TRAGIC CAREER

Hokitika Guardian, 19 August 1933, Page 6

TRAGIC CAREER

‘<FATTY” 'ARBUCKLE DEAD

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY DAY.

Mr Roscoe (“Fatty”) Arbuckle, the greatest slapstick pie-throwing comedian in the history 0 ; the sjlent screen, died in New York on June 29 at the age of 45. He was married a year previously to Miss Addie McPhail, a 27-years-old film actress. > Mr Arbuckle celebrated the- wedding anniversary on the night beiore his death with a small party of friends. He seemed in good health and returned to his hotel before midnight. “ Early in the inorning his wife, aroused by •groans, called a doctor, but Mr Arbuckle had died 0 f heart trouble- before ajd could reach him.

Life played strange pranks with this famous comedian, who was earning £2OO a day before all his savings were consumed in a fight against charges pf homicide. Fate pursued him up tp_the last-moment of his life, for only the day before his death lie signed a-. con-, tract to reappear in films —a reappearance which he was confident would restffife him to popular favour..

It was in 1921 that Arbuckle dropped like a meteor from Holl3 r wood stardoni. He rocked the world to laughter m his early films. " • Lavish spender at the height of his fame, Arbuckle arranged a Hollywood party, at the conclusion of which Virginia Rappe, a film star, was taken to hospital, where she died four days later. Arbuckle was arrested and accused of manslaughter.

Two juries failed to record a verdict, and the third acquitted him. Arbuckle left the Court free, hut a ruined man. He drove up to the party in a motorcar costing £5030. His defence cost £4OOO.

The sensation was followed by the death from narcotics of the famous star Wallace lieid. These two events stirred the country, against Hollywood. Thousands of letters poured into the industry demanding a clean-up and the shelving of the laughter-making comedian. Bowing to these stem warnings film magnates let Arbucklc go. At the height of his fame Arbucklc weighed 21st 61b., his boyhood name “Fatty” sticking to him through life. At his death ho weighed 17st 121 b. At the time of Virginia llappe’s death he was under contract with Paramount, and film executives said they scrapped films costing £50,000. Last year, Warners decided ' to try Arbuckle again, as an actor in a series, of twelve short films. The first of these were “Hey Pop,” and “Buzzin’ Around.” On the arrival of “Hey Pop” in London recently,..the Cinematograph Exhibitors’ Association reaffirmed them

resolution oj 1022 not to show any film in/which Mr. Arbuckle appeared, and “ ; Hey. Pop” lias been returned to the United States without bejng exhibited in that country. Arbuckle was married four times, and divorced three times,