Roscoe Arbuckle

Acting

Roscoe Arbuckle

Born 1887-03-22 · 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.

Acting credits

The Cook poster
6.3

In an attempt at greater efficiency, the chef and waiter of a fancy oceanside restaurant wreak havoc in the establishment. Adding to the complications is the arrival of a robber.

The Cook

1918

Good Night, Nurse! poster
5.7

Roscoe's wife, tired of his endless drunkenness, reads of an operation that cures alcoholism and has him admitted to No Hope Sanitarium to get the surgery. Roscoe, wanting out, eventually disguises himself as a nurse to effect his escape.

Good Night, Nurse!

1918

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies poster
8.0

Based on the first centenary of the largest exporter of films in the world, that is Hollywood, is the story told by its protagonists, actors and writers and other people who made life in this business, interspersing images of famous movies.

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

1995

Oh, Doctor! poster
5.5

Roscoe is a doctor who falls in love with a pretty woman whose boyfriend, in turn, falls in love with Roscoe's wife's jewelry.

Oh, Doctor!

1917

Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema poster
4.3

Before the G, PG and R ratings system there was the Production Code, and before that there was, well, nothing. This eye-opening documentary examines the rampant sexuality of early Hollywood through movie clips and reminiscences by stars of the era. Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Marlene Dietrich and others relate tales of the artistic freedom that led to the draconian Production Code, which governed content from 1934 to 1968. Diane Lane narrates.

Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema

2007

The Alarm poster
NR

A Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle & Mabel Normand comedy short. The film is considered lost.

The Alarm

1914

The Sanitarium poster
5.3

A young man transforms his uncle's palatial residence into a sanitarium only to end up paying back the money his patients gave him.

The Sanitarium

1910

Gasoline Gus poster
8.0

Based on the comic strip character and his auto obsessed life.

Gasoline Gus

1921

Bright Lights poster
NR

The manager of a small town hotel installs a cabaret in an attempt to achieve the standard set by restaurants in the large cities. His effort is ludicrous because of the fact that his talent is all recruited from the help in the hotel. Roscoe, the cook, is forced to appear in a dress suit and when Al St. John appears from the bar there is a lively rivalry between the two for the applause of the crowd. Mabel, the waitress, vies with a professional dancer from the city. Into this setting comes William Jefferson, a polished sharper, who takes the innocent Mabel by storm.

Bright Lights

1916

His Wedding Night poster
5.6

Al and Roscoe, employees at a gas station, are rivals for Alice. When Buster delivers a wedding gown for Alice and begins modeling it, he is mistaken for Alice and is kidnapped by Al.

His Wedding Night

1917

The Rough House poster
5.5

Living under the same roof with his newly-wed wife and his mother-in-law, a careless Mr Rough sets the nuptial bedroom on fire, as the residence's cook tries to woo the maid who only has eyes for the charming delivery boy. As one thing leads to another, Mr Rough ends up preparing dinner for a pair of duplicitous guests, when, clearly, he should be staying out of the kitchen. Does Mrs Rough know the visitors' true intentions? But, above all, how will this disastrous dinner party at the Rough house end?

The Rough House

1917

No artwork available
10.0

Wine is a 1913 movie starring Roscoe Arbuckle and Ford Sterling.

Wine

1913

Making a Living poster
5.7

A swindler scams a newspaper reporter-photographer and then, not realizing where the man is employed, applies for a job at his newspaper.

Making a Living

1914

A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition poster
6.5

In 1915-16, San Diego's Balboa Park was the scene of an exposition to mark completion of the Panama Canal. This film takes us through the exposition: from the Cabrillo bridge and a panoramic view of the site, to the facades of the California Building, Horticultural Building, Panama Canal Exhibit, and the reproduction of the locks at Gatuna. We see tourists on the isthmus and a crowd outside the Panama Film Company's exhibit of how movies are made. We watch the feeding of fish at the laguna, and we end at the Plaza de Panama where toddlers are surrounded by pigeons. Fatty Arbuckle makes a brief appearance outside the Panama Film exhibit. Titles give us each structure's cost.

A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition

1915

Love poster
5.8

"Fatty", a poor good hearted farm boy is deeply in love with Winifred, a farmer's daughter. A rich neighbor offers the farmer a large plot of land if Winifred marries his slow witted son Al. "Fatty" has less then one day to save heartbroken Winifred from the rushed ceremony.

Love

1919

Hollywood poster
9.0

Angela comes to Hollywood with only two things: Her dream to become a movie star, and Grandpa. She leaves an Aunt, a brother, Grandma, and her longtime boyfriend back in Centerville. Despite seeing major movie stars around every corner, and knocking on every casting office door in town, at the end of her first day she is still unemployed. To her horror, when she arrives back at their hotel, she finds that Grandpa has been cast in a movie by William DeMille and quickly becomes a star during the ensuing weeks. Her family, worried that Angela and Grandpa are getting into trouble, come to Hollywood to drag them back home. In short order Aunt, Grandma, brother, boyfriend and even the parrot become superstars, but Angela is still unemployed...

Hollywood

1923

The Masquerader poster
5.7

Charlie plays an actor who bungles several scenes and is kicked out. He returns convincingly dressed as a lady and charms the director, but Charlie never makes it into the film.

The Masquerader

1914

Peeping Pete poster
6.0

This early Keystone has Pete spying on his neighbor's wife through one of those little knotholes in a fence. The neighbor (Sterling) notices and chases him all over town with sheriff and family close behind. Fatty Arbuckle plays the peeper's wife(!).

Peeping Pete

1913

Go West poster
6.9

With little luck at keeping a job in the city a New Yorker tries work in the country and eventually finds his way leading a herd of cattle to the West Coast.

Go West

1925

The Muppets Go to the Movies poster
7.0

In this one-hour special taped between March 9-17, 1981, Lily Tomlin and Dudley Moore join the Muppets in a tribute to film classics. Kermit the Frog hosts the program, which begins with an all-cast rendition of "Hey a Movie!" from The Great Muppet Caper.

The Muppets Go to the Movies

1981

Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty poster
8.0

The whole world knows him. Burlesque comedy genius, popular actor, author, director, producer, composer, choreographer, Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) used his talent to serve an ideal of justice and freedom. But his best scenario was his own destiny, a story written into the political and artistic history of the 20th century.

Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty

2020

Character Studies poster
6.2

Carter DeHaven announces that he will perform a series of "impressions." For each we see him applying makeup and changing the combing of his hair or putting on a wig. When he tilts his head down during each supposed makeover, up pops the actual celebrity (Keaton, Lloyd, Arbuckle, Valentino, Fairbanks, Coogan) he appears to have been making himself up as.

Character Studies

1927

His Wife's Mistake poster
5.2

Roscoe begins work on his new job as janitor of the Shortacre Building in New York. While performing his duties he enters the offices of a broker, I. Steele. The broker is out, but his wife, who knows that her husband expects a rich customer in with a check for $10,000 to close an option, mistakes Roscoe for this Mr. R.U. Stout of Showme, Missouri. Thinking to be of assistance to her husband in his business, Mrs. Steele is very affable and finally invites the supposed Mr. Stout to go to luncheon with her. Steele returns with the necessary papers and is told by his office boy that his wife has gone to a gay café with the new janitor.

His Wife's Mistake

1916

A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride poster
NR

From 1920 to 1965, the great Buster Keaton made spectacular use of locomotives in his films. This video essay charts the course of his iconic cinematic career across the many tracks he rode along on screen: as a young man in the surge of his silent movie ascent in Our Hospitality, while making his masterpiece The General, and traversing the width of Canada on a railway speeder car as an old man in The Railrodder.

A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride

2026

Behind the camera

The Cook poster
6.3

In an attempt at greater efficiency, the chef and waiter of a fancy oceanside restaurant wreak havoc in the establishment. Adding to the complications is the arrival of a robber.

The Cook

1918

Good Night, Nurse! poster
5.7

Roscoe's wife, tired of his endless drunkenness, reads of an operation that cures alcoholism and has him admitted to No Hope Sanitarium to get the surgery. Roscoe, wanting out, eventually disguises himself as a nurse to effect his escape.

Good Night, Nurse!

1918

Oh, Doctor! poster
5.5

Roscoe is a doctor who falls in love with a pretty woman whose boyfriend, in turn, falls in love with Roscoe's wife's jewelry.

Oh, Doctor!

1917

No artwork available
10.0

Marriage Rows is a 1931 Comedy short.

Marriage Rows

1931

The Alarm poster
NR

A Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle & Mabel Normand comedy short. The film is considered lost.

The Alarm

1914

The Alarm poster
NR

A Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle & Mabel Normand comedy short. The film is considered lost.

The Alarm

1914

The Movies poster
6.2

Silent comedy about a poor country bumpkin who goes to Hollywood to make good.

The Movies

1925

The Movies poster
6.2

Silent comedy about a poor country bumpkin who goes to Hollywood to make good.

The Movies

1925

Bright Lights poster
NR

The manager of a small town hotel installs a cabaret in an attempt to achieve the standard set by restaurants in the large cities. His effort is ludicrous because of the fact that his talent is all recruited from the help in the hotel. Roscoe, the cook, is forced to appear in a dress suit and when Al St. John appears from the bar there is a lively rivalry between the two for the applause of the crowd. Mabel, the waitress, vies with a professional dancer from the city. Into this setting comes William Jefferson, a polished sharper, who takes the innocent Mabel by storm.

Bright Lights

1916

His Wedding Night poster
5.6

Al and Roscoe, employees at a gas station, are rivals for Alice. When Buster delivers a wedding gown for Alice and begins modeling it, he is mistaken for Alice and is kidnapped by Al.

His Wedding Night

1917

No artwork available
9.0

Peaceful Oscar is a 1927 Comedy short

Peaceful Oscar

1927

The Rough House poster
5.5

Living under the same roof with his newly-wed wife and his mother-in-law, a careless Mr Rough sets the nuptial bedroom on fire, as the residence's cook tries to woo the maid who only has eyes for the charming delivery boy. As one thing leads to another, Mr Rough ends up preparing dinner for a pair of duplicitous guests, when, clearly, he should be staying out of the kitchen. Does Mrs Rough know the visitors' true intentions? But, above all, how will this disastrous dinner party at the Rough house end?

The Rough House

1917

No artwork available
9.0

Hollywood Luck is a 1932 Comedy short.

Hollywood Luck

1932

Curses poster
6.4

When Buttonshoe Bill steals some papers from Buckwheat Ben, and kidnaps Ben's daughter, Rodney Hemingway comes to the rescue.

Curses

1925

Curses poster
6.4

When Buttonshoe Bill steals some papers from Buckwheat Ben, and kidnaps Ben's daughter, Rodney Hemingway comes to the rescue.

Curses

1925

Lovemania poster
7.3

This is an unusual farce comedy combining all the fast action, speed and thrills of the slapstick with the surprises of the farce. Main actor and director Al St. John was the nephew of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and considered as a wonderful pantomimist and an acrobat. The film was actually directed anonymously by his uncle. Being part of a series called "Tuxedo Comedies", Lovemania was set up by producers like Jack White and Joseph Schenck so that Arbuckle could work behind the scenes, since he couldn't appear on screen due to his 1921 scandal.

Lovemania

1924

No artwork available
NR

Idle Roomers is a 1931 Comedy short.

Idle Roomers

1931

Love poster
5.8

"Fatty", a poor good hearted farm boy is deeply in love with Winifred, a farmer's daughter. A rich neighbor offers the farmer a large plot of land if Winifred marries his slow witted son Al. "Fatty" has less then one day to save heartbroken Winifred from the rushed ceremony.

Love

1919

Home Cured poster
10.0

Johnny is a hypochondriac and he spends all of his time fussing over his health instead of paying attention to his lovely wife. The wife and the family doctor pretend he is going to die -- and behave in a heartless fashion that gets him to lose his temper and get out of his sickbed forever.

Home Cured

1926

Bridge Wives poster
6.7

A pseudonymous Roscoe Arbuckle directs this comedy short about a man who goes insane because of his wife's bridge addiction.

Bridge Wives

1932

The Tourist poster
8.0

The Tourist is a 1925 Comedy short.

The Tourist

1925

No artwork available
9.0

Keep Laughing is a 1932 Comedy short

Keep Laughing

1932

Special Delivery poster
6.0

The second and last of Eddie Cantor's silent vehicles, Special Delivery casts the wide-eyed comedian as a hapless mailman. While going through his swiftly appointed rounds, Eddie stumbles upon a gang of crooks who are planning a large-scale confidence scam. He exposes the villains and wins the love of heroine Madge (Jobyna Ralston). Though Cantor was a fine physical comic, he didn't truly score in films until the arrival of talkies allowed his fans to hear as well as see him. Special Delivery was directed by "William Goodrich," who in reality was comedian Fatty Arbuckle, hoping to stage a comeback after the sex scandal that destroyed his career.

Special Delivery

1927

Character Studies poster
6.2

Carter DeHaven announces that he will perform a series of "impressions." For each we see him applying makeup and changing the combing of his hair or putting on a wig. When he tilts his head down during each supposed makeover, up pops the actual celebrity (Keaton, Lloyd, Arbuckle, Valentino, Fairbanks, Coogan) he appears to have been making himself up as.

Character Studies

1927