Hollywood Studio Magazine (June 1972)

Conklin avowed that Minta was his favorite co-star because she would particiate in nearly any zany stunt, no matter how dangerous it may have been. In 1914 Minta unknowingly made movie history when she was chosen by Mack Sennett to co-star with Charlie Chaphn in his very first film. It was a one-reeler entitled “Making A Living” and Minta was so successful in this initial film that she worked with him in ten other films for Keystone, including the hilarious 6-reeler, “Tillie’s Punctured Romance” which also starred the great Marie Dressier and dimunitive Mabel Normand. By 1917 “Fatty” Arbuckle had become such a great box-office attraction that Adolph Zukor offered him the first million-dollar contract in the history of motion pictures. A few years later he and Minta were separated and it seemed to be the beginning of the end for this great roly-poly comedian. The entire world shuddered at the charges brought against Roscoe Arbuckle as the result of the death of actress Virginia Rappe. The yellow journalists of that day tried the case in the daily papers and the scandal echoed around the world. During this terrible ordeal Minta stood by Roscoe to the bitter end. After the trial she returned to New York and invested what money she had left in the cosmetic business. The crash of 1929 destroyed her company and she returned to her mother’s home in Los Angeles in 1931. Not one to cry over her troubled affairs, Minta began making a tour of the Studios looking for work. In a short time she was busy and was in great demand for a variety of roles. In 1963 Minta was invited to England where she was the guest of honor at the British Film Institute, and during the ten days her films were shown the theatre was filled to capacity. While in England, Minta also appeared on BBC-TV and received hundreds of calls and telegrams from her fans, including a message and flowers from Charlie Chaplin from Switzerland. Upon her return to Hollywood she continued her work in films and television. In addition, she lectures at colleges and universities and always draws huge crowds whenever she makes an appearance. Recent films in which she has appeared include “Hello Dolly,” “Funny Face,” “The Odd Couple,” “Willard,” “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?,” “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” and Turn to Page 39 The Face is familiar! By Jess L. Hoaglin Minta Durfee Arbuckle t One of the truly great pioneers of the silver screen, Minta Durfee Arbuckle, at the age of 83 is still very active in the industry. Born in Los Angeles, October 1, 1889, she began her career at the age of 17 as a singer and dancer with the Burbank Theatre under the management of Oliver Morosco. It was during this time that she met and married Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, and true to the tradition of the theatre they were married on the stage at the Beach Theatre in Long Beach in 1908. For the next several years Minta and Roscoe played on the stage in Vaudeville and Comic Opera Companies all over the western states. In 1911 they were invited to the Orient where they made a command performance for the Empress of China. Later they also appeared before the last of the Hawaiian Royal Families. Soon after their return to the States, Minta and Roscoe signed to appear in Minta as a promising young actress. movies with Mack Sennett at his Keystone Studios in Los Angeles. During the next three or four years they appeared in hundreds of one and two-reel comedies with all of the greats of that era, which included Ford Sterling, A1 St. John, Weber and Fields and Eddie Foy. The late Chester 9