Charlie Chaplin is a famous English comic actor, director in Hollywood during the 20th century, whose plays are honored even today. Chaplin was identified as one of the 100 most important people in the 20th century by TIME. He had 75 years commitment in the industry, starting from his first amateur act with his mother at age 5. Let’s switch on to the topic!
20 Points on Charlie Chaplin:
Name : Charles Spencer Chaplin
Born on/in : 16 April 1889; In Walworth, South London, England.
Died : 25 December 1977 in Switzerland.
Known for : Actor, Director, Composer, Screenwriter, Producer, Editor.
1. Charlie Chaplin was born into poverty and hardship in South London. His parents were estranged in 1891 and brought up by his mother till his 14th age. He was sent to workhouse two times, one at 7 and another at 12. In 1898, his mother Hannah committed herself to the Cane Hill mental asylum, in results of syphilis.
2. Chaplin became a stage performer at 14. At age 10, he toured in an English dance troupe for 2 years, which he had joined through his father. At 1900, he found himself preferred comedy act to dancing. He was first prompted as a newsboy in Harry Arthur Saintsbury‘s Jim, a Romance of Cockayne and Sherlock Holmes. These unveiled the acting of Chaplin to people & was hooked by his charm & act as a young boy. He played the show until 1906.
3. In may 1906, Chaplin joined Casey’s Circus and got well-versed in burlesque pieces and was star in the show. His first attempt as a solo act turned a failure. He then ground finding more jobs. He joined Fred Carno’s comedy company, where his brother Sydney Chaplin was a key performer; It gave Charlie, “Jimmy the Fearless”, a successful role that gained him popularity & press attention.
4. Chaplin made his first acting film debut in Making a Living in 1914. However, the Tramp Character in his 3rd film Kid Auto Races pronounced to the peak, adding him immense fame, throughout his career.
5. Caught in the Rain, the first directorial debut of Charlie was a huge success. The situation of directing appeared when he clashed with the director Mabel Normand.
6. Chaplin became a cultural phenomenon in 1915. The Tramp character had recognized him as a film industry’s first international star. This had raised opportunities from Universal, Fox and Mutual, also in raise in wages.
7. Signing to Mutual for $670,000/year ($15.7 Million today), Chaplin became one of the highest paid people in the world at his 26th age, Richest than the then President of United States.
8. He dated Edna Purviance in 1917, whom he hired in his films for her beauty. She did 35 films in eight years with Chaplin, later.
9. He was hesitant to impose sound to his films, when sound films were taking its first step; thinking that it would degrade the versatility of the Tramp. However, he did The Dictator, the role of Adolf Hitler which was his first and only sound film.
10. He was married four times and had 11 children, each time to a much younger woman than him. His first wife was a 16 year old actress Mildred Harris, when he was 29; Second to Leta Grey (16years); Third to 21 years old Paulette Goddard, when he was 47; Fourth to 18 year old Oona O’Neill at his 54th age and the couple had 8 children.
11. He was the first actor to appear in the cover page of TIME Magazine, until then, the magazine only had business and political persons.
12. The Kid, released in January 2021, was a huge success and the first to get screened over 50 countries. The Gold Rush was one of his best films ever made and became the highest grossing films of the silent era with a US box office of $5 million.
13. Charlie surprised people, when they came to know that he was a blue eyed human; which was headlined in some locations.
14. Chaplin maintained a good friendship with Albert Einstein from 1931 till his death. Albert Einstein was a guest of honor as the premiere for his film, ‘City Lights’.
15. Chaplin was never awarded an acting Oscar, though awarded 3 times. One in 1929 for his versatility in writing, directing and producing. Second in 1972 for his works on motion picture. Third honor for best score in ‘Limelight’ in 1973.
16. He once participated in ‘Charlie Chaplin Look-like’ contest and won third level. Even the organizers and the contestants were not able to identify him, until he himself revealed.
17. There’s an asteroid named after him by one of his fans, Russian astronomer Ludmila Kena in 4th October 1981, as ‘36:23 Chaplin’.
18. He was forced to leave US in 1952, due to political issues. He then went and lived in Switzerland for the rest of his years.
19. Chaplin was a multi-skilled human; serving to be the best director, actor, composer, producer, writer & comic person.
20. When awarded Oscar in 1972, the crowd gave a 12-minute-long standing ovation to the icon, which is the longest honor till now. He was also awarded the longest overdue star to the Hollywood Walk of fame in the same year, five years before his death.
References:
- Wikipedia
- youtube