1

Biography:CharlieChaplin
(April16,1889December25,1977)

CharlieChaplin,whobroughtlaughtertomillionsworldwideasthesilent"Little
Tramp"clown,hadthetypeofdeprivedchildhoodthatonewouldexpecttofind
inaDickensnovel.BorninEastStreet,Walworth,Londonon16April,1889,
CharlesSpencerChaplinwasthesonofamusichallsingerandhiswife.Charlie
Chaplin'sparentsdivorcedearlyinhislife,withhisfatherprovidinglittletono
support,eitherfinancialorotherwise,leavinghismothertosupportthemasbest
shecould.Chaplin'smotherHannahwasthebrightestspotinCharlie's
childhoodformerlyanactoronstage,shehadlostherabilitytoperform,and
managedtoearnasubsistencelivingforherself,Charlie,andCharlie'solder
halfbrotherSidneybysewing.ShewasanintegralpartofCharlie'syounglife,
andhecreditedherwithmuchofhissuccess.Sadly,sheslowlysuccumbedto
mentalillness,andbythetimethatCharliewas7yearsold,shewasconfined
toanasylumCharlieandSidneywererelegatedtoaworkhouse(agovernment
facilityfororphanedandabandonedchildren)notforthelasttime.After2
months,shewasreleased,andthefamilywashappilyreunited,foratime.In
lateryears,shewasreadmittedforan8monthstretchlater,duringwhichtime
Charlielivedwithhisalcoholicfatherandstepmother,inastrained
environment.

CharlieChaplin'sfirsttasteofshowbusiness
Sidneylefthomefirst,workingfirstonasailing
ship,andlateronthestage,openingthedoorfor
Charlietofollowinhisfootstepslater.YoungCharlie
feltmorealonethaneverwithoutthepresenceof
hisbrother,hisclosestfriendandconfidant.
However,therewasabrightspotaswellin
Chaplin's9thyearhetouredwithastage
company,the8LancashireLads,withakindhearted
couplewholedthetroupe,andgaveChaplinhis
firsttasteofstagelife.HealsometayoungStan
Laurelaspartofthetroupe.

Attheageof12,Charlie'sfatherdiedquiteyoung.

Attheageof14,Charlie'smotherisreadmittedto
CharlieChaplin
theasylum,whileSidneyisoutoftownonan
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extendedtrip.Charlieprovidesforhimselfasbest
hecan,desperatetoavoidreturningtothe
workhouse,untilSydneyreturnshome.WithSidney'sreturn,youngChaplin's
luckbeginstoturnforthebetter.Hewinsapartinthestageplay"Jim,A
RomanceofCockney"toglowingreviews.Laterinthesameyear,heearnsthe
partofBillyinastageadaptationof"SherlockHolmes,"againtosterlingreviews,
andtourswiththecompanyplayingthatpart.Thetourcontinuesthroughthenext
 2

year,andHannahisagainreleased,seeminglyinherrightmind.Allseemstobe
goingwell,untilHannahrelapses,andisinstitutionalizedforthenext7years
Charlieis16yearsold.

CharlieChaplintourswiththeKarnotroupe,andenters
films
Charliecontinuesinhisactingcareer,ashisbrotherSidneyjoinstheKarno
troupe,againopeningthewaythereforCharlie.CharliejoinstheKarnotroupe
thenextyear,againworkingalongsideStanLaurel.Twoyearslater,Chaplin
(alongwiththerestoftheKarnotroupe)tourstheUnitedStates'vaudeville
circuit.Twoyearslater,in1912,CharliereturnswiththeKarnotroupetothe
USA,butthistimedecidestostay.Thenextyear,Chaplinleavesthestageto
joinMackSennet'sKeystoneFilmsStudio,markingamilestonebothinhisown
lifeandinthehistoryoffilm.

CharlieChaplin'sfamousTrampcharacterisborn
ThepaceoffilmmakinginearlyHollywoodseemsimpossiblebytoday's
standards.Injusttwomonths,ChaplinappearedinthefollowingKeystonefilms:
MakingaLiving,KidAutoRaces,Mabel'sStrangePredicament,Between
Showers,AFilmJohnnie,TangoTangles,HisFavouritePastime,Cruel,Cruel
Love.AlthoughChaplinstartedattheKeystoneCompanyasabitplayer,withthe
introductionofhisworldfamoustrampcharacterhequicklyexplodedintoa
majorstar.ByApril,attheageof25,Chaplindirectshisfirstfilm,'Twenty
MinutesofLove.'

ByNovemberofthatyear,ChaplinisleavingKeystone,havingsignedan
exclusivecontractforthenewlyformedEssanayFilmCompany.Sidneyfollows
inCharlie'sstepsthistime,andjoinstheKeystoneCompanyshortlybefore
Charlieleftit.

InFebruaryof1915,ChaplinbeginsworkforEssanay,withgreatercontrolover
hisfilmsthaneverbeforebutnotenoughtoavoid'creativedifferences'with
hisbossesatEssanay.However,anothermilestoneoccursatthesametime
hemeetsEdnaPurviance,whowastobehisleadingladyformanyofhisfilms,
aswellasanoffagain,onagainromance.AtEssanay,Chaplincreatedmanyof
theclassicshortfilmshe'sbestrememberedfor,includingHisNewJob,AJitney
Elopement,TheTramp,ANightintheShow,andTheImmigrant.InFebruaryof
1916,Chaplinagainjumpstoanotherfilmcompany,Mutual,wherehecontinues
tocreatesomeofhisfinestshorts,includingTheFloorwalker,TheVagabond,
ThePawnshop,BehindtheScreen,andTheRink.Inbothhispersonaland
professionallife,hisinnercirclebegantoexpand.HefirsthiredHenryBergman
(the'heavyvillain'insomanyofChaplin'sfilms),aswellashiringTomHarrington
ashispersonalsecretary,apositionwhichhekeptformanydecades,becoming
Chaplin'srighthandmaninmanyrespects.
 3

Desiringevenmorecreativecontrol,Chaplinbegan
buildinghisownstudiointhefallof1917,and
signedwithyetanotherstudio,FirstNational.For
thefirsttime,Chaplinhascompletecontrolover
everystepofhisfilms.ForFirstNational,Chaplin
continuestocreateclassicshorts:ADog'sLife,
ShoulderArms,andTheBond.In1918,healso
marriesforthefirst(butnotthelast)time,to
MildredHarris.

CharlieChaplin'swomantroubles
Charliebeginsinhispersonallifearecurring,
destructivepatternhechases(andfrequently
marries)ayoungwoman,losesinterestinher
(beingconsumedbyhiscreativeenergies),goes
CharlieChaplinwithDog throughamessybreakup(ordivorce),typically
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impactinghisprofessionallife,andthenrepeatsthe
pattern.InNovemberofthatyear,hisfirsttruelove,HettyKelly,diesalthough
Chaplindoesn'tfindthisoutuntilhevisitsEnglandin1921.

CharlieChaplinpathosandcomedy
1919wasayearofbothgreatgainsandlossesforCharlie.Oneofhismost
popularshortfilms,Sunnyside,isreleaseddemonstratingadegreeofboth
pathosandcomedymixedtogethertoahighdegree.Chaplinhadbeenslowly
movingtheLittleTramptowardsthismorebalancedcharacterizationforsome
timeandnowCharliethetrampismaturing.Sadly,Charliethehumanbeing
sufferedaterribleloss,ashis&Mildred'sinfantchildisborn,horriblydeformed,
anddiesafteronly3days.Charliesoughtsolaceinhiswork,alienatinghiswife
evenmore.Inthatsameyear,heformedUnitedArtistswithhisclosestfriend
DouglasFairbanksandFairbanks'wife,screenlegendMaryPickfordina
successfulefforttokeepthemajorstudiosfrommonopolizingandcontrollingall
aspectsofproduction.InDecemberofthatyear,ADay'sPleasurewasreleased,
dealingwithahappyfamilytryingtoenjoyaquietdayatthebeachsomewhat
ironically,consideringthestateofCharlieChaplin'spersonallifeatthatstage.
ButsomethingnewwasonthehorizonCharlieChaplinhadbegunproduction
ofTheKid.
 4

CharlieChaplinTheKid
TheKidwasCharlieChaplin'sfirstfull
lengthmovie.It,morethananythingelseto
thatdate,madeChaplinalivinglegend.It
tookoverayeartoproduce,andwasan
incrediblesuccessforChaplin,both
financiallyandartistically.

Overthenextyear,CharlieChaplincontinues
workingonTheKid,ashisperfectionism
takesmoreandmoretimeincreatinghisfilm
masterpieces.Sadly,heandMildredHarris
divorceatthistime,inoneofthemostbitter
Hollywooddivorcesseenuptothispoint.But
thereislightattheendofthetunnel,asThe
Kidisfinallyreleasedtounanimouspraise,
andrecordboxofficesuccess,in1921.
CharlieChaplinhadgonethroughavery
difficulttime,andneededtimetorelax,and
renewhimself.Hetookhisfirstvacation,
CharlieChaplinwithKid...
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returningtoEuropetocrowdsthatwere
beyondhiswildestdreams.Inabittersweet
moment,helearnsofHettyKelly'sdeathfromherbrotherwhileinLondon.More
cheerfully,hebeginsseveralfriendshipsinLondonthatbecomelifelong,
includingwiththefamouswriterH.G.Welles.Inaddition,heandSydneybrought
theirmother,Hannah,totheStates,whereshelivedtherestofherlife,underthe
bestmedicalcarethatCharlie'smoneycouldprovide.

ReturningtoAmerica,andtohiswork,Charliequicklyproduceshisnextfilm,The
IdleClass.Charliebeginsworkingonhisnextfilm,Payday,inhisprofessional
life,andmeetstheEuropeanactressPolaNegri,withwhomhehasanoffagain,
onagainromanticrelationshipthatgoesonfornearlyayear.Overthecourseof
thatyear,CharlieChaplinreleaseshisnextfilm,ThePilgrim(aboutanescaped
convictwhotakesontheroleofapreachertoavoidrecapture),andpreparesfor
hisfirstdramaticfilm,AWomanofParis,designedtocatapultEdnaPurviance
intoherowncareer.AudiencesbynowhadassociatedthenameCharlieChaplin
withcomedy,however,andwerenotexpectingseriousfare.Althoughagood
movie,itdiedattheboxofficeandgaveCharlieChaplinhisfirstcommercial
failure.
 5

CharlieChaplin TheGoldRush
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lady,LitaGrey,hadtobereplacedbyGeorgiaHalesinceCharlieChaplinhad
marriedLitaGrey,andshehadbecomepregnant.Shewasonly16atthetime.
CharlieChaplinin
TheGoldRushand
inafamilyway
Thatwasreversedbyhis
nextfilm,oneoftheclassics
ofthesilenteraTheGold
Rush.Itisthestoryofthe
LittleTrampgoingnorthto
theAlaskangoldrush,and
bymoreluckthanskillboth
gettingthegirlandbecoming
rich.Itistouching,poignant,
andhilarious,containing
someofChaplin'smost
famousroutines.However,
earlyinthefilmingofthe
movie,Chaplin'sleading

Chaplinworriedincessantlyabouthisyoungwife'spregnancyhadfeltthatthe
deathofhisfirstsonwas,insomeway,hisfault.Thankfully,in1925thischild
wasbornhealthyCharlesSpencerChaplinJr.Charliehadqualmsabout
namingthechildafterhimself,fearingthattheboywouldliveinhisfather's
shadow,buthegavewaytoLita.Thatsameyear,TheGoldRush(readreview)
wasreleasedtocriticalacclaimandgreatfinancialsuccess.Somebelieveitis
Chaplin'sfinestfilm.Ironically,therewasathirdbirththatyearthatwould
becomeintegraltoChaplinyearslaterOonaO'Neilwasborn.

Thenextyear,Charliebeganworkonhisnextfilm,TheCircus(readreview).As
JohnMcCabenotedinhisexcellentbiographyofCharlieChaplin,TheCircus
wasnottheequalofTheGoldRush,butwasagoodfilminits'ownrightand,
giventhecircumstancesunderwhichitwasfilmed,itwasamiraclethatitwas
evenpalatable.

CharlieChaplininamessydivorce
Despitethebirthofasecondson,Sidney,in1926,Charlie&Lita'smarriage
brokeapartbitterly,andpublicly.Chargeswentbackandforth,with
newspapersgleefullydisplayingthedetailsoftheChaplins'maritalwoes.Charlie
ChaplinalwaysrefusedtodiscusshismarriagewithLitaLita,however,wrotea
onesidedaccount,WifeoftheLifeoftheParty.Thedivorceendedin1927with
arecordbreakingdivorcesettlementof$825,000.Thestresswasenoughto
permanentlyturnCharlieChaplin'shairprematurelywhite.Duringallofthis,
CharliecontinuedtofilmTheCircus(readreview),oneofhislesserknown,but
best,films.
 6

In1928,CharlieChaplinreleasedTheCircustopopularacclaim,andalso
receivedaspecialOscarforhisworkonthefilmasdirector,actor,producer.
Sadly,thispositiveyearwasalsocrushinglynegative,asCharlie'sbeloved
motherdied.Chaplin'slifecontinuedtobecenteredaroundhiswork,eveninhis
grief,ashebeganworkonhisnextfilmtowardstheendofthatyear:CityLights
(readreview).

CharlieChaplintheendoftheTramp
CityLights,releasedin1931,wasCharlieChaplin'sfirstnonsilentfilm.Butitstill
wasnota'talking'picture.Chaplinincludedthemusicalsoundtrack,andused
soundeffects,butnobodyspokeinthepictureyet.Thiswasamajorgamblefor
Chaplin,sincesoundpictureshadnowbecomethestandard.Butitwasa
gamblethatpaidoffhandsomely.Themoviewasbothafinancialandcritical
success,andmanybelieveittobeoneofChaplin'sfinestfilms,ifnothisbest.
AfterCityLights,CharlieChaplindid
somethingtotallyoutofcharacterhe
tookavacation.Actually,Chaplintook
vacationsquitefrequently,bothto
refreshhimselfandtofindnewideasfor
hisfilms.Butthiswashisfirstextended
vacation,awayfromcreatinganew
moviefornearlytwoyears.Hetalksat
lengthaboutthistimeinhis
autobiography(MyAutobiography),
ModernTimes
includingglobetrottingandhowhewas
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nearlyassassinatedinJapanbut
perhapshismostpivotalmomentwasin1932,whenhemetPauletteGoddard,
whowouldcostarinhisnextfilm ModernTimeswhichwouldbetheTramp's
finalfilm.

AfterthereleaseofModernTimes,CharlieChaplinandPauletteGoddardwere
marriedinsecret,whileonvacationintheOrient.Uponhisreturn,Charliebegan
hismostaudaciouscomedyyetTheGreatDictator,makingfunofAdolphHitler
himself.Hitler,inmanyways,wasanaturalsubjectforChaplintosatirize.Hitler,
itissaid,adoptedhismustacheinimitationofCharlie.Bothweresmallermen,of
slightbuild.AndChaplinsawtheideasthatHitlerwaschampioningashorrible,
evilandCharliewasdeterminedtoshowtheworldwhathesaw.
 7

CharlieChaplinattacksHitlerinThe
GreatDictator
TheGreatDictatorwasCharlieChaplin'sfirsttruly
talkingpicture,andwhenitwasfinallyreleasedin
1940,itwasaworldwidesensation.Manypeople
mistakenlythinkthatthecharacteroftheJewish
BarberinthefilmistheTramp,butCharlieChaplin
wasadamantthattheyaredifferentcharacters.
AlthoughthebarberusesmanyoftheTramp's
mannerisms,heisalsoclearlyanindividualinhis
ownright.Andthebarberisfarmorelongwinded,
asthefamous"LookUp,Hannah"speechattheend
ofthemovieremindsus.

CharlieChaplinunAmerican?
TheGreatDictator
BuyFromArt.com InthesameyearthatCharlieChaplinbeganworking
onTheGreatDictator,theHouseUnAmerican
CommitteebeginsinvestigatingCharlie.Atfirstglance,thereseemstobeno
reasonforthisuntilthesecondglance.EarlierChaplinhaddonehispatriotic
partinraisingmoneyforthewareffort,alongsidehislongtimefriendsDouglas
FairbanksandMaryPickfordraisinglargeamountsofmoneyforthewar.
Charliewasalifelongpacifist,buthewasalsoarealistwhosawthatthe
aggressionoftheAxispowershadtobestopped.Inmanyways,Chaplinwas
politicallynaivesuchasspeakingatfundraisersfortheCommunistUSSR,
whomChaplinsimplysawasouralliesinthefight.Andbysuggestingthat
Americaimmediatelyopenatwofrontwartohelpour"friends"intheSoviet
Union.Theseweresomeofthereasonsthatthegovernmentbegankeepingtabs
ontheimmigrantfilmmaker(althoughheworkedforalloftheseyearsin
America,hemaintainedhisBritishcitizenship,andhadnointentionof
becominganAmericancitizen).

1942wasaverybusyyearforCharlieChaplin,atleastinhispersonallife.
PauletteGoddard,costarofModernTimesandTheGreatDictator,divorced
Chaplin,andwentontobeastarinherownright.Inthatsameyear,Charliemet
anotheryounglady,whomhefallsdeeply,andpermanently,inlovewithOona
O'Neil.Oona,althoughyoung,ismaturebeyondheryearsperhapsfrom
havinggrownupinthehouseholdofherfather,EugeneO'Neil,thefamous
playwright.EugeneO'NeilwasopposedtohavinghisdaughterdateCharlie
ChaplingivenChaplin'strackrecordtodate,onecanhardlyblamehim.In
addition,Chaplinmeetsanotheryoungladythatyear,whoserelationshipto
Chaplinwouldalmostseemtoconfirmtheplaywright'ssuspicionsJoanBarry.

Byallaccounts,JoanBarrywasatroubledyoungwoman,whohadsometalent
foracting.ShehadmetCharlieChaplin,whohadgivenherascreentestfora
role,butdidnothireherforanyofhismovies.Althoughtheydatedonandoff,
 8

nothingseriouscameofit.ButinJoanBarry'smind,itwasveryseriousserious
enoughthatshebreaksintoChaplin'shomelaterthatyear,armedwithagun.
Charlieeventuallytalkedheroutofanyviolence,gothertoleavequietly,and
thencalledthepolice,resultinginarestrainingorderthatshouldhaveservedto
keepheroutofCharlieChaplin'slife.

CharlieChaplininthepaternitysuit
However,twothingshappenedthatnextyearthatpreventedthatfrom
happening.FirstwasJoanBarry'spregnancyshenamedCharlieChaplinas
thefather.Second,CharliemarriedOonaO'Neiland,inaveryrealsense,they
livedhappilyeverafter.Thecoupletrulylovedeachother,weredevotedtoeach
other,andgrewcloserastimewenton.

Inthemoreimmediateterm,CharlieChaplindeniedbeingthefatherofJoan
Barry'schild,andabloodtestprovedhisinnocence.However,thebloodtestwas
inadmissableintheCaliforniacourtatthetime,andajuryofhispeersordered
Chaplintopaychildsupport.(Thisisrecreatedquitewellinthe1992'Chaplin'
moviestarringRobertDowney,andishighlyrecommendedviewing).

In1946,thefirstofOonaandCharlieChaplin'schildren,Michael,isborn.Over
theyears,hewillhave7moresiblings(Josephine,Victoria,Eugene,Jane,
AnnetteandChristopher).Charliealsobeginshisnextfilm,averygreat
departurefromanythingCharliehaseverattemptedthedarkcomedyMonsieur
Verdoux.

MonsieurVerdouxisaverydarkcomedy,inwhichthetitlecharacter,afired
bankclerk,makeshislivingbymarryingricholderwomenandthenkillingthem
fortheirmoney.CharlieChaplinusedittomakeastatementabouttheparadox
ofkillingmillionsinwarisvirtuous,forthewinningside,butkillingindividualsisa
crime.Althoughithasmomentsbothhumorousandengaging,itwasnotthefare
thatthepublicwasexpectingfromChaplin,anditdidnotdowelldomestically,
althoughitdidwelloverseas,andChaplinmadeatidyprofitfromit.Healsoused
EdnaPurvianceonscreenforthelasttime,essentiallyasanextra.

CharlieChaplin'sfinalfilms
In1951,CharlieChaplinmadeoneofhisfinestfilms,andoneofhisleastwell
knownLimelight.Limelightisthestoryofaformerlygreatdancehalltramp
clown,Calvero(portrayedbyChaplin)onadownwardspiral,contrastingwitha
youngdanceronherwaytofameintothespotlight.Afunny,poignantfilm,it
alsoteamedtwoofthegreatclownsofthesilentera,BusterKeatonandCharlie
Chaplin,forthefirstandonlytime.

LimelightdidnotdowellatAmericanmoviehouses,largelyduetothefalse
rumorsthatChaplinwasacommunistorcommunistsympathizer,aswellasan
organizedprotestbyvariousunionsresultingintheatersrefusingtoshowthe
film.Asaresult,itwasnotseenwidelyintheUnitedStatesofAmericafor
 9

decades.Yearslater,whenitfinallyplayedinLosAngeles,itwasnominatedfor
theBestMusicAcademyAwardandwon.

CharlieChaplininExile
AfterLimelight,CharlietookanothervacationtoEngland,wantingtoshowhis
newwifeandchildrenhisnativecountry.Uponleavingtheterritorialwatersofthe
UnitedStatesofAmerica,CharlieChaplinreceivedacable,informinghimthat
theStateDepartmenthadrescindedhisreentrypermiteffectivelylockinghim
outofthecountryasanundesirablealien.Thereweremanyreasonsforthis
Chaplin'sunorthodoxpoliticalviews,thefalseaccusationthathewasa
Communist,andnotleastofall,money.Therewouldhavebeenanattemptby
thefederalgovernmenttoseizeChaplin'sassets,whichwereenormous.
However,hiswifeOonareturnedtotheUnitedStates,andpromptlytookallof
theliquidassets,aswellasliquidatingeverythingshecouldleavingthe
governmentwithoutapennyforits'trouble.

CharlieChaplinwasnot,however,amanwithoutacountry.Hewasstillacitizen
ofGreatBritain,buthedidnotdesiretolivethere.Afterthestressofthesituation
hadbeendealtwith,theChaplinsrelocatedtoVevey,Switzerlandin1953,where
theylivedfortheremainderoftheirlivestogether.Aftertheirdeath,ithasbeen
turnedintoaninternationalCharlieChaplinmuseum.

In1954,OonarenouncedherU.S.citizenship,castingherlotwithherhusband.
And,ironically,CharlieChaplinwasawardedWorldPeaceCouncilPrizeinthat
sameyear.Inthenextyear,heresumesdoingwhathedoesbestmaking
comedies.
 10

Hisnextfilm,AKingInNewYork,wasabiting
indictmentofmodernsociety.Init,heplayedthe
roleofKingShadov,anEuropeanmonarchinexile,
whocomestoNewYorktopromotethepeaceful
usesofnuclearpower.Alongtheway,hepokesfun
attheRedScare,commercials,movies,celebrities,
moviemagazines,andlifeinurbanAmerica.Filmed
inEngland,itwasthelastfilminwhichhewason
screenasamajorcharacter.

InthesameyearthatAKingInNewYork
premiered,CharlieChaplin'shalfbrotherWheeler
Drydendied.Wheelerhadbeenintroducedto
CharliemanyyearsbeforebyEdnaPurviance
Charliehadbeenunawareofhim.Wheelerwasa
competent,thoughnotgifted,actor,andidolizedhis
famousbrother.HebegantoworkforCharliein
variousrolesandpositions,andyearslaterserved
asCharlie'sassistantdirectoronTheGreatDictator
andMonsieurVerdoux.JeromeRobinsons'photo
journal,CharlieandMe,containssomeinterestinganecdotesaboutCharlie's
lesserknownsibling.

Chaplin'sprofessionalpaceseemedtobeslowingdown,toanoutsideobserver.
Afterall,hewasnow69yearsold.However,Charliewasnotfinishedworking.
Hehadbeenreeditingsomeofhisearliermovies,andcomposingnewmusicfor
someofthem.Charliewasmusicalbynatureaswellasprofession,andhewrote
someofthemostenduringmelodiesofthecenturynotleastamongthemthe
song'Smile'.However,beforehecouldreleasehisreeditedmovies,now
narratedbyCharlieChaplinhimself,deathclaimedanotheroldfriendEdna
Purviancediedin1958.And,toaddinsulttoinjury,Chaplin'snamewasremoved
fromLosAngeles'WalkofFame.
 11

In1959,theChaplinRevuewasreleased,to
worldwideacclaim.CharlieChaplincontinuedhis
workinSwitzerland,writingandcomposing,and
raisinghisgrowingbroodofchildren.In1964he
publishedhisautobiography,whichhehumblytitled
'MyAutobiography.'Itwasaninterestedlookinto
thelifeofCharlieChaplin,althoughincomplete
hementionedhismarriagetoLitaGreyinonlyone
sentence.

In1965,deathagainintrudedonCharlieChaplin's
familylife,ashisolderbrotherSidneydied.This
wasastrongblowtoChaplin,secondonlytothe
lossofhimmotherin1928.Sidneyhadbeenhis
brother,friend,companion,confidantandbusiness
managerallrolledintoone.Charliegrieveddeeply
forthelossofhisbelovedbrother.

ButCharlieChaplindidnotstopworking.After
dealingwithhisgriefasbesthecould,in1966Charliebeganworkonhisnext,
andfinal,movie,ACountessinHongKong.ItwasanumberoffirstsforChaplin
hedidnotstarinthefilm,andonlyhadasmall,Hitchcockesquewalkonscene
asaporter.Instead,hedirectedtwoofHollywood'slargeststarsoftheday,
MarlonBrandoandSophiaLoren.Althoughaninterestingidea,itwasnotahitat
theboxofficewhenreleasedin1967.

In1968,Chaplinwasnow79yearsold.Itisnot
surprisingthatmoreandmoreofhisfriendsand
coworkersdiedforexample,hislongtime
cameramanandassistantRollieTotherohdiedthe
previousyear.However,CharlieChaplin'soldest
son,CharlesChaplinJr.,died.Again,Charlie
workedthroughhisgrief,andthrewhimselfintohis
work.Hewaspreparinganewfilm,'TheFreak',
aboutayounggirlwhosproutswings,asavehicle
forhisdaughterbutitneverwentpastthe
planningstages.

In1972,CharlieChaplindidsomethinghenever
thoughthewoulddohereturnedtotheUnited
StatesofAmerica.Hewasreturningtoaccepta
lifetimeachievementAcademyAward.The
foolishnessof20yearsprevioushadbeen
forgotten,andChaplinwasgreetedbyAmericawith
 12

openarms.Correctinganotheroldinjustice,Chaplin'snamewasaddedagain
tothe'WalkofFame'inLosAngeles.ChaplinwasalsoawardedtheGoldenLion
atthatyear'sVeniceFilmFestival.

In1974,CharlieChaplinpublishedanotherbook,'MyLifeinPictures.'Thenext
year,hewasknightedbyQueenElizabethII,andbecameSirCharlesSpencer
Chaplin.

In1977,CharlieChaplinpassedaway,onChristmasDay.Heleftbehindgrieving
familyandfriends,andmillionsoffansworldwide.

QuotesbyCharlieChaplin:
"Totrulylaugh,youmustbeabletotakeyourpain,andplaywithit!"
"Iremainjustonething,andonethingonlyandthatisaclown.Itplaces
meonafarhigherplanethananypolitician."
"Laughteristhetonic,therelief,thesurceaseforpain"

CheckoutreviewsofsomeofChaplin'sfinestfilms,includingTheGoldRush,
TheImmigrant,TheKidandLimelight(apersonalfavorite)

FormoreimagesofChaplin,pleasecheckouttheCharlieChaplinGallery.

OtherCharlieChaplinResources
www.chaplinmuseum.com
CharlieChaplingame

Needcontent?Youmayusethisarticleatyourwebsite,orinyournewsletter.
Theonlyrequirementisinclusionofthefollowingsentence:ArticlebyTom
RaymondofClownMinistry.com thedefinitivesourceforclownsofallages.