Charlie Chaplin
On April 16, 1889, one of the world's greatest contributors to the motion picture industry was born. Charles Spencer Chaplin was born to a poor English couple by the names of Charles Chaplin (Sr.) and Hannah Hill in the city of London. His parents were in the entertainment business as well; they were both music hall entertainers. Not long after Charlie was born his father left Hannah and her children, so Hannah raised the children on her own. Charlie and Sydney, Charlie's brother, entered the Lambeth Workhouse in 1896, which later led them to Hanwell School for Orphans and Destitute Children.
Charlie's career was set afoot in 1894 when Charlie finished a song for his mother whose voice became hoarse while singing a song at the music hall. From 1903-06 Chaplin performed as a newspaper boy in Sherlock Holmes. After Sherlock Holmes he performed in The Casey Circus until 1907. From 1907 until 1913 Chaplin works with Karno Pantomime Troupe and goes on two tours of the US and Canada with the Karno Troupe. He leaves this for a job offer in May of 1913. The job paid $125 a week and was for Adam Kessel who was involved with the Keystone Film Company, and on December 29, 1913 Chaplin signed a contract with the company. This led to Chaplin's first film Making a Living.
1 This was a film about a man who was out of work, so he took a job as a reporter and for the duration of the film his rival chases him around town in competition for the best story.2Chaplin made over thirty films with Keystone before moving on to Essanay Films where he did about fifteen films including the one that earned him his nickname, The Tramp.
3 The Tramp is a slapstick comedy where Chaplin plays the hero for a damsel in distress. Unfortunately for Chaplin's character the damsel is previously engaged.4Chaplin's next contract was signed February 27, 1916 with Mutual Film Corporation. Chaplin is now pulling in $10,000 a week plus bonuses. He works for Mutual Films from 1916-1917.
1The first film he did for this company was His New Job, a film about an actor trying to get a job, but no one will let him have a chance. The director tells him to assist the carpenter instead of letting him act. When he finally does get a chance to act he screws it up and loses the part. Then he has another chance and this time he acts like a complete fool on the set.
5Charlie's next film is A Night Out, and it is about Two drunk men at a hotel that are harassing a Frenchman and his wife. They get into trouble, and end up moving to another hotel. It just so happens that the Frenchman and his wife had moved to the same hotel to get away from the men, and so the drunken men end up harassing them some more.
6He then films The Champion, a film about a man who is out for a walk and finds a horseshoe, so he keeps it. He walks along some more and sees a boxing gym. Inside the man fights another man who can take a few punches. Charlie's character knocks the guy out, so the trainer asks him to fight the world champion. He fights the man and wins. Charlie's character then falls in love with the trainer's daughter.
7The next film was In the Park. In the Park was about a women's purse being stolen and then passed around until it gets back to the women. The women is now furious that her boyfriend hadn't saved her, so he goes to throw himself in a lake, and someone else assists him in this process.
8 He made about eight more films with the company before moving on.3On the 17th of June in the year 1917 Charlie Chaplin signs on with The First National Exhibitor's Circuit for $1,075,000 a year.
1Films with First National include A Dog's Life, Shoulder Arms, The Bond, Sunnyside, A Day's Pleasure, The Kid, The Idle Class, Pay Day, and The Pilgrim. Chaplin also worked with several other companies including, United Artists, Universal, and Attica/Archway.
3As you can see all of his movies are slapstick comedies and he just keeps pumping out more and more movies and getting more and more money.
Charlie Chaplin was an excellent actor. He always kept everyone laughing. Although off of the set he was not to good of a person. He loved to drink and carouse the town. He had four wives. Needless to say Charlie never could settle down. In the early 1950s Charlie Chaplin moved his family back to Europe. The Queen would not permit him to return to England. Instead Charlie moved his family to an estate on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, where he remained until his death on December 25, 1977. With his death many people feel a great piece of movie history left us, but Charlie had left behind so much.
9Bibliography