The Fatty Arbuckle case (1962)

theatres where the picture was shown. In Chicago irate citizens threw tomatoes at the screen while Silken Husbands was showing. Will Hays was criticized for letting Arbuckle get away with such subterfuge. Women's Clubs bombarded theatre managers with protests. The picture had to be pulled. It could not be shown in American theatres. Arbuckle' s producer asked to be released from the subsequent movie and Arbuckle agreed. His new career was shot out from under him before ft really got started. Arbuckle came down with pneumonia and was desperately ill for weeks. During the recuperation, a magazine publisher signed him to do his life story. But it so upset the comedian each time he started to write about his life, Doris made him return the advance payment and stop writing. When he recovered, he and Doris went to Carmel to rest. It was 1926, now, and he had a visitor, John Sargent, his personal attorney, who gravely explained to him that his money was ninning out. It was before the days of strict business managers, and it was customary for a star to have his attorney merely keep an eye on his earnings. "What can I do?" asked Arbuckle. "Should I get a job in a market as a delivery boy? No one wants me." "The first thing you can do," said Sargent, "is to stop spending the way you do." "That's the way I have to live," responded Arbuckle. Sargent paced and smoked bis pipe. "Among my clients is a theatrical producer," he said. "He is planning a comedy for this falL Would you have any interest in appearing in it if I could arrange a meeting?* Arbuckle's answer was, "Nobody wants me, I tell you." "Let me try," suggested Sargent. "New York is a sophisticated city. There aren't as many bigots. Maybe it would work." Doris urged him to let Sargent try, and finally Arbuckle shrugged his consent. A week later Arbuckle flew to New York for a conference at the Erlanger Theatre. He was cynical and told the 148