Anything Goes - Celebrating the 20s

maudelynn:

Virginia Rappe

I have never seen this one before. It’s stunning. One thing about being in Seattle for 2 months that makes me sad is the fact I am not in LA to put bi weekly flowers on her grave. I think she is one of the most maligned, tragic figures in all of Hollywood History. It bothers me that her wee little marker is often overlooked and the only old Hollywood star’s stone that has no flowers, coins or marks of love on it.

What angers me so much about all the rumours concerning her that were circulated after her death sound to like so much victim blaming - the same sort of crap that rape victims are subjected to (which is not to say Arbuckle was guilty - only that his defense team and the studios smeared her name). The accusations of promiscuity, of being so riddled with STDs that chairs had to be fumigated after she sat in them, etc etc.

Then you read accounts like that of Miriam Cooper - NOT someone who was inclined to be overly generous - and the girl they remember is very different indeed to how Virginia was depicted after her death.