The Lonely Grave of Virginia Rappe

While I was in LA this summer, I made a point to visit Hollywood Forever Cemetery.  One of the graves I wanted to check out was the grave of Virginia Rappe.

Who was Virginia Rappe?:

She was a actress in silent films in the late 1910's in early 1920's.  If you haven't heard of her, don't worry she never "made it".  Most of her films roles were bit parts, and many of those films no longer exist.

The details of her life are pretty sketchy.  Biographies of her are a mixture of sordid facts and sordid rumors.  Multiple abortions, venereal disease, children given up for adoption, spiked with lots of nudity and alcoholism.

On September 5th, 1921 she attended a party at the St. Francis Hotel suite of legendary actor Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle.  At some point during the party, she became ill.

Four days later she was dead.

An acquaintance of Rappe's  accused Fatty of sexually assaulting the actress and causing the injuries that let to her death.   After three separate trials, Arbuckle was eventually acquitted, but the scandal ruined his career.

Here's her grave:

That some jackass stuck stickers all over

It's almost being over taken by a tree.  Her fiance Henry Lehrman is buried one grave over:

That's it.

Douglas Fairbanks' grave is also close by:

If you wish to read more about the "Fatty Arbuckle Scandal", you can check out these links:

"Fatty Arbuckle and Hollywood's First Scandal"

Fatty Arbuckle and the Death of Virginia Rappe