Customer Reviews

Frame-Up!: The Shocking Scandal That Destroyed Hollywood's Biggest Comedy Star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Don't let the sensationalistic-sounding title throw you -- this is an EXTREMELY well-written and compelling book about Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, the silent film comic who was wrongfully accused of rape and murder. A wonderful, funny man lost his career and his good name -- all because his Hollywood bosses wanted to save a few bucks. This book is well worth the out-of-print wait!

I can't really see a point to this book. It brings nothing new to the Arbuckle story, and the writing is weak. There's nothing here that wasn't covered in more detail -- and better -- in David Yallop's "The Day the Laughter Stopped."

Frame-Up!, Andy Edmonds

In 1976 Andy Edmonds met Joe Rock, a silent-film comedian and producer. Joe told her the story about what really happened at that Arbuckle party. Roscoe's former wife Minta Durfee confirmed this story. Later when researching old records she found two $10,000 bank checks made out to the San Francisco district attorney. She found a plan to frame Roscoe, and the crimes of prosecution's star witness (p.9). Andy received the court transcripts of the first two trials. From this and other sources she uncovered a new and shocking story about the San Francisco party and why Roscoe became a scapegoat (`Foreword'). The `Acknowledgments' thank the many who helped with this book. There is no Table of Contents. A Filmography on pages 275 to 319 lists all the known films.

Roscoe Conkling Arbuckle went from one of the most popular film stars to a hated murderer and rapist due to the newspapers. [He was named after a prominent New York politician who died after the Blizzard of 1888.] Roscoe later worked under the name `William Goodrich' (his father's name). The chapters contain Roscoe's biography, his life and hard times, until he blossomed as a performer in California. He met and married Minta Durfee. Roscoe was sweet until he drank. Roscoe invented pie-throwing in movies (p.51). He became popular and earned $500 a week (when $5 a week was good wages). Silent films were popular world-wide (p.92). The big corporations tried to take over the small film businesses (Chapter 12). The next chapters tell about the party at the St. Francis Hotel. Newspaper headlines convicted Roscoe (p.173). He was charged with murder in the first degree (p.176). Would the publicity reveal "rampant drug abuse" and "blatant sexual degeneracy" in Hollywood (p.177)? There were discrepancies in the witnesses' testimony (p.179).

Roscoe's lawyer told him to keep silent so some witnesses could not fabricate stories or lies to refute Roscoe (Chapter 17). The prosecutor tried to keep Delmont from testifying first (p.184). Could she enhance her testimony after hearing others?] Delmont's "testimony would not stand up under scrutiny" (p.186). The effect of the arrest for Roscoe was near bankruptcy (p.189). Would a D.A. base a case on lies to win elections (p.196)? The trial begins in Chapter 20. Roscoe testified (Chapter 21). The jury was deadlocked ten to two for acquittal. People know of the lies told but not the truth (pp.242-243). One result was a movie-industry controlled censorship board (Chapter 22). It stopped foreign competition (p.244). The second trial was deadlocked ten to two for conviction (p.246). In the third trial defense lawyer McNab emphasized Virginia's background as a prostitute who had several abortions and a number of venereal diseases (p.247). Roscoe was quickly acquitted, but left bankrupt and owing back taxes to the IRS. [Do most people today assume guilt?]

The public paid to see Roscoe's films (Chapter 23). What really happened is on pages 250-252. Was Roscoe set up? Page 253 explains. Roscoe was the first blacklisted actor (p.254). Some theater owners rejected the ban (p.255). This ban deprived an individual from earning a living. Roscoe began to direct comedies (Chapter 24). William Jennings Bryan condemned Roscoe (p.259). Chapter 25 is the last. Write Roscoe scripted "That's My Line" and "Beach Pajamas", fictionalized versions of this scandal (pp.270-271). Roscoe drank more (p.272) and developed health problems (p.273). In 1933 he died in his sleep, age 46.
[In the 1949 film "D. O. A." "Frank Bigelow" attended a party in a St. Francis Hotel suite. The same room numbers as used by Roscoe Arbuckle?] The page numbers are from the hardcover book.

Andy Edmonds' book about Roscoe Arbuckle's murder trial during the 1920s is an exceptional read for fans of the silent movie era. Not only does it include information about Arbuckle's life before and after the trial, but it includes details provided from those who knew him best including his wives and the wife of Buster Keaton.

Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was one of the most beloved silent movie comedians of his time. His popularity soared before Chaplin or Keaton had really made it on their own. Children loved him for his wonderful prat-falls and large physical presence, and adults loved him for his sweetness and his ability to make anyone laugh. That all changed when a small time actress and well known prostitute Virginia Rappe died at a party thrown by Arbuckle. Her death was called murder, and Arbuckle was accused of having raped the girl so brutally that he ruptured her bladder in the process. The media turned the trial into a frenzy, making Arbuckle the scapegoat of Hollywood, in turn leading to the implementation of the Hays Office.

What this book fails to do is entirely convince the reader that there was a pre-conceived conspiracy against Arbuckle. Edmonds makes a fool-proof plea for the comedian's innocence of the crime he was charged with, further supporting the acquittal with hindsight, but she does not provide enough evidence to prove her assertion that the party in San Francisco was all a set-up. Still, it is a fascinating read on one of the most damaging events in the actor's life.

Andy Edmonds' book about Roscoe Arbuckle's murder trial during the 1920s is an exceptional read for fans of the silent movie era. Not only does it include information about Arbuckle's life before and after the trial, but it includes details provided from those who knew him best including his wives and the wife of Buster Keaton.

Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was one of the most beloved silent movie comedians of his time. His popularity soared before Chaplin or Keaton had really made it on their own. Children loved him for his wonderful prat-falls and large physical presence, and adults loved him for his sweetness and his ability to make anyone laugh. That all changed when a small time actress and well known prostitute Virginia Rappe died at a party thrown by Arbuckle. Her death was called murder, and Arbuckle was accused of having raped the girl so brutally that he ruptured her bladder in the process. The media turned the trial into a frenzy, making Arbuckle the scapegoat of Hollywood, in turn leading to the implementation of the Hays Office.

What this book fails to do is entirely convince the reader that there was a pre-conceived conspiracy against Arbuckle. Edmonds makes a fool-proof plea for the comedian's innocence of the crime he was charged with, further supporting the acquittal with hindsight, but she does not provide enough evidence to prove her assertion that the party in San Francisco was all a set-up. Still, it is a fascinating read on one of the most damaging events in the actor's life.

Being a longtime fan of Buster Keaton and his pal Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle, I had to pick this up. This story has all the requisite Hollywood characters and themes; the millionaire star, the bigamist old shrew out for money and blackmail, the Hollywood "Party Girl" with a past, a prosecutor with an eye on reelection instead of justice, witnesses threatened, illegal booze...it's all here. Arbuckle's career was ruined in a scandal. Ruined is not the correct word. Imagine a raw egg hitting a brick wall, and you get some idea of Arbuckle's life that Labor Day weekend back in '21. Arbuckle was innocent, but that didn't stop unscrupulous people from using him as a scapegoat for the "sins of Hollywood". This book also contains the only actual version of what REALLY happened. Arbuckle evidently related the actual story to very few people. Read on, the answer's at the end!