Five Best Hollywood Scandals

Here is a collection of the five best Hollywood scandals ever. Although tinsel town is never without its' share of nonsensical hoopla. Here are the five that changed the destinies of the superstar celebrities involved forever.

5. Pee Wee Herman aka Paul Reubens, was arrested in a Florida porno theatre for allegedly have too good a time with himself during a screening he was having for some future blockbuster entitled "Catalina Tiger Shark" in July of 1991. Almost instantly, the then famous children's star was branded as a sexual deviant. His popular children's program was cancelled along with the end to all merchandising associated with his show. Reubens always maintained his innocence but that didn't stop the train wreck. His days of entertaining the kids were over. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanour charge of indecent exposure and paid a small fine. He was able to resurrect his career to an extent with appearances in feature films such as "Blow", "Batman Returns" and the television show Murphy Brown. Unfortunately for Reubens, scandal seemed to follow him around. In 2001 he was charged again with misdemeanour possession of indecent materials. He has always maintained his innocence.

4. In 1988 at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, the then 25-year-old Rob Lowe was looking for a little female fun and invited two girls back to his hotel room. An evening of fun, frivolity and carnal video followed which left the young actor exhausted. Before calling it a night, Lowe disappeared into the bathroom, and the two women disappeared with the tape and some of his cash. A portion of the video was leaked to the press along with the news that one of the girls involved was only 16. Suddenly the tabloids couldn't get enough of him. He escaped charges of sexual misconduct with a minor by performing 20 hours of community service. It took several years but his career rebounded, and the politically minded former pinup landed roles on both "The West Wing" and Governor Schwarzenegger's staff. Now a married father of two, Lowe and his wife face controversial charges levied by a former nanny of various forms of misconduct. Lowe denies all charges.

3. Roman Polanski, one of the world's most acclaimed and controversial directors, has had a life plagued by scandal. In 1969, his starlet wife Sharon Tate was murdered by the Manson Family while pregnant with their first child. In 1977 he took a 13-year-old girl to Jack Nicholson's home where they could be alone for a photo shoot. While snapping pics, he gave the girl Champagne and part of a Quaalude before having sex with her allegedly against her will. Two weeks later, the girl relayed the events to a grand jury, and Polanski eventually pleaded guilty to unlawful intercourse with a minor in exchange for time served. Polanski quickly fled to France when he heard the judge in the case was considering going back on the deal and hitting the director with a jail term that could have been as long as fifty years. The fugitive director continues to make award winning films and currently lives banned from entering the United States.

2. On Labor Day weekend in 1921, funnyman Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, loved by all for his silent-movie slapstick, celebrated a record-setting $3 million contract with Paramount with a party at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Arbuckle supposedly disappeared into a private suite with actress Virginia Rappe . No one knows what happened next, but shortly thereafter Rappe was dead, allegedly from acute peritonitis caused by "an extreme amount of external force." Arbuckle was finally cleared after three trials, the first two ending with hung juries. Many felt the accusations alone had caused him a tremendous injustice. Unfortunately, the damage was done for all those involved. The comedian's career was devastated with all future projects trashed. After dealing with twelve years of suspicion his career was starting to make a comeback when he died in his sleep of a heart attack at the age of 46.

1. In 1981, then poised to make a superstar splash as Hollywood's next number one leading lady, actress Natalie Wood was aboard the Wagner yacht, Splendour, with husband Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken, enjoying the cool November evening. After drinking and arguing for hours, Wood and Walken retired to their staterooms and Wagner remained topside with the pilot. Wagner eventually made his way to the master stateroom to check on Wood and found she wasn't there. The dinghy, which had been tied beside the boat, was also missing. Walken notified the authorities and a search began. The dinghy was soon discovered in a Catalina cove. Shortly before dawn, the body of the 43-year-old actress was found floating face down in open sea. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office decided that Wood had died accidentally, "possibly attempting to board the dinghy and had fallen into the water, striking her face." Despite the coroner's report, rumours of foul play ran amuck. Speculation of a lover's triangle and insatiable jealousy were everywhere. Many questions surrounding the starlet's mysterious death remain unanswered to date. What actually happened on that boat and why will likely remain unknown. The future of a promising superstar set adrift forever.

That is the list. Certainly there will be opinions of others. The Michael Jacksons, the George Michaels even the O.J. Simpsons are out there. For now they will have to be satisfied with subtext. Enjoy and keep an eye out for the next stop on the scandal express.