Roscoe Arbuckle

From 1920 to 1965, the great Buster Keaton made spectacular use of locomotives in his films. This video essay charts the course of his iconic cinematic career across the many tracks he rode along on screen: as a young man in the surge of his silent movie ascent in Our Hospitality, while making his masterpiece The General, and traversing the width of Canada on a railway speeder car as an old man in The Railrodder.

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This special two-disc collection, presented in cooperation with the Library of Congress, celebrates cinema’s lesser-known dog stars with their most memorable features, shorts, and newsreel appearances (1898-1928). Films dated as early as 1898 offer satisfying simple glimpses of dogs at play, anticipating the adorable animal videos that would become social media phenomena more than a century later.

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The whole world knows him. Burlesque comedy genius, popular actor, author, director, producer, composer, choreographer, Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) used his talent to serve an ideal of justice and freedom. But his best scenario was his own destiny, a story written into the political and artistic history of the 20th century.

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A documentary on the life and career of silent film star Mabel Normand.

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Slapstick experts host this look at the life and films of Charley Chase with rare film clips and photos.

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Before the G, PG and R ratings system there was the Production Code, and before that there was, well, nothing. This eye-opening documentary examines the rampant sexuality of early Hollywood through movie clips and reminiscences by stars of the era. Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Marlene Dietrich and others relate tales of the artistic freedom that led to the draconian Production Code, which governed content from 1934 to 1968. Diane Lane narrates.

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A documentary short included as an extra with "The Buster Keaton Collection".

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A Turner Classic Movies (TCM) documentary about Keaton's discontented relationship with MGM and the events that eventually led to his career downfall.

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African filmmaker Idrissa Ouedraogo (YAABA) discusses the influence that Charlie Chaplin has been on his work, along with archival footage of interviews with several of Chaplin's co-stars.

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Sensational and shocking stories from Hollywood are not always fiction. Beyond anything a screenwriter could imagine, and with cast of famous stars and celebrities, this documentary goes behind the scenes to explore the real-life stories of murders in Hollywood. From the silent era to the present day, out-of-control passions, burning hatreds, and the driving greed for gain have pushed many of the rich and famous over the edge into violence - to commit bloody murder or end up as the victims of murder.

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Based on the first centenary of the largest exporter of films in the world, that is Hollywood, is the story told by its protagonists, actors and writers and other people who made life in this business, interspersing images of famous movies.

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An unprecedented anthology of never-before-told true stories by and about some of Hollywood's most interesting stars, legends, and wannabes, and takes readers inside Hollywood's inner sanctum to show how casting decisions are made, who makes them, and who has the final word.

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This rare two part documentary focuses on Charlie Chaplin's development at Keystone and Essanay. It concludes with a director's cut of the film Police (1916). The series is narrated by none other than Burgess Meredith.

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Famous Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

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In this one-hour special taped between March 9-17, 1981, Lily Tomlin and Dudley Moore join the Muppets in a tribute to film classics. Kermit the Frog hosts the program, which begins with an all-cast rendition of "Hey a Movie!" from The Great Muppet Caper.

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Narrator Hughie Green tells "jokes" over clips of old silent films. Including greats such as Fatty Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, the Keystone Cops and more.

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An appreciative, uncritical look at silent film comedies and thrillers from early in the century through the 1920s.

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A compilation featuring comedic stars of the silent era including Fatty Arbuckle, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Charley Chase, and Laurel and Hardy.

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This short film takes a nostalgic look at the Mack Sennett comedies of the silent cinema era.

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Roscoe runs afoul of a demented Mexican general.

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A cafeteria owner has problems with gangsters and gets more trouble by hiring 'Fatty' Arbuckle and chef.

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Roscoe believes he is in line to receive a large inheritance, but the reality is considerably more psychopathic-- no, nuts.

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Roscoe gets into a lot of wacky troubles, some involving a misplaced box of Mexican Jumping Beans.

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Fatty invents a liquid with flubber-like properties which makes objects resilient and unbreakable. Unfortunately, in his rush to get out of the house to demonstrate his invention, he unknowingly grabs a jar of moonshine instead of the jar which holds his wonder liquid. To make matters worse, as he drives to the demonstration, a football-sized beehive falls from a tree onto the cargo bed of his truck . . .

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Roscoe Arbuckle loses his job to protect a young boy from the orphanage.

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Stars of Yesterday documentary film.

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Carter DeHaven announces that he will perform a series of "impressions." For each we see him applying makeup and changing the combing of his hair or putting on a wig. When he tilts his head down during each supposed makeover, up pops the actual celebrity (Keaton, Lloyd, Arbuckle, Valentino, Fairbanks, Coogan) he appears to have been making himself up as.

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Al St John loves Lena, but he also loves to sleep. Will he get out of bed soon enough to take Lena from his dull rival, so he can have an argument with the girl where he cries "LISTEN, LENA"? Or will he roll back over, and later get busted by a mean cop for sleepwalking in his bed clothes?

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Johnny tries hard to impress his girl, but she seems to be much more interested in movie stars.

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With little luck at keeping a job in the city a New Yorker tries work in the country and eventually finds his way leading a herd of cattle to the West Coast.

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A young man, heir to his misogynistic and millionaire uncle, and in love with a nurse, gets in trouble when he gives advice on marriage to his girlfriends.

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Angela comes to Hollywood with only two things: Her dream to become a movie star, and Grandpa. She leaves an Aunt, a brother, Grandma, and her longtime boyfriend back in Centerville. Despite seeing major movie stars around every corner, and knocking on every casting office door in town, at the end of her first day she is still unemployed. To her horror, when she arrives back at their hotel, she finds that Grandpa has been cast in a movie by William DeMille and quickly becomes a star during the ensuing weeks. Her family, worried that Angela and Grandpa are getting into trouble, come to Hollywood to drag them back home. In short order Aunt, Grandma, brother, boyfriend and even the parrot become superstars, but Angela is still unemployed...

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Unreleased in America, this was one of Arbuckle's last starring roles in a feature film.

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A doctor who believes he can cure criminals takes on a big challenge.

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Based on the comic strip character and his auto obsessed life.

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A practical joke makes a man get off before his intended stop, leading to all sorts of trouble.

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Beach Pajamas is a 1931 Comedy short

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The first in RKO Pathe's series of "Traveling Salesman Comedies" has Louis John Bartels traveling to Mexico to sell his line of underwear. He garners the attention of a fair senorita which does not set well with the chief of a gang of bandits, and Bartels is soon seeking the USA/Mexico borderline.

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Ex-Plumber is a 1931 Comedy short.

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Marriage Rows is a 1931 Comedy short.

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Up a Tree is a 1930 Comedy short.

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Two phony fortune tellers get mixed up with gypsies.

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One Sunday Morning is a 1926 Comedy short.

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Reggie Hemingway is a rich broker who continually bullies his valet. World War I breaks out and the valet enlists immediately. Reggie goes to the army later and arrives at the training camp to find that his valet is now a tough sergeant in charge of the recruits.

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A young man faces perilous adventures when he is evicted from his apartment.

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Johnny tries hard to impress his girl, but she seems to be much more interested in movie stars.

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The Dude and his younger brother, The Rival are at it once again.

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Silent comedy about a poor country bumpkin who goes to Hollywood to make good.

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When Buttonshoe Bill steals some papers from Buckwheat Ben, and kidnaps Ben's daughter, Rodney Hemingway comes to the rescue.

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Al wants to elope with his girlfriend, but her dog Pete disrupts the plan.

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Al St. John buys a touring car and takes his extended family on a disastrous trip.

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In order to impress the father of a girl he is keen on, a young man goes to the city in search of work. In his letters home he writes of his various jobs which her imagination expands into much nobler ones than those that he is actually attempting.

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A Desert Hero is a 1919 American short comedy film directed by and starring Fatty Arbuckle. The film is considered to be lost.

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The Bank Clerk is a 1919 American short comedy film directed by and starring Fatty Arbuckle. The film is considered to be lost.

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The Pullman Porter is a 1919 American short comedy film directed by and starring Fatty Arbuckle. The film is considered to be lost.

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Camping Out is a 1919 American short comedy film directed by and starring Fatty Arbuckle. Fatty is the suffering spouse who comes home every night to an empty house and a neglectful wife. His wife is furious when she discovers Fatty is cheating on her with a neglected wife.

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Roscoe Arbuckle plays a Douglas Fairbanks fan who becomes a rotund version of his hero. As "The Sheriff", he must rescue abducted schoolteacher Betty Compson.

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In an attempt at greater efficiency, the chef and waiter of a fancy oceanside restaurant wreak havoc in the establishment. Adding to the complications is the arrival of a robber.

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Roscoe's wife, tired of his endless drunkenness, reads of an operation that cures alcoholism and has him admitted to No Hope Sanitarium to get the surgery. Roscoe, wanting out, eventually disguises himself as a nurse to effect his escape.

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A feud between the Owens and the Gillettes ends when the last remaining Gillette is killed, but new trouble erupts for the mountain folk with the arrival of a U.S. revenue agent and his assistant.

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At the Elk's Head Hotel bellhops torment the lobby, each other and guests. The elevator is powered by a stubborn horse. A sham robbery turns into a real one. And there is a chase on a runaway trolley.

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The story involves Arbuckle coming to the western town of Mad Dog Gulch after being thrown off a train and chased by Indians. He teams up with gambler/saloon owner Bill Bullhum, in trying to keep the evil Wild Bill Hickup away from Salvation Army girl, Salvation Sue. Fatty and Buster have a series of adventures trying to beat St. John, until they discover his one weakness: his ticklishness.

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Fatty plays a village blacksmith in “Jazzville,” an imaginary rural village. There is a rivalry between Fatty and Cy Klone, the garage owner, over the affections of a pretty schoolteacher. A city chap unites the two rivals when he tries to steal the girl. An annual village ball features amateur talent in vaudeville stunts with Keaton as a wriggling Fatima who charms a long black stocking from a cigar box like a snake. The film is presumed lost.

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Arbuckle escapes the watch of his domineering wife and heads for Coney Island. Keaton arrives that same day with his attractive, and rather easy, girlfriend, who is immediately stolen from him by St. John.

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Al and Roscoe, employees at a gas station, are rivals for Alice. When Buster delivers a wedding gown for Alice and begins modeling it, he is mistaken for Alice and is kidnapped by Al.

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Living under the same roof with his newly-wed wife and his mother-in-law, a careless Mr Rough sets the nuptial bedroom on fire, as the residence's cook tries to woo the maid who only has eyes for the charming delivery boy. As one thing leads to another, Mr Rough ends up preparing dinner for a pair of duplicitous guests, when, clearly, he should be staying out of the kitchen. Does Mrs Rough know the visitors' true intentions? But, above all, how will this disastrous dinner party at the Rough house end?

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Roscoe flirts with a girl in the park. Later he takes his wife and mother-in-law to the movies only to see his flirtation showing on the screen.

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Customers and clerks frolic in a general store. Roscoe walks out of the freezer wearing a fur coat, then does some clever cleaver tossing. In Buster's film debut he buys a pail of molasses.

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Villains launch Fatty and Mabel's beachfront house into the ocean.

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A Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle & Mabel Normand comedy short. The film is considered lost.

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