The Original Poster Boy
Kenn Gordon
The
Original
Poster Boy
Charlie Chaplin
By
Kenn Gordon
Charles Chaplin
Considered to be one of the most pivotal stars of the early days of Hollywood, Charlie Chaplin lived an interesting life both in his films and behind the camera. He is most recognised as an icon of the silent film era, often associated with his popular character, the Little Tramp, the man with the toothbrush moustache, bowler hat, bamboo cane, and a funny walk. Charles Spencer Chaplin was born in Walworth, London, England on April 16, 1889, to Hannah Harriet Pedlingham (Hill) and Charles Chaplin, both music hall performers, who were married on June 22, 1885. After Charles Sr. separated from Hannah to perform in New York City, Hannah then tried to resurrect her stage career. Unfortunately, her singing voice had a tendency to break at unexpected moments. When this happened, the stage manager spotted young Charlie standing in the wings and led him on stage, where five-year-old Charlie began to sing a popular tune. Charlie and his half-brother, Syd Chaplin, spent their lives in and out of charity homes and workhouses between their mother's bouts of insanity. Hannah was committed to Cane Hill Asylum in May 1903 and lived there until 1921, when Chaplin moved her to California. Chaplin began his official acting career at the age of eight, touring with the Eight Lancashire Lads. At age 18, he began touring with Fred Karno's vaudeville troupe, joining them on the troupe's 1910 United States tour. He travelled west to California in December 1913 and signed on with Keystone Studios' popular comedy director Mack Sennett, who had seen Chaplin perform on stage in New York. Charlie soon wrote his brother Syd, asking him to become his manager. While at Keystone, Chaplin appeared in and directed 35 films, where he was starring almost as himself as the Little Tramp. In November 1914, he left Keystone and signed on at Essanay, where he made 15 films. In 1916, he signed on at Mutual and made 12 films. In June 1917, Chaplin signed up with First National Studios, after which he built Chaplin Studios. In 1919, he and Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D. W. Griffith formed United Artists (U.A.). Chaplin's life and career was full of scandal and controversy. His first big scandal was during World War I, during which time his loyalty to England, his home country, was questioned. He had never applied for American citizenship, but claimed that he was a "paying visitor" to the United States. Many British citizens called Chaplin a coward and a slacker. This and his other career eccentricities sparked suspicion with FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), who believed that he was injecting Communist propaganda into his films. Chaplin's later film The Great Dictator (1940), which was his first "talkie", also created a stir. In the film, Chaplin plays a humorous caricature of Adolf Hitler. Some thought the film was poorly done and in bad taste. However, the film grossed over $5 million and earned five Academy Award Nominations. Another scandal occurred when Chaplin briefly dated 22-year-old Joan Barry. However, Chaplin's relationship with Barry came to an end in 1942, after a series of harassing actions from her. In May 1943, Barry returned to inform Chaplin that she was pregnant and filed a paternity suit, claiming that the unborn child was his. During the 1944 trial, blood tests proved that Chaplin was not the father, but at the time, blood tests were inadmissible evidence and he was ordered to pay $75 a week until the child turned 21. Chaplin was also scrutinized for his support in aiding the Russian struggle against the invading Nazis during World War II, and the United States government questioned his moral and political views, suspecting him of having Communist ties. For this reason, HUAC subpoenaed him in 1947. However, HUAC finally decided that it was no longer necessary for him to appear for testimony. Conversely, when Chaplin and his family travelled to London for the premier of Limelight (1952), he was denied re-entry to the United States. In reality, the government had almost no evidence to prove that he was a threat to national security. Instead, he and his wife decided to settle in Switzerland. Chaplin was married four times and had a total of 11 children. In 1918, he married Mildred Harris and they had a son together, Norman Spencer Chaplin, who only lived three days. Chaplin and Mildred were divorced in 1920. He married Lita Grey in 1924, who had two sons, Charles Chaplin Jr. and Sydney Chaplin. They were divorced in 1927. In 1936, Chaplin married Paulette Goddard and his final marriage was to Oona O'Neill (Oona Chaplin), daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill in 1943. Oona gave birth to eight children: Geraldine Chaplin, Michael Chaplin, Josephine Chaplin, Victoria Chaplin, Eugene Chaplin, Jane Chaplin, Annette-Emilie Chaplin and Christopher Chaplin. In contrast to many of his boisterous characters, Chaplin was a quiet man who kept to himself a great deal. He also had an "un-millionaire" way of living. Even after he had accumulated millions, he continued to live in shabby accommodations. In 1921, Chaplin was decorated by the French government for his outstanding work as a film maker, and was elevated to the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1952. In 1972, he was honoured with an Academy Award for his "incalculable effect in making motion pictures the art form of the century." He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1975 New Years Honours List. No formal reason for the honour was listed. The citation simply reads "Charles Spencer Chaplin, Film Actor and Producer".
Chaplin's other works included musical scores he composed for many of his films. He also authored two autobiographical books, "My Autobiography" (1964) and its companion volume, "My Life in Pictures" (1974).
Chaplin died at age 88 of natural causes on December 25, 1977 at his home in Vevey, Switzerland. His funeral was a small and private Anglican ceremony according to his wishes. In 1978, Chaplin's corpse was stolen from its grave and was not recovered for three months; he was re-buried in a vault surrounded by cement. Six of Chaplin's films have been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress: The Immigrant (1917), The Kid (1921), The Gold Rush (1925), City Lights (1931), Modern Times (1936) and The Great Dictator (1940). Charlie Chaplin was considered one of the greatest film makers in the history of American cinema, whose movies were and still are popular throughout the world, and have even gained notoriety as time progresses. His films show, through the Little Tramp's positive outlook on life in a world full of chaos, that the human spirit has and always will remain the same.
Making A Living
(also known as Doing His Best, A Busted Johnny, Troubles, Take My Picture) is the first film starring Charlie Chaplin. It premiered on February 2, 1914. Chaplin plays Edgar English, a lady-charming swindler who runs afoul of the Keystone Kops It was written and directed by Henry Lehrman. A con man makes his living by using properties of others to gain profitable positions for himself. He persuades a gentleman to give him a ring, and then rushes off to a wealthy young lady, who he courts and gives the ring. When the gentleman a moment later courts the same woman, she turns him down and shows him the ring she got from the con man. The gentleman recognizes the ring and tries to explain the situation, but the woman doesn't believe him. After a fight between the two men, the gentleman is thrown out by a valet. Some hours later the gentleman happens to witness a car crash. This is his chance to become a reporter at the local newspaper, and he takes some photos of the crash, before helping other people to save the driver. In the turmoil the con man steals the camera. The gentleman runs after him, but gets entangled in fights with other persons, and the con man slips away. He rushes off to the local newspaper, where he sells the photos of the crash. When the gentleman tries to stop it, the photos are already in print in the paper.
Charles Chaplin
...
Edgar English - Swindler
Emma Clifton
...
Jealous Husband's Wife (uncredited)
Chester Conklin
...
Policeman / Bum (uncredited)
Alice Davenport
...
Mother (uncredited)
Minta Durfee
...
Girl (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert
...
Jealous Husband (uncredited)
Beverly Griffith
...
Seated Man with Editor (uncredited)
Charles Inslee
...
Newspaper Editor (uncredited)
Edgar Kennedy
...
Wreck Bystander (uncredited)
Virginia Kirtley
...
Daughter (uncredited)
Keystone Kops
...
Cops (uncredited)
Henry Lehrman
...
Reporter (uncredited)
Grover Ligon
...
Bald Man in Newspaper Office (uncredited)
Edward Nolan
...
Cop at Apartment Steps (uncredited)
Tammany Young
...
Onlooker (uncredited)
Kid Auto Races at Venice
(also known as The Pest) is a 1914 American film starring Charles Chaplin in which his “Little Tramp” character makes his first appearance in a film exhibited before the public. The first film to be produced that featured the character was actually Mabel’s Strange Predicament, it was shot a few days before Kid Auto Races but released two days after it.
Charles Chaplin
...
Tramp
Henry Lehrman
...
Film Director
Gordon Griffith
...
The Boy (uncredited)
Mabel's Strange Predicament
Is a 1914 American film starring Mabel Normand and Charles Chaplin, notable for being the first film for which Chaplin donned ‘The Tramp’ costume. In a hotel lobby a heavily drunk ‘Tramp’ runs into an elegant lady, Mabel, who gets tied up in her dog's leash, and falls down. He later runs into her in the hotel corridor, locked out of her room. They run through various rooms. Mabel ends up in the room of an elderly husband where she hides under the bed.
Enter the jealous wife, who soon attacks Mabel, her husband, and Mabel's lover, not to mention the staggeringly drunken tramp.
Mabel Normand
...
Mabel
Charles Chaplin
...
Drunk
Chester Conklin
...
Husband
Alice Davenport
...
Wife
Harry McCoy
...
Mabel's Admirer
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Cooley
...
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert
...
Bellman (uncredited)
William Hauber
...
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Sadie Lampe
...
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Henry Lehrman
...
Guest in lobby (uncredited)
Al St. John
...
Bellboy (uncredited)
A Thief Catcher
Is a one-reel 1914 American Comedy Film, produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone Film Company, directed by Ford Sterling and starring Sterling, Mack Swain, Edgar Kennedy and Charles Chaplin as a policeman. Chaplin had claimed in interviews that he had played a bit-role as a policeman while at Keystone-Studios
Ford Sterling
...
Suspicious John
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Keystone Kops
...
Cops
Phyllis Allen
...
Woman Hanging Out Washing (uncredited)
Charles Chaplin
...
Cop (uncredited)
William Hauber
...
Cop (uncredited)
George Jeske
...
Cop (uncredited)
Edgar Kennedy
...
Crook (uncredited)
Rube Miller
...
Cop (uncredited)
Mack Swain
...
Crook (uncredited)
Between Showers
Is a 1914 short film made by Keystone Studios and directed by Henry Lehrman It starred Charlie Chaplin, Ford Sterling, Emma Bell Clifton and Chester Conklin. Chaplin and Sterling play two young men, Masher and Rival Masher, who fight over the chance to help a young woman (Clifton) cross a muddy street. Sterling first sees the woman trying to cross and offers her an umbrella he stole from a policeman. He asks her to wait for him as he goes to get something to help her. Chaplin comes along and offers the woman to help her cross the street as well and wait for his return. While Sterling and Chaplin go to get logs, a policeman (Conklin) lifts the woman across the street. When Sterling returns with the log, he is indignant that the woman did not wait for him to come back to help her cross the muddy street and demands the umbrella back. When the woman refuses, they engage in a fight which eventually involves-Chaplin.
Charles Chaplin
...
Masher
Ford Sterling
...
Rival Masher
Chester Conklin
...
Policeman
Edward Nolan
...
Chivalrous Policeman (as Eddie Nolan)
Peggy Pearce
...
1st Lady in Distress (as Velma Pierce)
Emma Clifton
...
2nd Lady in Distress
Sadie Lampe
...
Policeman's Lady Friend (unconfirmed)
A Film Johnnie
Is a 1914 American-made Motion Picture starring Charles Chaplin, Rorscoe Arbuckle and Mabel Normand. Charlie goes to the movies and falls in love with a girl on the screen. He goes to Keystone Studios to find her. He disrupts the shooting of a film, and a fire breaks out. Charlie is blamed, gets squirted with a fire-hose, and is shoved by the female star. The title of the film is a variation on the term "Stage Door Johnnie".
Charles Chaplin
...
The Film Johnnie
Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
...
Self - Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
Peggy Pearce
...
The Keystone Girl
Mabel Normand
...
Mabel
Ford Sterling
...
Self
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dan Albert
...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Hampton Del Ruth
...
Lead Actor (uncredited)
Minta Durfee
...
Self / Audience Member (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert
...
Theatre Usher (uncredited)
William Hauber
...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Bert Hunn
...
Audience Member (uncredited)
George Jeske
...
Prop Boy in White Shirt (uncredited)
Edgar Kennedy
...
Director (uncredited)
Sadie Lampe
...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Henry Lehrman
...
Self (uncredited)
Hank Mann
...
Prop Boy in Overalls (uncredited)
Harry McCoy
...
Fireman / Audience Member next to Charlie (uncredited)
George Nichols
...
Older Actor on Screen (uncredited)
Frank Opperman
...
Mustached Audience Member with Handlebar / Studio Guard (uncredited)
Walter Wright
...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Tango Tangles
Is a 1914 American film comedy short starringCharles Chaplin and Roscoe Arbuckle. The action takes place in a dance hall, with a drunken Chaplin, Ford Sterling, and the huge, menacing, and acrobatic Arbuckle fighting over a girl. The supporting cast also features Chester Conklin and Minita Durfee.
Charles Chaplin
...
Tipsy Dancer
Ford Sterling
...
Band Leader
Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
...
Clarinettist
Chester Conklin
...
Guest in Police Costume
Minta Durfee
...
Guest
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Avery
...
Guest in Straw Hat (uncredited)
Glen Cavender
...
Drummer in band / Guest in Cone Hat (uncredited)
Alice Davenport
...
Guest with Man in Overalls (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert
...
Guest in cowboy hat (uncredited)
William Hauber
...
Flutist (uncredited)
Bert Hunn
...
Guest (uncredited)
George Jeske
...
Cornet Player / Guest with Bow Tie (uncredited)
Edgar Kennedy
...
Dance Hall Manager (uncredited)
Sadie Lampe
...
Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Hank Mann
...
Guest in Overalls (uncredited)
Harry McCoy
...
Piano Player (uncredited)
Rube Miller
...
Guest Pushed Away (uncredited)
Dave Morris
...
Dance Organizer (uncredited)
Eva Nelson
...
Guest with Man in Cone Hat (uncredited)
Frank Opperman
...
Clarinetist / Guest (uncredited)
Peggy Pearce
...
Guest (uncredited)
Al St. John
...
Guest in Convict Costume (uncredited)
His Favourite Pastime
Is a 1914 American comedy film starring Charlie Chaplin. Charlie gets drunk in the bar. He steps outside, meets a pretty woman, tries to flirt with her, only to retreat after the woman's father returns. Returning to the bar, Charlie drinks some more and engages in rogue behaviours with others. He finally leaves the bar, sees the woman leaving, follows the woman home, and proceeds to make a nuisance of himself, eventually getting kicked out of the house.
Charles Chaplin
...
Drunken Masher
Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle
...
Shabby Drunk
Peggy Pearce
...
Wife (as Velma Pearce)
Frank Opperman
...
Husband
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Helen Carruthers
...
Servant (uncredited)
Jess Dandy
...
Minor Role (uncredited)
Hampton Del Ruth
...
Drinker with Moustache (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert
...
Shoeshine Boy (uncredited)
William Hauber
...
Shoeshine Customer / Servant (uncredited)
Bert Hunn
...
Bartender (uncredited)
George Jeske
...
Servant (uncredited)
Edgar Kennedy
...
Tough Guy in Bar (uncredited)
Harry McCoy
...
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Rube Miller
...
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Cruel Cruel Love
Is a 1914 American comedy silent film made at the Keystone Studios and starring Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin plays a character quite different from the Little Tramp for which he would become famous. In this short Keystone film, Chaplin is instead a rich, upper-class gentleman (Lord Helpus) whose romance is endangered when his girlfriend (played by Minta Durfee) sees him being embraced by her maid and jumps to the wrong conclusion. She angrily sends Lord Helpus away, saying she never wants to see him again. Distraught, when Lord Helpus arrives home he is determined to end his life. He swallows what he thinks is a glass of poison and envisions himself being tortured in Hell. Not long afterward, the girlfriend's gardener and maid explain to Minta that Lord Helpus was not flirting at all. Minta quickly sends a note of apology to Lord Helpus. upon reading it, Lord Helpus flies into a panic and summons an ambulance to help him before he dies from the fatal dose of poison. There is no danger of Lord Helpus expiring: His butler had stealthily switched the liquid in the glass to harmless water.
Charles Chaplin
...
Lord Helpus / Mr. Dovey
Edgar Kennedy
...
Lord Helpus' Butler
Minta Durfee
...
The Lady
Eva Nelson
...
Maid
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Glen Cavender
...
Bearded Doctor (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert
...
Short Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
William Hauber
...
Gardener (uncredited)
Bert Hunn
...
Tall Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
Harry Russell
...
Bald Doctor (uncredited)
The Star Boarder
Is a 1914 American short comedy film starring Charlie Chaplin. The film is also known as ‘The Landlady's Pet’, its 1918 American reissue title. Charlie, a resident in a boarding house, is the favorite of his landlord's wife. His fellow male boarders are jealous of the situation and dislike Charlie because of it. They arrange to frighten him with a dummy. Charlie is frightened a runs to the police. Meanwhile, a tramp has hidden himself in a cupboard. The police find him, making Charlie a hero for the moment. The mischievous young son of the landlord, however, has taken a series of compromising photographs and displays them to everyone in a magic lantern show. Two scandals are revealed. One photo shows Charlie kissing the proprietor's wife. Another shows the proprietor flirting with another woman.
Charles Chaplin
...
The Star Boarder
Minta Durfee
...
Landlady
Edgar Kennedy
...
Landlady's Husband
Gordon Griffith
...
The Son
Alice Davenport
...
Landlady's Friend
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Phyllis Allen
...
Boarder (uncredited)
Jess Dandy
...
Boarder (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert
...
Boarder (uncredited)
Wallace MacDonald
...
Boarder (uncredited)
Harry McCoy
...
Boarder assisting with magic lantern show (uncredited)
Rube Miller
...
Boarder (uncredited)
Lee Morris
...
Boarder (uncredited)
William Nigh
...
Boarder (uncredited)
Al St. John
...
Boarder (uncredited)
Mabel at the Wheel
Is a 1914 American Motion starring Charles Chaplin and Mabel Normand, and directed by Mabel Normand and Mack Sennett. Charlie offers Mabel a ride on his two-seater Motorcycle, which she accepts in preference to his rival's racing car. Unfortunately as they go over a bump, she falls off into a puddle. The rival, who has followed in his car, picks up the now stranded Mabel. He lets her drive, sitting tight beside her. Charlie at last notices she is gone and falls off the bike. He sees them together now stopped and standing beside the car. They leave the car for a short while and Charlie lets down the rear tyre. His rival returns and is furious. They throw rocks at Charlie and he throws them back. The rival's friend appears and gets caught up in the rock-throwing confusion. We cut to "The Auto Race" where Charlie hovers round the cars. The drivers usher him away when they see he has a sharp pin. Charlie stands puffing heavily on a cigarette. He uses his pin to get through the crowd, where he propositions Mabel and gets slapped.
Charles Chaplin
...
Villain
Mabel Normand
...
Mabel
Harry McCoy
...
Mabel's Boyfriend
Chester Conklin
...
Mabel's Father
Mack Sennett
...
Reporter / Newsreel Director
Dave Anderson
...
Henchman (as Andy Anderson)
Joe Bordeaux
...
Dubious Character
Mack Swain
...
Spectator at Races
William Hauber
...
Mabel's co-driver
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dan Albert
...
Cheering Spectator (uncredited)
Charles Avery
...
Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)
Ada Baumann
...
Mabel's friend and race spectator (uncredited)
Charley Chase
...
Race Spectator (uncredited)
Alice Davenport
...
Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)
Minta Durfee
...
Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)
Edgar Kennedy
...
Spectator in Grandstand (uncredited)
Charles Lakin
...
Cheering Spectator (uncredited)
Grover Ligon
...
Henchman (uncredited)
Fred Mace
...
Dubious character (uncredited)
Edward Nolan
...
Spectator (uncredited)
Fred Wagner
...
Race Starter (uncredited)
Twenty Minutes of Love
Is a 1914 American comedy silent film made by Keystone Studios. The film is widely reported as Charlie Chaplin’s directorial debut. Some sources name Joseph Maddern as the director, but generally credit Chaplin as the creative force. Charlie is hanging around in the park, finding problems with a jealous suitor, a man who thinks that Charlie has robbed him a watch, a policeman and even a little boy, all because our friend can't stop snooping.
Charles Chaplin
...
Pickpocket
Minta Durfee
...
Edgar's Girl
Edgar Kennedy
...
Lover
Gordon Griffith
...
Boy
Chester Conklin
...
Pickpocket
Josef Swickard
...
Pickpocket's Victim
Hank Mann
...
Sleeper
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eva Nelson
...
Pickpocket's Girl (uncredited)
Caught in a Cabaret
Is a 1914 short comedy film written and directed by Mabel Normand and starring Normand and Charles Chaplin. Chaplin plays a waiter who fakes being a Greek Ambassador to impress a girl. He then is invited to a garden party where he gets in trouble with the girl's jealous boyfriend. Mabel Normand wrote and directed comedies before Chaplin and mentored her young co-star.
Charles Chaplin
...
Waiter
Mabel Normand
...
Mabel Society Girl
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dan Albert
...
Cabaret Patron / Garden Party Guest (uncredited)
Phyllis Allen
...
Cabaret Dancer (uncredited)
Glen Cavender
...
Piano Player (uncredited)
Nick Cogley
...
Boy's Defender (uncredited)
Chester Conklin
...
Waiter / Footman (uncredited)
Alice Davenport
...
Mabel's Mother (uncredited)
Minta Durfee
...
Cabaret Patron / Girl in Park (uncredited)
Ted Edwards
...
Singer (uncredited)
Billy Gilbert
...
Cabaret Patron (uncredited)
Impressum
Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 26.12.2020
ISBN: 978-3-7487-6963-7
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Widmung:
It is a biography of his movies