Roscoe Arbuckle

Roscoe Arbuckle (1887-1933) was born in Smith Center, Kansas. Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle was a well-known comedic actor. Buster Keaton often refers to Roscoe Arbuckle in his autobiography, My Wonderful World of Slapstick.[1] Buster Keaton praised Fatty Arbuckle. Keaton called “Arbuckle, the best friend I ever had, taught me every- thing I ever knew about making movies.”[2] Roscoe Arbuckle had been working in silent films since 1909. During his active career, he acted in 163 silent movies.[3] Buster Keaton had become familiar with Roscoe Arbuckle early in his career and both of them were familiar with each other’s work. In fact, Buster Keaton admired Fatty Arbuckle’s work.[4] Buster Keaton’s admiration and praise of Fatty Arbuckle seemed to have no limits:
Arbuckle was that rarity, a truly jolly fat man. He had no meanness, malice, or jealousy in him. Everything seemed to amuse and delight him. He was free with his advice and too free in spending and lending money.
I could not have found a better-natured man to teach me the movie business, or a more knowledgeable one. We never had an argument. I can only remember one thing he ever said that I disagreed with.[5]


[1] Buster Keaton, My Wonderful Life of Slapstick Buster Keaton and Charles Samuels, My Wonderful Life of Slapstick, 1st (Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1960), 157-160.
[2] Ibid., 157.
[3] IMDB, Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000779/ (accessed March 17, 2013).
[4] Buster Keaton and Charles Samuels, My Wonderful Life of Slapstick, 1st (Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1960), 91.
[5] Ibid., 95.