s**ual harassment in Hollywood is not a new phenomenon, as recent allegations against Harvey Weinstein have revealed.
These accusations shed light on an issue that has plagued the industry for decades.
Let's take a closer look at some notable cases from the past and present.
The first major scandal to rock Hollywood occurred in 1921 when comedian Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle was accused of raping actress Virginia Rappe at a wild party in San Francisco.
Rappe, suffering from a ruptured bladder, later died, and Arbuckle was initially charged with murder.
After three trials, he was eventually acquitted of all charges.
Actor Errol Flynn also faced allegations of statutory rape in 1942, involving two underage girls.
Years later, Flynn had a two-year affair with Beverly Aadland when she was just 15.
Aadland described feeling scared and overwhelmed by Flynn's dominance.
She recalled him tearing her dress and carrying her off to another room, leaving her wondering how to explain this to her mother.
Actress Joan Collins shared her experience of being denied the lead role in “Cleopatra” because she refused to sleep with a studio executive.
Collins recounted the encounter, where she was asked to be “nice” to secure the role.
She tearfully left his office, and the part ultimately went to Elizabeth Taylor.
Shirley Temple, known as America's Little Darling, mentioned in her memoir that during her first meeting with an MGM producer in 1940, he unzipped his trousers and exposed himself to her when she was only 12 years old.
Innocent and unaware, Temple responded with nervous laughter, leading the producer to dismiss her from his office.
Fortunately, Temple had already signed a contract with MGM.
Marilyn Monroe, one of Hollywood's biggest icons, faced harassment from studio chiefs and filmmakers throughout her career.
In her memoir, she described them as phony, crooked, and full of failure.
Monroe portrayed Hollywood as an overcrowded brothel, a merry-go-round with beds for horses.
Judy Garland endured years of groping and s**ual propositions from studio executives at MGM between the ages of 16 and 20.
Louis B. Mayer, the head of the studio, is one of the most notorious harassers.
He would praise her singing talent while placing his hand on her left bre-st, according to author Gerald Clarke.
In 1977, filmmaker Roman Polanski pleaded guilty to unlawful s**ual intercourse with a 13-year-old aspiring actress, Samantha Geimer.
Polanski drugged her with champagne and Quaaludes during a photoshoot.
Geimer expressed that she did not want to have s** but felt powerless in the situation.
Polanski fled before final sentencing and remains wanted by judicial authorities.
He has faced additional rape allegations since then.
Bill Cosby, once known as America's Dad for his role on “The Cosby Show,” is facing a retrial for allegedly drugging and molesting a former Temple University employee in 2004.
Cosby claims the encounter was consensual.
Dozens of other women have come forward with similar accusations, and prosecutors hope to call 13 of them as witnesses in the retrial.
When Charlize Theron was new to Hollywood, she encountered a casting director who made her uncomfortable during an audition.
The director invited her to his house on a Saturday night, offering her a drink.
Theron quickly realized the inappropriate nature of the situation and firmly rejected any advances.
Casey Affleck, despite facing s**ual harassment lawsuits in 2010, went on to win the Best Actor Oscar for his role in “Manchester by the Sea.”
Two women who worked on his film “I'm Still Here” accused him of crawling into one woman's bed without consent and forcefully grabbing the arm of another when she refused to stay in his hotel room.
The lawsuits were settled out of court.
These cases highlight Hollywood's long and troubling history with s**ual harassment.
While progress has been made, recent events prove that this issue still persists within the industry.
It is essential for Hollywood and society as a whole to continue addressing and combating s**ual harassment to create a safer and more inclusive environment for all.
