The Day the Laughter Stopped

The true story behind the Fatty Arbuckle Scandal

David Yallop is no stranger to controversy. The impact of his investigations in such bestsellers as In Gods Name, Beyond Reasonable Doubt and To Encourage the Others has reverberated around the world. In The Day the Laughter Stopped, he uncovers the incredible true story behind the Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle scandal of 1921, when the fat film comedian stood accused of the rape and murder of a pretty screen actress.

Arbuckles is the story of a man born in extreme poverty who was destined to rise to the heights of a multi-million dollar career, only to have it snatched from him by a wave of hysteria and bigotry that swept the globe. It is the story of Hollywood and what really happened in the corridors of power; the political corruption of San Francisco; the immorality of a president. How Charlie Chaplins career was saved. How Buster Keatons was begun. Both by Arbuckle. It is a life story that ranges from comic heights to tragic depths.

The Day the Laughter Stopped confirms David Yallops reputation as the worlds greatest investigative author, combining exhaustive research with compulsive narrative.