Charlie Chaplin

Sir Charles Spencer (Charlie) Chaplin (1889-1977) - American and English film actor, screenwriter, composer, film director, producer and editor, universal master of cinematography, creator of one of the most famous images of world cinema - the comedic image of the tramp Charlie.

Winner of the Academy Award and twice winner of the out-of-competition honorary Oscar (1929, 1972).

There are many interesting facts in Chaplin's biography, which we will talk about in this article.

So, before you is a short biography of Charlie Chaplin.

Chaplin's biography

Charles Chaplin was born on April 16, 1889 in London. He grew up and was raised in the family of entertainers Charles Chaplin Sr. and his wife Hannah Chaplin.

Before marrying Charlie's father, Hannah gave birth to her first child, Sydney Hill. However, after her marriage, she gave Sydney a surname - Chaplin.

Childhood and youth

Chaplin's early childhood was held in a very cheerful atmosphere. His mother performed on the stages of various theaters as a dancer and singer.

In turn, the head of the family had a pleasant baritone, as a result of which he was often invited to sing in the capital's music halls. In addition, Chaplin Sr. often toured European countries and the United States.

One of the first tragedies in the biography of Charlie Chaplin happened at the age of 12. His father died of alcohol abuse, who at the time of his death was barely 37 years old.

It is worth noting that little Charlie began performing on stage at the age of 5. In fact, he began to participate in concert programs instead of his mother, who lost her voice and could no longer sing.

The audience listened with great pleasure to the boy's singing, applauding him and throwing money on the stage.

After a couple of years, Chaplin's mother went crazy, which is why she was put on compulsory treatment in a mental hospital. Charlie and Syd were taken to a local orphanage school.

During this period of biography, the boys had to earn their own living.

When Chaplin was 9 years old, he began performing in the dance group Eight Lancashire Boys. It was then that he managed to make the audience laugh for the first time, portraying a cat on stage.

A year later, Charlie decided to leave the group. He rarely attended school. When all the children were studying, he had to earn money in various places in order to somehow make ends meet.

At the age of 14, Chaplin began working in the theater. Soon he was entrusted with the role of Billy the messenger in the play "Sherlock Holmes". An interesting fact is that the teenager practically did not know how to read, so his brother helped him learn the role.

Films

In 1908, Charlie Chaplin was invited to the Fred Carnot Theater, where he prepared pantomimes for music halls.

Soon, the young man becomes one of the leading actors in the theater. Together with the troupe, Chaplin begins to tour actively in different cities and countries.

When the artist ended up in America, he liked this country so much that he decided to stay and live there.

In the USA, Charlie was noticed by film producer Mac Sennett, who offered him a job in his own studio. Later, a contract was signed with the talented guy, according to which the studio "Keystone" was obliged to pay him $ 600 per month.

Initially, Chaplin's game did not satisfy Mac, for which reason he even wanted to fire him. However, a year later, Charlie became the main artist and audience favorite.

Once, on the eve of filming the comedy "Children's Car Race", the comedian was asked to make up on his own. It was at that moment in the biography of Charlie Chaplin that he created his famous image.

The actor put on wide trousers, a fitted jacket, a top hat and huge shoes. In addition, he painted his legendary mustache on his face, which became his trademark.

Over time, the Little Tramp acquired a cane, which gave him more dynamics in his actions.

When Charlie Chaplin gained considerable popularity, he realized that he could be a more talented screenwriter and director than his "bosses".

Wasting no time, the comedian set to work. In the spring of 1914 the premiere of the film "Caught by the Rain" took place, where Charlie performed as a film actor and for the first time as a director and screenwriter.

After that, Chaplin concludes a contract with the studio "Esseney Film", which pays him $ 5,000 a month and $ 10,000 to sign the contract. An interesting fact is that in a couple of years the artist's fees will increase almost 10 times.

In 1917, Charlie began collaborating with First National Studios. For signing the contract, he received $ 1 million, becoming the most expensive actor of the time.

After 2 years, Chaplin has his own film studio, United Artists, where he worked until the 50s, when he had to leave the United States. During this period of his creative biography, he managed to shoot many films, including "Parisienne", "Gold Rush" and "City Lights".

Charlie Chaplin has acquired a huge army of fans. Wherever he came, crowds of people were everywhere waiting for him to see the Little Tramp with their own eyes.

For some time the actor did not have his own home, as a result of which he rented at home or stayed in hotels. In 1922 he built himself a mansion in Beverly Hills, which had 40 rooms, a cinema and an organ.

The first fully sound film was The Great Dictator (1940). He also became the last painting where the image of the tramp Charlie was used.

Persecution

After the premiere of the anti-Hitler film The Great Dictator, Charlie Chaplin suffered serious persecution. He was accused of anti-American activities and adherence to communist ideas.

The FBI took seriously the artist. The peak of the persecution came in the 40s, when he presented the next painting "Monsieur Verdou"

Censors reproached Chaplin for being ungrateful to the America that had sheltered him (he never accepted American citizenship). In addition, the comedian was called a Jew and a Communist.

Nevertheless, the comedy "Monsieur Verdou" was nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

Charlie Chaplin was expelled from the United States in 1952 when he was visiting England. As a result, the man settled in the Swiss city of Vevey.

Foreseeing that he might be banned from entering America, Chaplin issued a power of attorney in advance for all his wife's property. As a result, the wife sold all the property, after which she came with her children to her husband in Switzerland.

Personal life

Over the years of his biography, Charlie Chaplin was married 4 times, in which he had 12 children.

His first wife was Mildred Harris. Later, the couple had a son, Norman, who died almost immediately after birth. The couple lived together for about 2 years.

For the second time, Chaplin married the young Lita Gray, with whom he lived for 4 years. In this marriage, they had 2 boys - Charles and Sydney. An interesting fact is that after the divorce, the man paid Gray a fantastic $ 800,000!

After parting with Lita, Charlie married Paulette Goddard, with whom he lived for 6 years. It is curious that after parting with Chaplin, the writer Erich Maria Remarque became Paulette's new husband.

In 1943, Charlie married Una O'Neill for the last 4th time. It is worth noting that the actor was 36 years older than his chosen one. The couple had eight children.

Last years and death

A couple of years before his death, Charlie Chaplin was knighted by Queen Elizabeth 2. Charles Spencer Chaplin died on December 25, 1977 at the age of 88.

The greatest artist was buried at the local cemetery. After 3 months, the attackers dug up Chaplin's coffin to demand a ransom for it.

The police managed to detain the criminals, after which the coffin with the deceased was reburied in the Swiss cemetery Meruz under a 1.8 m layer of concrete.