Early silent screen comedienne Araminta Durfee started out as a chorus
girl and began her career on stage in 1908 in musical revues. In August of that
year she married comedian
Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle. In
1914, both players entered the fledgling film industry with
Mack Sennett and were soon paired as a
comedy double. By that time,
Charles Chaplin had arrived from England
to join the troupe and Minta became his leading lady in the two-reeler
Making a Living (1914). The
pairing was prompted by Mack Sennett who found the new arrival 'very
peculiar' and felt it necessary to counterbalance his eccentricities
with an actress who had a reputation for being able to 'get along with
everybody'.
In addition to the series of 'Fatty' featurettes, Minta also worked at
Keystone in the classic madcap farce
Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914).
She co-starred opposite the likes of
Chester Conklin,
Mack Swain
and
Ford Sterling in a series of
outrageous daredevil comedies until 1916. A popular story goes that on one occasion
director
Wilfred Lucas bribed her with the
bonus of a pet dog to hang suspended from a bridge, held only by a
piano wire
(
Love, Speed and Thrills (1915)).
Minta and
'Fatty' Arbuckle separated in 1921, just prior to the scandal
over the death of
Virginia Rappe
which destroyed her husband's career. In spite of divorcing him in
1925, Minta nonetheless remained Arbuckle's staunchest defender during
three well-publicized trials and throughout her remaining life. In
later years, Minta reminisced about the heyday of silent comedy in a
series of interviews. She described most of her fellow players at
Sennett -- including her husband and comedienne
Mabel Normand -- as being extremely 'shy'
when not on the job. She also made several candid (and not always
complimentary) revelations about Chaplin's personal hygiene and
idiosyncrasies.
Minta continued to make sporadic screen appearances in cameos and walk-ons until the early
70s. She died at the Motion Picture Country Home in September 1975
of a heart ailment.
Portnoy's Complaint(1972)as Elevator Lady #1
The Steagle(1971)as Old Lady
What's the Matter with Helen?(1971)as Old Lady
Willard(1971)as Guest
Hollywood Horror House(1970)as Dinner Party Guest
The Merv Griffin Show(1962)as Self
This Is Your Life(1950)as Self
A Film Johnnie(1914)as Self, Audience Member
Compression(1995)as Self
The Forgotten Films of Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle(2005)
American Masters(1985)as Judge's Wife in 'Court House Crooks'
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter(1982)as Actress - 'Fatty Joins the Force'
Flicker Flashbacks No. 1, Series 1(1943)as edited from 'Leading Lizzie Astray'
