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

• 2025Wonder Dogs! Canine Stars of the Silent Era (1898-1928)
• 2020Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty — archive footage
• 2009The Parrott Chase — (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 2006Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts — (archive footage)
• 1995The Casting Couch
• 1992The Chaplin Puzzle — (archive footage)
• 1988Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies — (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1981The Muppets Go to the Movies — Keystone Kop (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Hollywood — Self (archive footage, uncredited)
• 1962Crazy Days — Various (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1960When Comedy Was King — (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1943Happy Times and Jolly Moments — (archive footage)
• 1933Buzzin' Around — Cornelius
• 1933Close Relations — Wilbur Wart
• 1933How've You Bean?
• 1933In the Dough — Slim
• 1933Tomalio — Wilbur
• 1932Anybody's Goat — Director
• 1932Bridge Wives — Director
• 1932Gigolettes — Director
• 1932Hey, Pop! — Fatty
• 1932Hollywood Lights — Director
• 1932Hollywood Luck — Director
• 1932It's a Cinch — Director
• 1932Keep Laughing — Director
• 1932Moonlight and Cactus — Director
• 1932Mother's Holiday — Director
• 1932Niagara Falls — Director
• 1931Beach Pajamas — Writer, Director
• 1931Crashing Hollywood — Director
• 1931Ex-Plumber — Director, Writer
• 1931Honeymoon Trio — Director
• 1931Idle Roomers — Director
• 1931Marriage Rows — Director, Story
• 1931Once a Hero — Director
• 1931One Quiet Night — Director
• 1931Pete and Repeat — Director
• 1931Queenie of Hollywood — Director
• 1931Smart Work — Director
• 1931Take 'em and Shake 'em — Director
• 1931That's My Line — Writer, Director
• 1931That's My Meat — Director
• 1931The Back Page — Director
• 1931The Lure of Hollywood — Director
• 1931The Tamale Vendor — Director
• 1931Three Hollywood Girls — Director
• 1931Up Pops the Duke — Director
• 1931Windy Riley Goes Hollywood — Director
• 1930Si Si Senor — Director
• 1930The Cuckoos — Writer
• 1930Up a Tree — Director, Story
• 1930Won by a Neck — Director
• 1927Character Studies — Self (uncredited), Director
• 1927Listen Lena — Fat man with strategically covered face (unconfirmed)
• 1927Peaceful Oscar — Director
• 1927Special Delivery — Director
• 1927The Red Mill — Director
• 1926Fool's Luck — Director, Writer
• 1926His Private Life — Writer, Director
• 1926Home Cured — Director
• 1926My Stars — Mailman (uncredited), Writer, Director
• 1926One Sunday Morning — Writer, Director
• 1925Cleaning Up — Director
• 1925Curses — Director, Writer
• 1925Dynamite Doggie — Writer, Director
• 1925Go West — Woman in Department Store (uncredited)
• 1925The Fighting Dude — Director, Writer
• 1925The Iron Mule — Director
• 1925The Movies — Director, Writer
• 1925The Tourist — Director
• 1924His First Car — Director, Writer
• 1924Leap Year — Stanley Piper
• 1924Lovemania — Director
• 1924Stupid, but Brave — Director
• 1923Hollywood — Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
• 1923No Loafing — Director
• 1922Day Dreams — Story
• 1922Special Delivery — Director
• 1922The Fast Freight — Ras Berry
• 1921Brewster's Millions — Monte Brewster
• 1921Crazy to Marry — Dr. Hobart Hupp
• 1921Gasoline Gus — Gasoline Gus
• 1921The Dollar-a-Year Man — Franklin Pinney
• 1921Traveling Salesman — Bob Blake
• 1920The Garage — Mechanic / Fireman, Director
• 1920The Life of the Party — Algernon Leary (as Roscoe Arbuckle)
• 1920The Round-Up — Slim Hoover
• 1919A Desert Hero — The Sheriff, the Desert Hero, Director, Writer
• 1919Back Stage — Stagehand, Director
• 1919Camping Out — Writer, Director
• 1919Love — Fatty, Director
• 1919The Bank Clerk — Director, Writer
• 1919The Hayseed — Mailman, Director
• 1919The Pullman Porter — Director, Writer
• 1918A Scrap of Paper — Fatty, Director
• 1918Good Night, Nurse! — Fatty, Director, Story
• 1918Moonshine — Revenue Agent, Story, Screenplay, Director
• 1918Out West — Train Rider, Bartender, Director, Writer
• 1918The Bell Boy — Bellboy, barber, Story, Screenplay, Director
• 1918The Cook — The Chef, Story, Director
• 1918The Sheriff — Cook, Writer, Director
• 1917A Country Hero — Village Blacksmith, Director, Story
• 1917A Reckless Romeo — The Husband, Director, Story
• 1917Coney Island — Fatty, Director, Story
• 1917His Wedding Night — Gas station employee, Story, Director
• 1917Oh, Doctor! — Dr. Fatty Holepoke, Director
• 1917The Butcher Boy — Fatty / Saccharine, Director, Story
• 1917The Late Lamented — Cameo Appearance (unconfirmed)
• 1917The Rough House — Mr. Rough, Story, Director
• 1916A Creampuff Romance — Fatty, Director
• 1916Bright Lights — Fatty, Director
• 1916Fatty and Mabel Adrift — Fatty, Director, Writer
• 1916He Did and He Didn’t — The Doctor, Director
• 1916His Wife's Mistake — The Janitor, Director
• 1916The Other Man — Fatty the Tramp (dual role)
• 1916The Waiters' Ball — The Cook, Director
• 1915A Village Scandal — Eddie - the Country Boy, Director
• 1915Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition — Fatty, Director
• 1915Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life — Roscoe, Director
• 1915Fatty and the Broadway Stars — Fatty - Studio Janitor, Director
• 1915Fatty's New Role — Fatty, Director
• 1915Fatty's Tintype Tangle — Fatty, Director
• 1915Fatty’s Chance Acquaintance — Fatty, Director
• 1915Fatty’s Faithful Fido — Fatty, Director
• 1915Fatty’s Plucky Pup — Fatty, Director
• 1915Fatty’s Reckless Fling — Fatty, Director
• 1915Fickle Fatty's Fall — Fatty, Director
• 1915Hogan's Romance Upset — Fight Spectator
• 1915Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco — Himself, Director
• 1915Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day — Fatty, Director
• 1915Mabel and Fatty’s Married Life — Fatty, Director
• 1915Mabel, Fatty and the Law — Fatty, Director
• 1915Mabel’s Wilful Way — Fatty, Director
• 1915Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers — Finnegan's Daughter, Director
• 1915That Little Band Of Gold — Fatty - the Husband, Director
• 1915The Little Teacher — Fat Unruly Student
• 1915When Love Took Wings — Reckless Fatty, Director
• 1915Wished on Mabel — Fatty, Director
• 1914A Bath House Beauty — Fatty, Director
• 1914A Brand New Hero — The Tramp, Director
• 1914A Flirt's Mistake — Husband (uncredited)
• 1914A Misplaced Foot — Fatty
• 1914A Robust Romeo — Fatty
• 1914A Rowboat Romance — (unconfirmed), Director
• 1914A Rural Demon
• 1914A Suspended Ordeal — The Cop, Director
• 1914An Incompetent Hero — Fatty, Director
• 1914Barnyard Flirtations — The Cop, Director
• 1914Bombs and Bangs — The Farmer's Daughter, Director
• 1914Caught in a Flue — (unconfirmed)
• 1914Fatty Again — Fatty Felix, Director
• 1914Fatty and Minnie He-Haw — Fatty, Director
• 1914Fatty and the Heiress — Fatty, Director
• 1914Fatty's Debut — Fatty, Director
• 1914Fatty's Finish — Fatty, Director
• 1914Fatty's Gift — Fatty, Director
• 1914Fatty's Jonah Day — Fatty, Director
• 1914Fatty's Magic Pants — Fatty, Director
• 1914Fatty's Wild Night
• 1914Fatty's Wine Party — Fatty, Director
• 1914His Favorite Pastime — Shabby Drunk
• 1914His New Profession — Bartender Smoking Cigar
• 1914How Old Are You?
• 1914In the Clutches of the Gang — Cop
• 1914Leading Lizzie Astray — Fatty, Director
• 1914Love and Bullets — Film Actor (uncredited), Director
• 1914Lover's Luck — Fatty, Director
• 1914Lovers' Post Office — Fatty, Director
• 1914Making a Living — Tough Guy (uncredited)
• 1914Our Country Cousin — The Country Boy (unconfirmed)
• 1914Rebecca's Wedding Day — Rebecca
• 1914Shotguns That Kick — Fatty, Director
• 1914Tango Tangles — Clarinetist
• 1914That Minstrel Man — Belle, Director
• 1914The Alarm — Director, Writer
• 1914The Baggage Smasher — (unconfirmed)
• 1914The Chicken Chaser — The Hired Man, Director
• 1914The Knockout — Pug (uncredited)
• 1914The Masquerader — Film actor
• 1914The Rounders — Mr. Fuller
• 1914The Sea Nymphs — Fatty
• 1914The Sky Pirate — The Heiress, Director
• 1914The Under-Sheriff — The Under-Sheriff
• 1914The Water Dog — Fatty, Director
• 1914Their Ups and Downs — Fatty, Director
• 1914Those Country Kids — Fatty, Director
• 1914Those Happy Days — Fatty, Director
• 1914Twixt Love and Fire — The Iceman
• 1914Where Hazel Met the Villain — Fatty, Director
• 1914Zip, the Dodger — Zip, Director
• 1913A Bandit — Bully
• 1913A Noise from the Deep — Bob
• 1913A Quiet Little Wedding — Fatty
• 1913A Ride for a Bride — Fatty
• 1913A Small Time Act — Theatre Owner
• 1913Alas! Poor Yorick! — Player in Female Costume
• 1913Almost a Rescue — Jimmie
• 1913Fatty Joins the Force — Fatty
• 1913Fatty at San Diego — Fatty
• 1913Fatty's Day Off — Fatty
• 1913Fatty's Flirtation — Fatty
• 1913For the Love of Mabel — Suitor
• 1913He Would a Hunting Go — Count Chicori
• 1913Help! Help! Hydrophobia! — Jim Brown
• 1913His Sister's Kids — Dr. J. Jacobs
• 1913Love and Courage — The Country Boy
• 1913Love and Rubbish — Fat Boy
• 1913Mabel's Dramatic Career — Man in Audience
• 1913Mabel's New Hero — Fatty
• 1913Mother's Boy — Mother's Boy
• 1913Murphy's I.O.U. — (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
• 1913Passions, He Had Three — Henry
• 1913Peeping Pete — Pete's Wife
• 1913Professor Bean's Removal — Man with Moustache
• 1913Rastus and the Game Cock — Spectator
• 1913Safe in Jail — Neighbor Woman
• 1913Some Nerve — The Jealous Man
• 1913The Fatal Taxicab — Mabel's Sweetheart
• 1913The Gangsters — Cop
• 1913The Gypsy Queen — Fatty
• 1913The Milk We Drink — The Dairy Farmer
• 1913The Riot — Cohen - Jewish Neighborhood Leader
• 1913The Speed Kings — Masher
• 1913The Telltale Light — Tom aka Fatty
• 1913The Waiters' Picnic — Oscar - the Waiter
• 1913The Woman Haters — 1st Old Tar
• 1913Two Old Tars — First Old Tar
• 1913When Dreams Come True — The Man
• 1913Wine — The Waiter
• 1912A Voice from the Deep — Minor Role (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
• 1910The Sanitarium — Charley Wise
• 1909Ben's Kid — Fatty Carter
• 1909Making It Pleasant for Him
• 1909Mrs. Jones' Birthday

Appearances as themselves (12)

• 2026A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride — Self (Archival)
• 2015Looking for Mabel Normand — Self (archive footage)
• 2007Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema — Self (archive footage)
• 2004So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM — Self (archive footage)
• 2003Chaplin Today: The Gold Rush — Self (archive footage)
• 2003Murders of Hollywood — Self (archive footage)
• 1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies — Self (archive footage)
• 1961Days of Thrills and Laughter — Self (archive footage)
• 1931Stars of Yesterday — Self
• 1921Screen Snapshots (Series 1, No. 20) — Himself
• 1915A Glimpse of the San Diego Exposition — Himself
• 1914A Film Johnnie — Self