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The “Fatty” Arbuckle Scandal, Will Hays, And Negotiated Morality In 1920s America, Aaron T. Whitehead
The “Fatty” Arbuckle Scandal, Will Hays, And Negotiated Morality In 1920s America, Aaron T. Whitehead
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
In the autumn of 1921, silent film comedian Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle was arrested for the rape and murder of a model and actress named Virginia Rappé. The ensuing scandal created a firestorm of controversy not just around Arbuckle but the entire motion picture industry. Religious and moral reformers seized upon the scandal to decry the decline of “traditional” moral values taking place throughout American society in the aftermath of World War I. The scandal created a common objective for an anti-film coalition representing diverse social and religious groups, all dedicated to bringing about change in the motion picture industry through …