| Description |
xi, 428 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Summary |
Part biography, part true crime narrative, this painstakingly researched book chronicles the improbable rise and stunning fall of Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle from his early big screen success to his involvement in actress Virginia Rappe's death, and the resulting irreparable damage to his career. It describes how during the course of a rowdy three-day party hosted by the comedian in a San Francisco hotel, Rappe became fatally ill, and Arbuckle was subsequently charged with manslaughter. Ultimately acquitted after three trials, neither his career nor his reputation ever recovered from this devastating incident. Relying on a careful examination of documents, the book finally reveals what most likely occurred that Labor Day weekend in 1921 in that fateful hotel room. In addition, it covers the evolution of the film industry--from the first silent experiments to the connection between Arbuckle's scandal and the implementation of industry-wide censorship that altered the course of Hollywood filmmaking for five decades. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 367-414) and index. |
| Subject |
Arbuckle, Roscoe, 1887-1933.
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Motion picture actors and actresses -- United States -- Biography.
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Rappe, Virginia, 1895-1921.
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Murder victims -- California -- Biography.
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Murder -- California -- Los Angeles.
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| Added Title |
Room twelve nineteen |
| ISBN |
9781613747926 hardback |
|
1613747926 hardback |
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