Charles Chaplin

 

Charles Chaplin + Virginia Cherrill in City lightsJack Oakie + Charles Chaplin in The great dictatorCharles Chaplin + in The gold rush

Biography

Charles Chaplin

Photo of Charles Chaplin
I have no further use for America
I wouldn't go back there if Jesus Christ was president

Remarkable:

Charlie’s handprints, footprints and signature were immortalized in cement in Hollywood, but after his fall from grace with the Americans because of his political views, the section of cement was removed from public view.

Born:

April 16, 1889

Born as:

Charles Spencer Chaplin

Died:

December 25, 1977

Charlie was born in London (UK) and was the son of poverty-stricken music-hall entertainers. At five he took his first turn on the stage to take over from his mother. At the age of 17 he joined the music hall troupe of impresario Fred Karno, with whom he honed his pantomimic skills.

On tour in New York (1913), he caught the eye of Mack Sennett , who signed him to a film contract. His first movie, Making a Living (1914), premiered in February. He made 35 films that year meanwhile developing his character of The Little Tramp, baggy pants, derby hat, oversized shoes, and cane. The final touches were applied in The Tramp (1915) which made him an instant star.

In 1919 Chaplin teamed up with Douglas Fairbanks , Mary Pickford and D.W. Griffith to form United Artists, for production of their own films. In the following years Charles produced, directed, and starred in such classics as The Gold Rush (1925), City Lights (1931), Modern Times (1936) and The Great Dictator (1940).

The coming of sound (in 1928) presented a problem for Chaplin, the essence of whose art was pantomine. He reckoned that sound would ruin the simple appeal of his Tramp character, so in his next movies, Charles used sound effects sparingly.

Over the years he was criticized for his many romantic affairs and for his political leftist views. When Charles went to London in 1952 with fourth wife Oona, he was informed that he wasn't allowed to return to America. They moved to Switzerland. Chaplin did not return to the USA until 1972, when he accepted a Special Academy Award.

Selected Movies:

Academy awards:

1973 Won Oscar Best Music for: Limelight (1952)
1972 Won Honorary Award
1948 Nominated Best Writing for: Monsieur Verdoux (1947)
1941 Nominated Best Actor for: The Great dictator (1940)
1941 Nominated Best Picture for: The Great dictator (1940)
1941 Nominated Best Writing for: The Great dictator (1940)
1929 Won Honorary Award for: The circus (1928)

Books:

Theodore Huff -> Charlie Chaplin (1951/1972)
David Robinson -> Charlie Chaplin: Comic Genius (1996)
Joyce Milton -> Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin (1996)
Kenneth S. Lynn -> Charlie Chaplin and His Times (1997)
Glenn Mitchell ->The Chaplin Encyclopedia (1997)
Alan Schroeder -> Charlie Chaplin: The Beauty of Silence (1997)
Ruth Turk -> Charlie Chaplin: Genius of the Silent Screen (2000)

 

Charles Chaplin in in Modern times

Trivia

Chaplin was the subject of Richard Attenborough's biographical film, Chaplin (1992).

Chaplin was a perfectionist, so for some scenes he took many shots. For A woman in Paris actor Adolphe Menjou had to kiss Edna Purviance. The two had to go through about a hundred kisses before Chaplin was satisfied. Source / More (Book)

Charlie’s handprints, footprints and signature were immortalized in cement in Hollywood, but after his fall from grace with the Americans because of his political views, the section of cement was removed from public view.

Britain postponed knighting Chaplin for nearly 20 years because of his romantic escapades and his politics. Chaplin was initially put forward for the honor in 1956 but did not receive it until 1975.

Charles has got a star on Hollywood Boulevard.
It’s located between Las Palmas and Highland avenues.

Public reaction against Chaplin was so rabid that A king in New York (1957), a gentle satire on American consumerism and political paranoia, remained unreleased in the United States until 1973. Source / More (Book)

Stan Laurel and Chaplin came to the U.S. (from England) on the same boat, played for the Karno Company the same roles and shared a room on tour.

In 1947 representative John E. Rankin demanded Chaplin’s deportation, asserting that the film actor’s Hollywood life was “detrimental to the moral fabric of America”. Source / More (Book)

Sigmund Freud about Chaplin:
“Certainly he always portrays one and the same figure; only the weakly poor, helpless, clumsy youngster for whom, however, things turn out well in the end. Now do you think for this role he has to forget about his own ego? On the contrary, he always plays only himself as he was in his dismal youth. He cannot get away from those impressions and humiliations of that past period of his life. He is, so to speak, an exceptionally simple and transparent case. The idea that the achievements of artists are intimately bound up with their childhood memories, impressions, repressions and disappointments, has already brought in much enlightenment and has, for that reason, become very precious to us”

Bibliography