Virginia Rappe and Fatty Arbuckle: Unveiling the Truth Behind the Scandal

The scandalous Virginia Rappe case shook the very foundations of 1920s Hollywood.

Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, the highest-paid actor in the world at the time, found himself embroiled in a crime so heinous that it permanently derailed his acting career.

The details surrounding the incident remain murky due to conflicting accounts, exaggerated tabloid reports, and the public frenzy that ensued.

Even today, publications revisiting the scandal arrive at disparate conclusions regarding Arbuckle's guilt or innocence.

What can be established beyond doubt is that on September 5, 1921, a party took place at San Francisco's St. Francis Hotel.

Despite the Prohibition laws, alcohol flowed freely, and both Arbuckle, then 33 years old, and a woman named Virginia Rappe were present.

At some point during the festivities, Arbuckle and Rappe briefly shared a hotel room.

However, when Arbuckle left, Rappe remained on the bed, writhing in excruciating pain.

Four days later, she tragically succumbed to a ruptured bladder.

The central question that has fueled the scandal and continues to baffle investigators is the extent of Arbuckle's involvement in Rappe's untimely demise.

Promptly after the incident, another partygoer accused Fatty Arbuckle of rape and murder.

He stood trial three times for these crimes, with the first two ending in hung juries and the third resulting in acquittal.

Nevertheless, the controversy surrounding his alleged guilt and the overall case persists.

Virginia Rappe, a 26-year-old aspiring actress and model from Chicago, had a reputation as a vivacious party enthusiast.

Witnesses recalled her intoxicated state during the fateful gathering, with some stating that she complained of difficulty breathing before tearing off her clothes.

It wasn't the first time Rappe had disrobed while under the influence; she had a bladder condition that worsened with alcohol consumption, causing her immense discomfort and leading to such behavior.

Regarding the events of September 5, 1921, various accounts emerged, each differing significantly.

According to Maude Delmont, a guest at the party, Arbuckle forcefully ushered Virginia Rappe into his room, uttering the sinister words, “I've waited for you five years, and now I've got you.”

After approximately 30 minutes, Delmont grew concerned upon hearing screams emanating from behind the closed door.

She knocked on the door, only to have Arbuckle answer wearing his characteristic foolish smile, while Rappe lay n^ked and moaning in pain on the bed.

Delmont claimed that before being transported to another hotel room, Rappe managed to gasp, “Arbuckle did it.”

Arbuckle, however, testified that upon entering his bathroom, he discovered Rappe already there, vomiting on the floor.

After assisting her onto the bed, he and several other guests summoned the hotel doctor, who concluded that Rappe was heavily intoxicated.

They subsequently moved her to another hotel room for rest.

Regardless of the conflicting narratives, Virginia Rappe's condition did not improve over the next three days.

She was eventually hospitalized, initially diagnosed with alcohol poisoning from bootleg liquor.

However, further examination revealed peritonitis resulting from a ruptured bladder, likely stemming from her pre-existing condition.

It was this rupture and subsequent peritonitis that claimed her life on September 9, 1921.

Delmont informed the police at the hospital that Rappe had been raped by Arbuckle during the party.

Consequently, on September 11, 1921, the comedian was arrested.

The scandal exploded across newspapers nationwide, with some asserting that the overweight Arbuckle had crushed Rappe, resulting in liver damage while attempting to engage in s**ual activity.

Other publications sensationalized the story, concocting increasingly outrageous tales of debauchery involving the actor.

Both Fatty Arbuckle and Virginia Rappe suffered reputational damage as newspapers competed to publish the most salacious rumors.

Publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst gleefully remarked that the scandal sold more papers than the sinking of the Lusitania.

By the time Arbuckle faced trial for manslaughter, his public image had been irreparably tarnished.

Notably, Delmont never took the stand during the trial due to her inconsistent testimonies, which prosecutors deemed unreliable.

Nicknamed “Madame Black,” Delmont had a reputation for procuring young women for Hollywood parties, orchestrating scandalous incidents, and subsequently blackmailing anxious celebrities.

Her credibility was further undermined by telegrams she sent to attorneys, proclaiming, “WE HAVE ROSCOE ARBUCKLE IN A HOLE HERE CHANCE TO MAKE SOME MONEY OUT OF HIM.”

Although Arbuckle's lawyers presented evidence from the autopsy indicating no signs of violence or assault on Rappe's body, and multiple witnesses corroborated Arbuckle's version of events, it took three trials before he was acquitted after the first two ended in hung juries.

However, by then, the damage was done.

Fatty Arbuckle, Hollywood's highest-paid star, became box office poison overnight.

His films were pulled from cinemas, and he never graced the screen again.

While Arbuckle continued to work behind the camera as a director, his career failed to regain its former glory.

He tragically passed away at the age of 46 in 1933, having never fully recovered his reputation.

In light of this exploration into Fatty Arbuckle and the Virginia Rappe case, it is worth delving into other scandals of old Hollywood, such as the murder of William Desmond Taylor and the tragic downfall of Frances Farmer.