The child was taken by Dryden at six months old, and did not re-enter Chaplin's life for thirty years. The following year, Hannah gave birth to a third son, George Wheeler Dryden, fathered by the music hall entertainer Leo Dryden. Although they never divorced, Chaplin's parents were estranged by around 1891. Hannah, the daughter of a shoemaker, had a brief and unsuccessful career under the stage name Lily Harley, while Charles Sr., a butcher's son, was a popular singer. At the time of his birth, Chaplin's parents were both music hall entertainers. became the legal guardian of Hannah's first son, Sydney John Hill. His parents had married four years previously, at which time Charles Sr. There is no official record of his birth, although Chaplin believed he was born at East Street, Walworth, in South London. His paternal grandmother came from the Smith family, who belonged to Romani people. was born on 16 April 1889 to Hannah Chaplin (née Hill) and Charles Chaplin Sr. He continues to be held in high regard, with The Gold Rush, City Lights, Modern Times, and The Great Dictator often ranked on lists of the greatest films.īiography 1889–1913: early years Background and childhood hardship Seven-year-old Chaplin (centre, head slightly cocked) at the Central London District School for paupers, 1897Ĭharles Spencer Chaplin Jr. He received an Honorary Academy Award for "the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century" in 1972, as part of a renewed appreciation for his work. Many contain social and political themes, as well as autobiographical elements. His films are characterised by slapstick combined with pathos, typified in the Tramp's struggles against adversity. He was a perfectionist, and his financial independence enabled him to spend years on the development and production of a picture. He abandoned the Tramp in his later films, which include Monsieur Verdoux (1947), Limelight (1952), A King in New York (1957), and A Countess from Hong Kong (1967).Ĭhaplin wrote, directed, produced, edited, starred in, and composed the music for most of his films. An FBI investigation was opened, and Chaplin was forced to leave the U.S. He was accused of communist sympathies, and some members of the press and public were scandalised by his involvement in a paternity suit and marriages to much younger women. The 1940s were marked with controversy for Chaplin, and his popularity declined rapidly. His first sound film was The Great Dictator (1940), which satirised Adolf Hitler. He initially refused to move to sound films in the 1930s, instead producing City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936) without dialogue. His first feature-length film was The Kid (1921), followed by A Woman of Paris (1923), The Gold Rush (1925), and The Circus (1928). In 1919, Chaplin co-founded distribution company United Artists, which gave him complete control over his films. By 1918, he was one of the world's best-known figures. He directed his own films and continued to hone his craft as he moved to the Essanay, Mutual, and First National corporations. He soon developed the Tramp persona and attracted a large fan base. He was scouted for the film industry and began appearing in 1914 for Keystone Studios. At 19, he was signed to the Fred Karno company, which took him to the United States. Chaplin began performing at an early age, touring music halls and later working as a stage actor and comedian. When he was 14, his mother was committed to a mental asylum. His father was absent and his mother struggled financially – he was sent to a workhouse twice before the age of nine. His career spanned more than 75 years, from childhood in the Victorian era until a year before his death in 1977, and encompassed both adulation and controversy.Ĭhaplin's childhood in London was one of poverty and hardship. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered one of the film industry's most important figures. Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |