biography of charlie chaplin

Charlie Chaplin

(1889-1977)

Who Was Charlie Chaplin?

Charlie Chaplin worked with a children's dance troupe before making his mark on the big screen. His character "The Tramp" relied on pantomime and quirky movements to become an iconic figure of the silent-film era. Chaplin went on to become a director, making films such as City Lights and Modern Times , and co-founded the United Artists Corporation.

Famous for his character "The Tramp," the sweet little man with a bowler hat, mustache and cane, Charlie Chaplin was an iconic figure of the silent-film era and was one of film's first superstars, elevating the industry in a way few could have ever imagined.

Born Charles Spencer Chaplin in London, England, on April 16, 1889, Chaplin's rise to fame is a true rags-to-riches story. His father, a notorious drinker, abandoned Chaplin, his mother and his older half-brother, Sydney, not long after Chaplin's birth. That left Chaplin and his brother in the hands of their mother, a vaudevillian and music hall singer who went by the stage name Lily Harley.

Chaplin's mother, who would later suffer severe mental issues and have to be committed to an asylum, was able to support her family for a few years. But in a performance that would introduce her youngest boy to the spotlight, Hannah inexplicably lost her voice in the middle of a show, prompting the production manager to push the five-year-old Chaplin, whom he'd heard sing, onto the stage to replace her.

Chaplin lit up the audience, wowing them with his natural presence and comedic angle (at one point he imitated his mother's cracking voice). But the episode meant the end for Hannah. Her singing voice never returned, and she eventually ran out of money. For a time, Chaplin and Sydney had to make a new, temporary home for themselves in London's tough workhouses.

Early Career

Armed with his mother's love of the stage, Chaplin was determined to make it in show business himself, and in 1897, using his mother's contacts, he landed with a clog-dancing troupe named the Eight Lancashire Lads. It was a short stint, and not a terribly profitable one, forcing the go-getter Chaplin to make ends meet any way he could.

"I (was) newsvendor, printer, toymaker, doctor's boy, etc., but during these occupational digressions, I never lost sight of my ultimate aim to become an actor," Chaplin later recounted. "So, between jobs I would polish my shoes, brush my clothes, put on a clean collar and make periodic calls at a theatrical agency."

Eventually, other stage work did come his way. Chaplin made his acting debut as a pageboy in a production of Sherlock Holmes . From there, he toured with a vaudeville outfit named Casey's Court Circus and in 1908 teamed up with the Fred Karno pantomime troupe, where Chaplin became one of its stars as the Drunk in the comedic sketch A Night in an English Music Hall .

With the Karno troupe, Chaplin got his first taste of the United States, where he caught the eye of film producer Mack Sennett, who signed Chaplin to a contract for a $150 a week.

Film Career

In 1914, Chaplin made his film debut in a somewhat forgettable one-reeler called Make a Living . To differentiate himself from the clad of other actors in Sennett films, Chaplin decided to play a single identifiable character, and "The Little Tramp" was born, with audiences getting their first taste of him in Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914).

Over the next year, Chaplin appeared in 35 movies, a lineup that included Tillie's Punctured Romance , film's first full-length comedy. In 1915, Chaplin left Sennett to join the Essanay Company, which agreed to pay him $1,250 a week. It is with Essanay that Chaplin, who by this time had hired his brother Sydney to be his business manager, rose to stardom.

During his first year with the company, Chaplin made 14 films, including The Tramp (1915). Generally regarded as the actor's first classic, the story establishes Chaplin's character as the unexpected hero when he saves the farmer's daughter from a gang of robbers.

By the age of 26, Chaplin, just three years removed from his vaudeville days, was a superstar. He'd moved over to the Mutual Company, which paid him a whopping $670,000 a year. The money made Chaplin a wealthy man, but it didn't seem to derail his artistic drive. With Mutual, he made some of his best work, including One A.M. (1916), The Rink (1916), The Vagabond (1916) and Easy Street (1917).

Through his work, Chaplin came to be known as a grueling perfectionist. His love for experimentation often meant countless takes, and it was not uncommon for him to order the rebuilding of an entire set. Nor was it uncommon for him to begin filming with one leading actor, realize he'd made a mistake in his casting and start again with someone new.

But the results were hard to refute. During the 1920s Chaplin's career blossomed even more. During the decade he made some landmark films, including The Kid (1921), The Pilgrim (1923), A Woman in Paris (1923), The Gold Rush (1925), a movie Chaplin would later say he wanted to be remembered by, and The Circus (1928). The latter three were released by United Artists, a company Chaplin co-founded in 1919 with Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and D.W. Griffith.

Later Films

Chaplin kept creating interesting and engaging films in the 1930s. In 1931, he released City Lights , a critical and commercial success that incorporated music Chaplin scored himself.

More acclaim came with Modern Times (1936), a biting commentary about the state of the world's economic and political infrastructures. The film, which did incorporate sound, was, in part, the result of an 18-month world tour Chaplin had taken between 1931 and 1932, a trip during which he'd witnessed severe economic angst and a sharp rise in nationalism in Europe and elsewhere.

Chaplin spoke even louder in The Great Dictator (1940), which pointedly ridiculed the governments of Hitler and Mussolini . "I want to see the return of decency and kindness," Chaplin said around the time of the film's release. "I'm just a human being who wants to see this country a real democracy . . ."

But Chaplin was not universally embraced. His romantic liaisons led to his rebuke by some women's groups, which in turn led to him being barred from entering some U.S. states. As the Cold War age settled into existence, Chaplin didn't withhold his fire from injustices he saw taking place in the name of fighting Communism in his adopted country of the United States.

Chaplin soon became a target of the right-wing conservatives. Representative John E. Rankin of Mississippi pushed for his deportation. In 1952, the Attorney General of the United States obliged when he announced that Chaplin, who was sailing to Britain on vacation, would not permit him to return to the United States unless he could prove "moral worth." The incensed Chaplin said good-bye to the United States and took up residence on a small farm in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland.

Final Years and Death

Nearing the end of his life, Chaplin did make one last visit to the United States in 1972, when he was given an honorary Academy Award. The trip came just five years after Chaplin's final film, A Countess from Hong Kong (1967), the filmmaker's first and only color movie. Despite a cast that included Sophia Loren and Marlon Brando , the film did poorly at the box office. In 1975, Chaplin received further recognition when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II .

In the early morning hours of December 25, 1977, Chaplin died at his home in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. His wife, Oona, and seven of his children were at his bedside at the time of his passing. In a twist that might very well have come out of one of his films, Chaplin's body was stolen not long after he was buried from his grave near Lake Geneva in Switzerland by two men who demanded $400,000 for its return. The men were arrested and Chaplin's body was recovered 11 weeks later.

Wives and Children

Chaplin became equally famous for his life off-screen. His affairs with actresses who had roles in his movies were numerous. Some, however, ended better than others.

In 1918, he quickly married 16-year-old Mildred Harris. The marriage lasted just two years, and in 1924 he wed again, to another 16-year-old, actress Lita Grey, whom he'd cast in The Gold Rush . The marriage had been brought on by an unplanned pregnancy, and the resulting union, which produced two sons for Chaplin (Charles Jr. and Sydney) was an unhappy one for both partners. They divorced in 1927.

In 1936, Chaplin married again, this time to a chorus girl who went by the film name of Paulette Goddard. They lasted until 1942. That was followed by a nasty paternity suit with another actress, Joan Barry, in which tests proved Chaplin was not the father of her daughter, but a jury still ordered him to pay child support.

In 1943, Chaplin married 18-year-old Oona O'Neill, the daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill. Unexpectedly the two would go on to have a happy marriage, one that would result in eight children.

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Charlie Chaplin
• Birth Year: 1889
• Birth date: April 16, 1889
• Birth City: London, England
• Birth Country: United Kingdom
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Charlie Chaplin was a comedic British actor who became one of the biggest stars of the 20th century's silent-film era.
• Astrological Sign: Aries
• Death Year: 1977
• Death date: December 25, 1977
• Death City: Corsier-sur-Vevey, Vaud
• Death Country: Switzerland

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Charlie Chaplin Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/charlie-chaplin
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: May 5, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
• I want to see the return of decency and kindness. I'm just a human being who wants to see this country a real democracy.
• I am for people. I can't help it.
• The Zulus know Chaplin better than Arkansas knows Garbo.
• The saddest thing I can imagine is to get used to luxury.
• All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl.
• I remain just one thing, and one thing only—and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.
• I am known in parts of the world by people who have never heard of Jesus Christ.
• I went into the business for the money, and the art grew out of it.
• The summation of my character is that I care about my work. I care about everything I do. If I could do something else better, I would do it, but I can't.
• I've always related to a sort of a comic spirit, something within me, that said, I must express this. This is funny.
• Cruelty is a basic element in comedy. What appears to be sane is really insane, and if you can make that poignant enough they love it.
• I don't think one can do humor without having great pity and a sense of sympathy for one's fellow man.
• I think life is a very wonderful thing, and must be lived under all circumstances, even in misery.
• All my pictures are built around the idea of getting in trouble and so giving me the chance to be desperately serious in my attempt to appear as a normal little gentleman.
• Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself.
• Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.
• A day without laughter is a wasted day.

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Charles Chaplin

• Born April 16 , 1889 · Walworth, London, England, UK
• Died December 25 , 1977 · Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland (stroke)
• Birth name Charles Spencer Chaplin
• The Little Tramp
• Height 5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
• 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 recognized as an icon of the silent film era, often associated with his popular character, the Little Tramp; the man with the toothbrush mustache, 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 traveled 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, starring as the Little Tramp in nearly all. 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 (UA). Chaplin's life and career was full of scandal and controversy. His first big scandal was during World War I, at 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 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 also was 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 traveled 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 lived only three days. Chaplin and Harris 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 filmmaker and was elevated to the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1952. In 1972, he was honored 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 Year's 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 that 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 is considered one of the greatest filmmakers 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. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan <[email protected]>
• Spouses Oona Chaplin (June 16, 1943 - December 25, 1977) (his death, 8 children) Paulette Goddard (June 1, 1936 - June 4, 1942) (divorced) Lita Grey (November 26, 1924 - August 25, 1927) (divorced, 2 children) Mildred Harris (October 23, 1918 - April 4, 1921) (divorced, 1 child)
• Children Victoria Chaplin Michael Chaplin Josephine Chaplin Christopher Chaplin Jane Chaplin Eugene Chaplin Sydney Chaplin Norman Spencer Chaplin Annette Emily Chaplin Annie Chaplin Geraldine Chaplin Charles Chaplin Jr.
• Parents Hannah Chaplin Charles Chaplin Sr.
• Relatives Oona Chaplin (Grandchild) Wheeler Dryden (Half Sibling) James Thierrée (Grandparent) Kiera Chaplin (Grandchild) Carmen Chaplin (Grandchild) Dolores Chaplin (Grandchild) Julien Ronet (Grandchild) Aurélia Thiérrée (Grandchild) Orson Chaplin (Grandchild) Shane Chaplin Saura (Grandchild) George Chaplin (Grandchild) Charlie Sistovaris (Grandchild) Spencer Dryden (Niece or Nephew) Stephan Chaplin (Grandchild) Laura Chaplin (Grandchild) Christian Chaplin (Grandchild) Arthur Gardin (Grandchild) Shannon Chaplin (Grandchild) Osceola Salkind (Grandchild) Tracy Chaplin (Grandchild) Skye Chaplin (Grandchild) Kevin Chaplin (Grandchild) Drunkfux (Niece or Nephew) Syd Chaplin (Half Sibling)
• A tramp with toothbrush mustache, undersized bowler hat and bamboo cane who struggled to survive while keeping his dignity in a world with great social injustice.
• Highly descriptive facial expressions
• Stories often reflect his liberal political beliefs
• Comedy with a deep undercurrent of pathos
• On-screen and off-screen, favored the company of much younger women, who were often innocent if troubled
• Most people (now and during his lifetime) believe that Chaplin had brown eyes because they had only seen him in black and white with black eye makeup on. It fact they were very blue. Chaplin remarked in his autobiography that people meeting him for the first time were always struck by his blue eyes. And his future wife Oona Chaplin wrote "Just met Charlie Chaplin. What blue eyes he has!" to a girlhood friend in 1942.
• A much-repeated story claims that he once entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest and finished third! In some versions of the story, he came in second.
• Long after becoming a millionaire, he continued to live in a shabby hotel room, and kept his studio checks in a trunk for months.
• As of 2021, he is the only person to receive a 12-minute standing ovation at the Academy Awards when he appeared to accept an honorary award "for the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century." It is the longest in the history of the Academy Awards up to 2021.
• He was 54 years old when he wed Oona O'Neill ( Oona Chaplin ) in 1943; Oona was age 18 at the time, which deeply disappointed her father Eugene O'Neill , who disowned his daughter as a result of his disappointment. Charlie's marriage to Oona became the longest of his four marriages by far, lasting until his own death.
• All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl.
• [Returning to Los Angeles after a 20-year self-imposed exile to accept his honorary Oscar in 1971] Thank you so much. This is an emotional moment for me and words seem so futile, so feeble... I can only say that... thank you for the honor of inviting me here and... oh... you're wonderful, sweet people. Thank you.
• I like friends as I like music, when I am in the mood. To help a friend in need is easy, but to give him your time is not always opportune.
• The minute you bought your ticket you were in another world.
• I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.
• The Tramp (1915) - $1,250 /week
• A Night Out (1915) - $1,250 /week
• Caught in the Rain (1914) - $150 /week
• Twenty Minutes of Love (1914) - $150 /week
• Mabel's Strange Predicament (1914) - $150 /week

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