Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle... the name alone births shivers to those with knowledge of this terrifying tale. Arbuckle was a big-time Hollywood player in the early 1900s who found himself at the center of Hollywood's first major sensationalized scandal. It was September of 1921 when Fatty Arbuckle and some friends rented three hotel rooms in San Francisco for a night of alleged debauchery. One room was allegedly meant entirely for the numerous women they invited, including 30-year-old aspiring actress Virginia Rappe. The night of the party, Rappe was found in Fatty Arbuckle's room suffering from what the hotel doctor would say was illness caused by intoxication. Two days later, she was hospitalized. Bambina Maude Delmont, who was also at the party, claimed Arbuckle had raped Rappe. A day later, Rappe died from a ruptured bladder -- which was believed to have been due to Arbuckle's weight crushing her insides. Since the death, others accused Arbuckle of using ice to simulate sex with her. Some even said it was a champagne bottle. The actor denied all wrongdoing and was cleared of all criminal charges.
[Images via AP Images.]
[Images via AP Images.]
Feb 09, 2015 10:14am PDT
