Stars of Yesterday
Self
1931
Film
Fickle Fatty's Fall
Fatty
1915
Fatty Again
Fatty Felix
1914
Film
Mabel’s Wilful Way
Fatty
1915
Film
The Speed Kings
Masher
1913
Film
How've You Bean?
1933
Film
He Would a Hunting Go
Count Chicori
1913
Film
Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts
(archive footage)
2006
Film
Some Nerve
The Jealous Man
1913
Film
Fatty and the Broadway Stars
Fatty - Studio Janitor
1915
Film
The Fatal Taxicab
Mabel's Sweetheart
1913
Film
A Country Hero
Village Blacksmith
1917
Passions, He Had Three
Henry
1913
Film
The Little Teacher
Fat Unruly Student
1915
Almost a Rescue
Jimmie
1913
The Telltale Light
Tom aka Fatty
1913
Help! Help! Hydrophobia!
Jim Brown
1913
Film
The Waiters' Picnic
Oscar - the Waiter
1913
Film
Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco
Himself
1915
A Misplaced Foot
Fatty
1914
The Chicken Chaser
The Hired Man
1914
Film
Camping Out
1919
Film
Murphy's I.O.U.
(uncredited) (unconfirmed)
1913
The Milk We Drink
The Dairy Farmer
1913
A Scrap of Paper
Fatty
1918
A Rural Demon
1914
Film
Hey, Pop!
Fatty
1932
Professor Bean's Removal
Man with Moustache
1913
Fatty's Wild Night
1914
Film
For the Love of Mabel
Suitor
1913
The Baggage Smasher
(unconfirmed)
1914
That Minstrel Man
Belle
1914
The Bank Clerk
1919