Charlie Chaplin Appreciation Thread

[Potters Goblet]

This thread is to celebrate the accomplishments and/or contributions of the film legend Charlie Chaplin. He was, at least in my mind, the very first screen legend of his day. Others might have been around a little longer. Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford for example. But Charlie surpassed them all. He was at the time (and remains today) the only actor to have control over EVERY aspect of his films, from acting, to producing to directing, even delving into the actual writing and creating of scripts.

Here is a list of his films:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000122/

My personal favorites are (in random order)
THE KID
GOLD RUSH
MODERN TIMES
THE GREAT DICTATOR
THE IMMIGRANT


Charlie died in 1977, leaving behindhis fourth wife Oona and a total of ELEVEN children from his marriages. In 1918 he wed 'Mildred Harris' , they had a son together, Norman Spencer Chaplin, who only lived three days. Chaplin and Mildred were 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, Jane, Annette-Emilie and Christopher Chaplin.

Geraldine Chaplin is an actress of note, having starred in many productions, including the 1992 movie adaptation of her father's life in which Geraldine played her grandmother. (Charlie's mother).

MICHAEL CHAPLIN, SYDNEY CHAPLIN, CHARLES CHAPLIN JR, JOSEPHINE CHAPLIN, CHRISTOPHER AND VICTORIA CHAPLIN have also shared the acting bug.

THE CHAPLIN Line continues with Michael's children, Charlie's Grandchildren.

Long live THE TRAMP.
16 April 1889 - 25 December 1977

[Adiah]

This is a bit of a strange coincidence--I am taking a class at college this semester over Charlie Chaplin. I've never actually seen any of his movies, but fortunately this will have changed by this time next week.

Chaplin is widely regarded as the first true genius of cinema, and a highly talented artist. When he first started in film, within the space of two or three years he went from a complete unknown to the most recognizable actor in the entire world.

[Potters Goblet]

This is a bit of a strange coincidence--I am taking a class at college this semester over Charlie Chaplin. I've never actually seen any of his movies, but fortunately this will have changed by this time next week.

Chaplin is widely regarded as the first true genius of cinema, and a highly talented artist. When he first started in film, within the space of two or three years he went from a complete unknown to the most recognizable actor in the entire world.


I took a similar class in college, which is probably where my obsession with charlie chaplin began. Only it was not just a class on charlie. It touched on the Three Stooges, Buster Keaton and others like Mack Sennet, Mary Pickford and Doug Fairbanks. But chaplin remains a god among men as far as I'm concerned. And after his children and grandchildren getting in the business, it's clear that the Chaplin legacy is long from dead. Personally, I'd like to meet his children. I'd like to talk to them and find out more about the man, the myth, the legend.

[dawningoftime]

I absoulutly love THE GREAT DICTATOR. My sister was taking a film class in high school where they watched some of Chaplin's stuff, which is how I got hooked on it.

[Potters Goblet]

Question for all those that surf on to this thread. Would the Chaplin movies have been as funny if they weren't silent? If they had to rely more on dialogue and less on the actions of the players? Obviously the physical comedy is what made them so funny. But oneof the things Chaplin wrestled with forever was Should The Tramp talk? If the movies were made today, in their sparkling glory, technicolor, dolby stereo sound or THX surround sound... whatever, and THE TRAMP SPOKE.... Would we be celebrating Chaplin's comic genius? Or would we be talking about how silly the movies were?

[Potters Goblet]

Why was Charlie Chaplin investigated by the FBI? was it just because of the age of the women he seemed to migrate toward? Was there something that said he was a communist or a Nazi in their eyes? Charlie Chaplin had a severe run-in with the US government over something but I don't know that much about it. Anyone know? Care to discuss it?

[Adiah]

Charlie Chaplin was an extreme leftist. During the Red Scare I believe he was accused of being communist--from what I heard, he was working in England at the time, and when he tried to come back to the US they wouldn't let him enter the country.

[Potters Goblet]

Charlie Chaplin was an extreme leftist. During the Red Scare I believe he was accused of being communist--from what I heard, he was working in England at the time, and when he tried to come back to the US they wouldn't let him enter the country.
I Know a lot of people didn't like his movie "The Great Dictator". People saw him as a Nazi sympathizer. I thinK Chaplin was simply a rebel. He wanted to get noticed and he did. He came from total obscurity and rose to be the God of the mountaintop. He rose above all of those he once looked up to.

Was he obsessed? I dont know. But he was talented, devoted and hard-working. He was a dreamer but he put work toward those dreams. He saw it in his mind and made what he saw a reality. He was uncompromising. And I think therein lies his greatness maybe.

[Flawkes]

The Great Dictator is the only Chaplin film Ive seen and it is my fav! He is so funny! I loved him dancing with the balloon globe round his office!
Bless you Chaplin! You loveable tramp!

[Adiah]

I liked a story I heard about him in my Honors class--he was working back during a time of rampant anti-Semitism, and at one point he was accused of being Jewish. His friends told him to show the papers that proved he'd been christened under the Church of England, but he refused--he said if he did that it would be like saying there was something wrong with being Jewish, and he wouldn't do that.

[dawningoftime]

Question for all those that surf on to this thread. Would the Chaplin movies have been as funny if they weren't silent? If they had to rely more on dialogue and less on the actions of the players? Obviously the physical comedy is what made them so funny. But oneof the things Chaplin wrestled with forever was Should The Tramp talk? If the movies were made today, in their sparkling glory, technicolor, dolby stereo sound or THX surround sound... whatever, and THE TRAMP SPOKE.... Would we be celebrating Chaplin's comic genius? Or would we be talking about how silly the movies were?

I still think he would be considered great if all of his movies had sound. However if the movies were made today they wouldn't have the level of physical comedy that they did. That is kind of a dying genre and very few actors who were known for it back in the day are remembered now. And if they are remembered it's generally because they've died.

[Potters Goblet]

Charlie Chaplin is the father and grandfather of a host of actors. I was looking at some websites today about him and I was shocked at the numbers of Children and Grandchildren of his that went into theater and/or movies. Every one of his children did, including famed actress GERALDINE CHAPLIN. (who ironically enough appeared in the first HP movie... in a bit part, but ah well.)

I'm going to count them up and I'll post this later but I'd be interested to know how many of his decendants and/or close relatives went into show business.

I'll research it and see what I can find.


EDIT: I'd forgotten about my post below where I List some of his children and grandchildren in the business. I will, however, do further research to see if there are any other Chaplins not named there. Feel free to post if you know of anyone I didn't mention below.

[Potters Goblet]

Found a number of links on the specifics of his children but so far none that reveal much about their film careers. However, IMDB noted that all of his surviving children continue to work in film today.

http://ednapurviance.org/chaplininfo/chaplinfamily.html

Needless to say Charles Spencer Chaplin is the patriarch of a very unsung (and widespread) family of creative geniuses.