Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle was one of the first movie stars, a hugely popular figure of the silents films during the 1910s, a mentor to Charlie Chaplin and discovered Buster Keaton, and in 1921 became one of the best paid actors in the world, signing a $1m contract with Paramount. After that though his career was dogged by controversy, and it's for that he is now best remembered. At a Labor Day party with Arbuckle, aspiring actress Virginia Rappe fell ill in his room. He found her when he went to change clothes, and called for a doctor who concluded she was simply drunk. After contuining to be ill for a further three days she eventually went to hospital, where she died from having her bladder ruptured. One guest blamed Arbuckle for the death, claiming Rappe had said he'd hurt her, and he was subsequently arrested. One theory held that he raped her, and his sheer weight caused the injuries, while others suggest he violently attacked her with a bottle. He was forced to stand through three trials, with two hung juries and constant attacks from the media, but was never convicted, and no evidence was found to actually connect him to her death. Despite being found not guilty it ruined his career, while the exact cause of Rappe's injuries remain shrouded in mystery. Which other mysteries still haunt Hollywood? Share your own most compelling examples below in the comments thread.
NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.
