128-489: The Tramp ( Charlot in several languages), also known as the Little Tramp , was English actor Charlie Chaplin 's most memorable on-screen character and an icon in world cinema during the era of silent film . The Tramp is also the title of a silent film starring Chaplin, which Chaplin wrote and directed in 1915. The Tramp, as portrayed by Chaplin, is a childlike, bumbling but generally good-hearted character who
256-446: A red flag that falls off a truck and starts to wave it at the truck in an attempt to return it, and by doing so, unknowingly and inadvertently becomes the leader of a group of protesting workers, and ends up in jail because of it. While in jail, he accidentally eats "nose powder" (i.e., cocaine ), which causes him to not return to his jail cell; but when he eventually does, he fights off some jailbreakers attempting to escape, thus saving
384-521: A "pale, puny, sullen-looking youngster" who "looked much too shy to do any good in the theatre". However, the teenager made an impact on his first night at the London Coliseum and he was quickly signed to a contract. Chaplin began by playing a series of minor parts, eventually progressing to starring roles in 1909. In April 1910, he was given the lead in a new sketch, Jimmy the Fearless . It
512-484: A 1933 interview, Chaplin explained how he came up with the look of the Tramp: A hotel set was built for (fellow Keystone comic) Mabel Normand's picture Mabel's Strange Predicament and I was hurriedly told to put on a funny make-up. This time I went to the wardrobe and got a pair of baggy pants, a tight coat, a small derby hat and a large pair of shoes. I wanted the clothes to be a mass of contradictions, knowing pictorially
640-481: A child). Bloom's father worked as a cooper . The family eventually moved to Reading, Pennsylvania , where Bloom attended Poplar Street School. Around 1871, the family moved to Williamsburg where Bloom began working as a jockey . In 1873, he joined the Potter Hart Colossus Circus where he performed a "bounding jockey act" in which he rode horses and performed acrobatics . During his time at
768-406: A comic genius". In January 1918, Chaplin was visited by leading British singer and comedian Harry Lauder , and the two acted in a short film together. Mutual was patient with Chaplin's decreased rate of output, and the contract ended amicably. With his aforementioned concern about the declining quality of his films because of contract scheduling stipulations, Chaplin's primary concern in finding
896-526: A dark version of the Tramp character in parody of the dictator. In his book My Autobiography , Chaplin stated that he was unaware of the Holocaust when he made the film; if he had been, he writes, he would not have been able to make a comedy satirising Hitler. In his autobiography, Chaplin identifies the barber as the Tramp. A noticeable difference is that the barber has a streak of grey in his hair, whereas
1024-521: A depressing fear of being old-fashioned". In this state of uncertainty, early in 1931, the comedian decided to take a holiday and ended up travelling for 16 months. He spent months travelling Western Europe, including extended stays in France and Switzerland, and spontaneously decided to visit Japan. The day after he arrived in Japan, Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi was assassinated by ultra-nationalists in
1152-525: A gibberish song did, however, give the Tramp a voice for the only time on film. After recording the music, Chaplin released Modern Times in February 1936. It was his first feature in 15 years to adopt political references and social realism, a factor that attracted considerable press coverage despite Chaplin's attempts to downplay the issue. The film earned less at the box-office than his previous features and received mixed reviews, as some viewers disliked
1280-777: A leading lady, Edna Purviance , whom Chaplin met in a café and hired on account of her beauty. She went on to appear in 35 films with Chaplin over eight years; the pair also formed a romantic relationship that lasted until 1917. Chaplin asserted a high level of control over his pictures and started to put more time and care into each film. There was a month-long interval between the release of his second production, A Night Out , and his third, The Champion . The final seven of Chaplin's 14 Essanay films were all produced at this slower pace. Chaplin also began to alter his screen persona, which had attracted some criticism at Keystone for its "mean, crude, and brutish" nature. The character became more gentle and romantic; The Tramp (April 1915)
1408-521: A lot said about how I evolved the little tramp character who made my name. Deep, psychological stuff has been written about how I meant him to be a symbol of all the class war, of the love-hate concept, the death-wish and what-all. But if you want the simple Chaplin truth behind the Chaplin legend, I started the little tramp simply to make people laugh and because those other old tramps, Weary Willie and Tired Tim, had always made me laugh. The personality of
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#17327732258761536-499: A neurotic state of wanting perfection". One advantage Chaplin found in sound technology was the opportunity to record a musical score for the film, which he composed himself. Chaplin finished editing City Lights in December 1930, by which time silent films were an anachronism. A preview before an unsuspecting public audience was not a success, but a showing for the press produced positive reviews. One journalist wrote: "Nobody in
1664-471: A new distribution company, United Artists , in January 1919. The arrangement was revolutionary in the film industry, as it enabled the four partners – all creative artists – to personally fund their pictures and have complete control. Chaplin was eager to start with the new company and offered to buy out his contract with First National. They refused and insisted that he complete
1792-504: A new distributor was independence; Sydney Chaplin, then his business manager, told the press: "Charlie [must] be allowed all the time he needs and all the money for producing [films] the way he wants ... It is quality, not quantity, we are after." In June 1917, Chaplin signed to complete eight films for First National Exhibitors' Circuit in return for $ 1 million. He chose to build his own studio, situated on five acres of land off Sunset Boulevard , with production facilities of
1920-524: A passionate plea for peace that has been widely interpreted as Chaplin speaking as himself. In 1959, having been editing The Chaplin Revue , Chaplin commented to a reporter regarding the Tramp character, "I was wrong to kill him. There was room for the Little Man in the atomic age." A vaudeville performer named Lew Bloom created a similar tramp character. Bloom argued he was "the first stage tramp in
2048-528: A photograph of the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush , and later the story of the Donner Party of 1846–1847, he made what Geoffrey Macnab calls "an epic comedy out of grim subject matter". In The Gold Rush , the Tramp is a lonely prospector fighting adversity and looking for love. With Georgia Hale as his leading lady, Chaplin began filming the picture in February 1924. Its elaborate production, costing almost $ 1 million, included location shooting in
2176-606: A poll held by Pictures and the Picturegoer of the greatest British film actors, receiving 142,920 votes from readers. When the Essanay contract ended in December 1915, Chaplin, fully aware of his popularity, requested a $ 150,000 signing bonus from his next studio. He received several offers, including Universal , Fox and Vitagraph , the best of which came from the Mutual Film Corporation at $ 10,000
2304-507: A romantic drama about ill-fated lovers. Chaplin intended it to be a star-making vehicle for Edna Purviance, and did not appear in the picture himself other than in a brief, uncredited cameo. He wished the film to have a realistic feel and directed his cast to give restrained performances. In real life, he explained, "men and women try to hide their emotions rather than seek to express them". A Woman of Paris premiered in September 1923 and
2432-564: A star of their Keystone Studios who intended to leave. Chaplin thought the Keystone comedies "a crude mélange of rough and rumble", but liked the idea of working in films and rationalised: "Besides, it would mean a new life." He met with the company and signed a $ 150-per-week contract in September 1913. Chaplin arrived in Los Angeles in early December, and began working for the Keystone studio on 5 January 1914. Chaplin's boss
2560-732: A theatrical agency in London's West End . The manager sensed potential in Chaplin, who was promptly given his first role as a newsboy in Harry Arthur Saintsbury 's Jim, a Romance of Cockayne . It opened in July 1903, but the show was unsuccessful and closed after two weeks. Chaplin's comic performance, however, was singled out for praise in many of the reviews. Saintsbury secured a role for Chaplin in Charles Frohman 's production of Sherlock Holmes , where he played Billy
2688-492: A third son, George Wheeler Dryden , fathered by the music hall entertainer Leo Dryden . The child was taken by Dryden at six months old, and did not re-enter Chaplin's life for thirty years. "I was hardly aware of a crisis because we lived in a continual crisis; and, being a boy, I dismissed our troubles with gracious forgetfulness." Chaplin, on his childhood Chaplin's childhood was fraught with poverty and hardship, making his eventual trajectory "the most dramatic of all
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#17327732258762816-403: A week. A contract was negotiated with Mutual that amounted to $ 670,000 a year, which Robinson says made Chaplin – at 26 years old – one of the highest-paid people in the world. The high salary shocked the public and was widely reported in the press. John R. Freuler, the studio president, explained: "We can afford to pay Mr. Chaplin this large sum annually because
2944-477: Is most famously portrayed as a mischievous vagrant who endeavours to behave with the manners and dignity of a gentleman despite his actual social status. However, while he is ready to take what paying work is available, he also uses his cunning to get what he needs to survive and escape the authority figures who will not tolerate his antics. Chaplin's films did not always portray the Tramp as a vagrant, however. The character ("The little fellow", as Chaplin called him)
3072-632: Is unknown, but is believed to be between $ 2,000 to $ 3,000 (approximately $ 35,000 to $ 53,000 today). The portrait was the subject of considerable media attention and was written about in the February 12, 1929 edition of the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune . It was later mentioned in various books about the Lincolns, including Carl Sandburg 's 1932 biography Mary Lincoln: Wife and Widow . In 1976, Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith ,
3200-654: The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company , 13 of them featuring the Tramp character, all produced by Jesse T. Robbins. Except where noted, all films are two-reelers . Chaplin wrote, produced, directed, and starred in 12 films for the Mutual Film Corporation , ten of which had Chaplin dressed as the character, while the remaining two were pseudo-Tramp films where he wore the mustache but dressed in different clothes. Mutual formed Lone Star Studios solely for Chaplin's films. All of
3328-671: The Marble Mountains and the Henri Parmentier Museum . In Hanoi (the capital city of French Indochina) they visited the popular tourist destination Hạ Long Bay , and the couple then left from Hải Phòng to Hong Kong on board of a ship the Canton . The couple had refused to comment on the nature of their relationship, and it was not known whether they were married or not. Sometime later, Chaplin revealed that they married in Canton during this trip. By 1938,
3456-609: The May 15 Incident . The group's original plan had been to provoke a war with the United States by assassinating Chaplin at a welcome reception organised by the prime minister, but the plan had been foiled due to delayed public announcement of the event's date. In his autobiography, Chaplin recalled that on his return to Los Angeles, "I was confused and without plan, restless and conscious of an extreme loneliness". He briefly considered retiring and moving to China. Chaplin's loneliness
3584-589: The Third Liberty Bond campaign, touring the United States for one month to raise money for the Allies of the First World War. He also produced a short propaganda film at his own expense, donated to the government for fund-raising, called The Bond . Chaplin's next release was war-based, placing the Tramp in the trenches for Shoulder Arms . Associates warned him against making a comedy about
3712-635: The Truckee mountains in Nevada with 600 extras, extravagant sets, and special effects . The last scene was shot in May 1925 after 15 months of filming. Chaplin felt The Gold Rush was the best film he had made. It opened in August 1925 and became one of the highest-grossing films of the silent era, with a U.S. box-office of $ 5 million. The comedy contains some of Chaplin's most famous sequences, such as
3840-695: The "Inebriate Swell", which drew him significant recognition. The tour lasted 21 months, and the troupe returned to England in June 1912. Chaplin recalled that he "had a disquieting feeling of sinking back into a depressing commonplaceness" and was, therefore, delighted when a new tour began in October. Six months into the second American tour, Chaplin was invited to join the New York Motion Picture Company. A representative who had seen his performances thought he could replace Fred Mace ,
3968-418: The 18-year-old had become an accomplished comedic performer. He struggled to find more work, however, and a brief attempt at a solo act was a failure. Meanwhile, Sydney Chaplin had joined Fred Karno 's prestigious comedy company in 1906 and, by 1908, he was one of their key performers. In February, he managed to secure a two-week trial for his younger brother. Karno was initially wary, and considered Chaplin
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4096-568: The 1930s." While the Tramp and his fellow workers sweat on the assembly line, the president of the Electro Steel Company works on a puzzle and reads comic strips in the newspaper. The obsession of working with efficiency and assembly-line productivity ultimately drives the Tramp mad. This could be seen as "an attack on the capitalist rationalization of production." However, "the film also guardedly affirms American middle-class, particularly its optimism." For example, one sequence depicts
4224-504: The American draft, but he was not summoned by either country. Despite this criticism, Chaplin was a favourite with the troops, and his popularity continued to grow worldwide. Harper's Weekly reported that the name of Charlie Chaplin was "a part of the common language of almost every country", and that the Tramp image was "universally familiar". In 1917, professional Chaplin imitators were so widespread that he took legal action, and it
4352-588: The Bowery , A Milk White Flag , A Day and a Night and A Society Tramp . After leaving Hoyt in 1892, Bloom and his wife (whom he married in 1892), known as "Miss Jane Cooper", toured the vaudeville circuit with their comedy act "A Picture of Life". Bloom played his usual tramp role while his wife played the comic foil - a "New England spinster" or a "city maiden." By 1909, Bloom's tramp persona had run its course and his career began to wane. At least one critic during that time said that Bloom had become "the worst act on
4480-492: The Mutual releases are two reels in length. In 1932, Amadee J. Van Beuren of Van Beuren Studios purchased Chaplin's Mutual comedies for $ 10,000 each, added music by Gene Rodemich and Winston Sharples and sound effects, and re-released them through RKO Radio Pictures . Chaplin wrote, produced, directed, and starred in nine films for his own production company between 1918 and 1923. In all but one of them Chaplin dressed as
4608-589: The Navy two years earlier – returned. Hannah was released from the asylum eight months later, but in March 1905, her illness returned, this time permanently. "There was nothing we could do but accept poor mother's fate", Chaplin later wrote, and she remained in care until her death in 1928. Between his time in the poor schools and his mother succumbing to mental illness, Chaplin began to perform on stage. He later recalled making his first amateur appearance at
4736-645: The President's death, Bloom claimed that Mary Lincoln was unable to pay Carpenter for the painting and asked him to destroy it. According to Bloom, Carpenter kept the painting and eventually sold it to a wealthy Philadelphia shipbuilder named Jacob G. Neafie who was a great fan of President Lincoln's. After Neafie died, Bloom said that Neafie's daughter inherited the portrait who then gave it to Bloom's sister Susan as gift for taking care of her mother, Anna "Annie" Neafie, who died in 1860. Upon Susan's death in 1910, Bloom inherited her art collection which he said included
4864-507: The Prevention of Cruelty to Children . Chaplin's father died two years later, at 38 years old, from cirrhosis of the liver. Hannah entered a period of remission but, in May 1903, became ill again. Chaplin, then 14, had the task of taking his mother to the infirmary, from where she was sent back to Cane Hill. He lived alone for several days, searching for food and occasionally sleeping rough, until Sydney – who had joined
4992-771: The Reinhard Rieger Gallery in Mount Penn. The exhibition also included a copy of The Brooklet In the Meadow , by Herman Rheudesela that Bloom painted (the original painting was also exhibited). Bloom later moved to New York and occasionally returned to his hometown of Reading to spend time with his family and attend Elks Club meetings. He also trained horses for Metropolitan Race Clubs in the New York and Pennsylvania area and in Cuba . On December 10, 1929, Bloom
5120-515: The Tramp eating his shoe and the "Dance of the Rolls". Macnab has called it "the quintessential Chaplin film". Chaplin stated at its release: "This is the picture that I want to be remembered by". While making The Gold Rush , Chaplin married for the second time. Mirroring the circumstances of his first union, Lita Grey was a teenage actress, originally set to star in the film, whose surprise announcement of pregnancy forced Chaplin into marriage. She
5248-511: The Tramp had always been depicted as having dark hair. Also, the barber lacks the ill-fitting clothes of the Tramp and is clearly portrayed as having a profession. His character does share much of the Tramp's character, notably his idealism and anger on seeing unfairness. Chaplin appeared in 36 films for Keystone Studios ; 25 of them featured the Tramp character, all produced by Mack Sennett. Except where noted, all films were one reel in length. Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in 15 films for
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5376-477: 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). Chaplin wrote, directed, produced, edited, starred in, and composed the music for most of his films. He was a perfectionist, and his financial independence enabled him to spend years on the development and production of a picture. His films are characterised by slapstick combined with pathos , typified in
5504-449: The Tramp in the early Keystone one-reelers is a pleasure-seeking anti-authoritarian and a flirt. The Tramp is also known for his mischievousness. The physical attributes of the Tramp include a pair of large baggy pants, a tight coat, a bowler hat , a large pair of shoes, a springy and flexible cane, and a toothbrush moustache—a mass of contradictions, as Chaplin wanted it to be. Two films made in 1915, The Tramp and The Bank , created
5632-480: The Tramp into the accidental star of a circus. Filming was suspended for ten months while he dealt with the divorce scandal, and it was generally a trouble-ridden production. Finally completed in October 1927, The Circus was released in January 1928 to a positive reception. At the 1st Academy Awards , Chaplin was given a special trophy "For versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus ". Despite its success, he permanently associated
5760-460: The Tramp into the caretaker of a young boy. For this new venture, Chaplin also wished to do more than comedy and, according to Louvish, "make his mark on a changed world". Filming on The Kid began in August 1919, with four-year-old Jackie Coogan his co-star. The Kid was in production for nine months until May 1920 and, at 68 minutes, it was Chaplin's longest picture to date. Dealing with issues of poverty and parent–child separation, The Kid
5888-934: The Tramp or even just played the Tramp. This has continued, though to a much lesser degree, after the 1910s due to people admiring Chaplin. Some films have been animated and obviously do not need an actor to play the character, who is portrayed as mute. Gloria Swanson (as Norma Desmond) did a burlesque of The Tramp in Sunset Boulevard . The most famous impersonation is that by Billy West . Kevin Scott Collier. The Chaplin Animated Silent Cartoons . CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2019. ISBN 1098846044 Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977)
6016-428: The Tramp's dream in which he and the gamine live a traditional middle-class lifestyle. The Tramp and the gamine find a rundown shack to live in. The gamine cooks a cheap breakfast, and then the Tramp is off to work, while the gamine stays to maintain the home—an allusion to a middle-class setting. By the ending of Modern Times , "the film seems tailored to please the middle-class optimist." Due to all of their failings
6144-455: The Tramp's struggles against adversity. Many contain social and political themes, as well as autobiographical elements. 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. 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
6272-426: The Tramp's world". During 1915, Chaplin became a cultural phenomenon. Shops were stocked with Chaplin merchandise, he was featured in cartoons and comic strips , and several songs were written about him. In July, a journalist for Motion Picture wrote that "Chaplinitis" had spread across America. As his fame grew worldwide, he became the film industry's first international star. In September 1915, Chaplin topped
6400-502: The act was popular with audiences, but he was not satisfied with dancing and wished to form a comedy act. In the years Chaplin was touring with the Eight Lancashire Lads, his mother ensured that he still attended school but, by the age of 13, he had abandoned education. He supported himself with a range of jobs, while nursing his ambition to become an actor. At 14, shortly after his mother's relapse, he registered with
6528-635: The age of five years, when he took over from Hannah one night in Aldershot . This was an isolated occurrence, but by the time he was nine Chaplin had, with his mother's encouragement, grown interested in performing. He later wrote: "[she] imbued me with the feeling that I had some sort of talent". Through his father's connections, Chaplin became a member of the Eight Lancashire Lads clog-dancing troupe, with whom he toured English music halls throughout 1899 and 1900. Chaplin worked hard, and
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#17327732258766656-562: The bill" of vaudeville shows. After retiring from performing in the late 1910s, Bloom lived in Mount Penn, Pennsylvania , where he spent his time painting in his studio and collecting and dealing art. He began purchasing artwork during his stage career. Between 1889 and 1892, he purchased thirty to forty paintings from artist Ralph Albert Blakelock . Upon his sister Susan's death in 1910, he inherited her art collection. In April 1907, Bloom exhibited seven pieces of his original works at
6784-542: The business". In an interview with the Daily Herald in 1957, Chaplin recalled being inspired by the tramp characters Weary Willie and Tired Tim, a long-running hobo comic strip from Illustrated Chips that he had read as a boy in London: The wonderfully vulgar paper for boys [ Illustrated Chips ] ... and the 'Adventures of Weary Willie and Tired Tim,' two famous tramps with the world against them. There's been
6912-567: The character as his screen persona and attempted to make suggestions for the films he appeared in. These ideas were dismissed by his directors. During the filming of his 11th picture, Mabel at the Wheel , he clashed with director Mabel Normand and was almost released from his contract. Sennett kept him on, however, when he received orders from exhibitors for more Chaplin films. Sennett also allowed Chaplin to direct his next film himself after Chaplin promised to pay $ 1,500 ($ 46,000 in 2023 dollars) if
7040-457: The character in the film Modern Times (1936), which ended with the Tramp walking down a highway toward the horizon. The film was only a partial talkie and is often called the last silent film. The Tramp remains silent until near the end of the film when, for the first time, his voice is finally heard, albeit only as part of a French/Italian-derived gibberish song. In The Great Dictator , Chaplin's first film after Modern Times , Chaplin plays
7168-477: The character, the exception being The Pilgrim . These films were distributed by First National . Chaplin wrote, produced, directed, and/or starred in eight films for United Artists, though only four of them featured the Tramp character, five if The Great Dictator is included. Chaplin also wrote the musical scores, beginning with City Lights . In the 1910s, due to the desire for more Chaplin films than Chaplin could make, many created their own character like
7296-528: The character. But the moment I was dressed, the clothes and the makeup made me feel the person he was. I began to know him, and by the time I walked on stage he was fully born. The film was Mabel's Strange Predicament , but " the Tramp " character, as it became known, debuted to audiences in Kid Auto Races at Venice – shot later than Mabel's Strange Predicament but released two days earlier on 7 February 1914. Chaplin adopted
7424-417: The characteristics of Chaplin's screen persona. While in the end the Tramp manages to shake off his disappointment and resume his carefree ways, the pathos lies in the Tramp's having hope for a more permanent transformation through love and his failure to achieve this. The Tramp was usually the victim of circumstances and coincidences, but sometimes the results work in his favour. In Modern Times , he picks up
7552-520: The circus, "Ludwig Pflum" changed his name to "Lew Bloom" and would use that name for the remainder of his performing career. Bloom spent several years touring in variety shows with his jockey act before relocating to Dover, Delaware , where he competed in horse match races . He then returned to Reading where he and a friend opened the Drovers' Hotel. The establishment was the first to introduce cabaret to Reading. Bloom performed song and dance acts at
7680-662: The comical tramp character. After retiring from the stage in the 1910s, he became a prolific art collector and dealer and also painted his own original works. Decades after his death, art conservators discovered that Bloom was the perpetrator of an art forgery involving an oil portrait that he claimed depicted First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln . Bloom was born Ludwig Pflum in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , to Ludwig and Louisa ( née Moyer) Pflum. His parents, who immigrated from Germany, had six other children: Susannah, Susan Deborah, Louisa, Charles, Edward and Adolph (who died as
7808-487: The couple had drifted apart, as both focused heavily on their work, although Goddard was again his leading lady in his next feature film, The Great Dictator . She eventually divorced Chaplin in Mexico in 1942, citing incompatibility and separation for more than a year. Lew Bloom Lew Bloom (born Ludwig Pflum ; August 8, 1859 – December 12, 1929) was an American vaudeville performer and stage actor who popularized
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#17327732258767936-416: The critic James Agee hails the closing scene as "the greatest piece of acting and the highest moment in movies". City Lights became Chaplin's personal favourite of his films and remained so throughout his life. City Lights had been a success, but Chaplin was unsure if he could make another picture without dialogue. He remained convinced that sound would not work in his films, but was also "obsessed by
8064-411: The dual role of a Hitler -esque dictator, and a Jewish barber. Although Chaplin emphatically stated that the barber was not the Tramp, he retains the Tramp's moustache, hat, and general appearance. Despite a few silent scenes, including one where the barber is wearing the Tramp's coat and bowler hat and carrying his cane, the barber speaks throughout the film (using Chaplin's own English accent), including
8192-509: The duo and went to New York to perform comedy as a solo act. In 1885, Bloom was cast in the play Nobody's Claim , followed by a role in The Red Spider in 1888. It was his role in the latter production where he first conceived of the tramp persona. Bloom's "Society Tramp" character was a philosophical, shabbily dressed homeless man who drank frequently and was generally treated poorly by other characters. Despite his lowly status,
8320-494: The era including Nat M. Wills and Charles R. Sweet. Charlie Chaplin and W. C. Fields also established long and successful stage and film careers portraying their version of the tramp persona. Bloom would later insist he originated the character and that he was "the first stage tramp in the business". Bloom's stage career peaked in the 1890s. Throughout the decade, he continued to portray tramps in various stage productions by Charles Hale Hoyt including A Black Sheep , On
8448-458: The figure would be vividly outlined on the screen. I wore a small mustache which would not hide my expression. My appearance got an enthusiastic response from everyone, including Mr. Sennett. The clothes seemed to imbue me with the spirit of the character. He actually became a man with a soul—a point of view. I defined to Mr. Sennett the type of person he was. He wears an air of romantic hunger, forever seeking romance, but his feet won't let him. That
8576-451: The film was unsuccessful. Caught in the Rain , issued 4 May 1914, was Chaplin's directorial debut and was highly successful. Thereafter, he directed almost every short film in which he appeared for Keystone, at the rate of approximately one per week, a period which he later remembered as the most exciting time of his career. Chaplin's films introduced a slower form of comedy than
8704-431: The film with the stress of its production; Chaplin omitted The Circus from his autobiography, and struggled to work on it when he recorded the score in his later years. I was determined to continue making silent films ... I was a pantomimist and in that medium I was unique and, without false modesty, a master. By the time The Circus was released, Hollywood had witnessed the introduction of sound films . Chaplin
8832-402: The film's production. When filming began at the end of 1928, Chaplin had been working on the story for almost a year. City Lights followed the Tramp's love for a blind flower girl (played by Virginia Cherrill ) and his efforts to raise money for her sight-saving operation. It was a challenging production that lasted 21 months, with Chaplin later confessing that he "had worked himself into
8960-501: The final scene had the gamine stating, "What's the use of trying?", and the Tramp replying "Buck up—never say die." In his silent films, Chaplin uniquely deployed critical social commentary. "What makes Modern Times decidedly different from Chaplin's previous three films are the political references and social realism that keep intruding into Charlie's world." "No comedian before or after him has spent more energy depicting people in their working lives." "Though there had been films depicting
9088-430: The final six films owed. Before the creation of United Artists, Chaplin married for the first time. The 16-year-old actress Mildred Harris had revealed that she was pregnant with his child, and in September 1918, he married her quietly in Los Angeles to avoid controversy. Soon after, the pregnancy was found to be false. Chaplin was unhappy with the union and, feeling that marriage stunted his creativity, struggled over
9216-413: The first movie star to be featured on a Time cover . It was an unhappy marriage, and Chaplin spent long hours at the studio to avoid seeing his wife. In November 1926, Grey took the children and left the family home. A bitter divorce followed, in which Grey's application – accusing Chaplin of infidelity, abuse and of harbouring "perverted sexual desires" – was leaked to
9344-495: The first time in almost a decade. He wrote a book about his journey, titled My Wonderful Visit . He then worked to fulfil his First National contract, releasing Pay Day in February 1922. The Pilgrim , his final short film, was delayed by distribution disagreements with the studio and released a year later. Having fulfilled his First National contract, Chaplin was free to make his first picture as an independent producer. In November 1922, he began filming A Woman of Paris ,
9472-407: The first water". For his second appearance in front of the camera, Chaplin selected the costume with which he became identified. He described the process in his autobiography: I wanted everything to be a contradiction: the pants baggy, the coat tight, the hat small and the shoes large ... I added a small moustache, which, I reasoned, would add age without hiding my expression. I had no idea of
9600-642: The greatest films . Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. was born on 16 April 1889 to Hannah Chaplin (née Hill) and Charles Chaplin Sr. His paternal grandmother came from the Smith family, who belonged to Romani people . There is no official record of his birth, although Chaplin believed he was born at East Street , Walworth , in South London . His parents had married four years previously, at which time Charles Sr. became
9728-528: The happiest period of his career. However, Chaplin also felt that those films became increasingly formulaic over the period of the contract, and he was increasingly dissatisfied with the working conditions encouraging that. Chaplin was attacked in the British media for not fighting in the First World War . He defended himself, claiming that he would fight for Britain if called and had registered for
9856-519: The highest order. Charlie Chaplin Studios was completed in January 1918, and Chaplin was given freedom over the making of his pictures. A Dog's Life , released April 1918, was the first film under the new contract. In it, Chaplin demonstrated his increasing concern with story construction and his treatment of the Tramp as "a sort of Pierrot ". The film was described by Louis Delluc as "cinema's first total work of art". Chaplin then embarked on
9984-501: The hotel and also began competing as a lightweight boxer . Bloom later became the stage manager for his friend's second establishment, The General Taylor Hotel. He left after two years to work as a clown in the Shelby, Pullman & Hamilton Circus. After a year, Bloom returned to Reading where formed a partnership with vaudevillian Howard Monroe. The duo performed song and dance numbers and comedy skits in blackface until Bloom left
10112-679: The last undisputed Lincoln descendant, donated the portrait to the Illinois State Historical Library (now known as the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum ). At the time, the portrait was estimated to be worth $ 400,000 (approximately $ 7,098,000 today). In 1978, art conservators at the Art Institute of Chicago noted that the portrait had been "heavily retouched" and contained significant elements that were added after
10240-434: The legal guardian of Hannah's first son, Sydney John Hill . At the time of his birth, Chaplin's parents were both music hall entertainers. 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. Although they never divorced, Chaplin's parents were estranged by around 1891. The following year, Hannah gave birth to
10368-467: The life of the warden. Because of this, the warden offers to let him go, but the Tramp would rather stay in jail because it is better than the outside world. Chaplin's social commentary, while critical of the faults and excesses created by industrialisation, also shows support for and belief in the " American Dream ". In Modern Times , Chaplin creates a "portrayal consistent with popular leftist stereotypes of wealthy business leaders and oppressed workers in
10496-525: The lives of immigrants and urban workers, no filmmaker before Chaplin had created their experience so humanly and lovingly." Chaplin used not one but two similar-looking characters to the Tramp in The Great Dictator (1940); however, this was an all-talking film (Chaplin's first). The film was inspired by the noted similarity between Chaplin's Tramp, most notably his small moustache and that of Adolf Hitler . Chaplin used this similarity to create
10624-463: The most popular star in Keystone director Mack Sennett's company of players. Chaplin continued to play the Tramp through dozens of short films and, later, feature-length productions. (In only a handful of other productions did he play characters other than the Tramp.) The Tramp was closely identified with the silent era, and was considered an international character. The 1931 sound production City Lights featured no dialogue. Chaplin officially retired
10752-406: The original painting depicted. Bauman also discovered that a brooch bearing the face of Abraham Lincoln worn by the subject covered a floral brooch. Bauman also inspected the signature of Francis Bicknell Carpenter and the date, both of which were added on top of the varnish layer. After comparing the signature to Carpenter's other paintings, the signature was deemed a forgery. After the portrait
10880-458: The original painting had been completed. After a partial restoration , it was discovered that the facial area of the subject had been altered. The woman in the portrait was noted to have coloring that was brighter than the original 1929 portrait and that the face of the woman was "different, plainer" than Mary Todd Lincoln's. The conservators also discovered that the subject was wearing a cross necklace which Mary Lincoln would not have worn as she
11008-540: The original portrait, forged Carpenter's name and created the fake affidavit. Bloom's claim that the portrait was given to his sister Susan by Jacob G. Neafie's daughter in appreciation of her care for the ailing Anna Neafie was proven to be false. Susan Bloom was born in 1855 and was only five years old when Anna Neafie died in 1860. James M. Cornelius, the curator of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, believes that Bloom
11136-488: The pageboy in three nationwide tours. His performance was so well received that he was called to London to play the role alongside William Gillette , the original Holmes. "It was like tidings from heaven", Chaplin recalled. At 16 years old, Chaplin starred in the play's West End production at the Duke of York's Theatre from October to December 1905. He completed one final tour of Sherlock Holmes in early 1906, before leaving
11264-401: The play after more than two-and-a-half years. Chaplin soon found work with a new company and went on tour with his brother, who was also pursuing an acting career, in a comedy sketch called Repairs . In May 1906, Chaplin joined the juvenile act Casey's Circus, where he developed popular burlesque pieces and was soon the star of the show. By the time the act finished touring in July 1907,
11392-893: The politicising. Today, Modern Times is seen by the British Film Institute as one of Chaplin's "great features", while David Robinson says it shows the filmmaker at "his unrivalled peak as a creator of visual comedy". Following the release of Modern Times , Chaplin left with Goddard for a trip to the Far East. Chaplin, Goddard and a Japanese servant named Yonnemori arrived in Saigon in April 1936, and visited multiple locations in French Indochina . They then visited Phnom Penh to view Angkor Wat , and Da Lat , followed by Huế , arriving in Đà Nẵng where he visited
11520-488: The portrait of Mary Lincoln. To validate his claim of the portrait's authenticity, Bloom attached a notarized affidavit to it and displayed the portrait at Milch Galleries in Manhattan. Shortly before his death in December 1929, he sold the portrait to president and Mary Lincoln's granddaughter Jessie Harlan Lincoln , the daughter of the Lincolns' eldest and only surviving son Robert Todd Lincoln . The exact sale price
11648-416: The press. Chaplin was reported to be in a state of nervous breakdown, as the story became headline news and groups formed across America calling for his films to be banned. Eager to end the case without further scandal, Chaplin's lawyers agreed to a cash settlement of $ 600,000 – the largest awarded by American courts at that time. His fan base was strong enough to survive the incident, and it
11776-445: The production of his film Sunnyside . Harris was by then legitimately pregnant, and on 7 July 1919, gave birth to a son. Norman Spencer Chaplin was born malformed and died three days later. The marriage ended in April 1920, with Chaplin explaining in his autobiography that they were "irreconcilably mismated". Losing the child, plus his own childhood experiences, are thought to have influenced Chaplin's next film, which turned
11904-426: The public wants Chaplin and will pay for him." Mutual gave Chaplin his own Los Angeles studio to work in, which opened in March 1916. He added two key members to his stock company, Albert Austin and Eric Campbell , and produced a series of elaborate two-reelers: The Floorwalker , The Fireman , The Vagabond , One A.M. and The Count . For The Pawnshop , he recruited the actor Henry Bergman , who
12032-408: The rags to riches stories ever told" according to his authorised biographer David Robinson . Chaplin's early years were spent with his mother and brother Sydney in the London district of Kennington . Hannah had no means of income, other than occasional nursing and dressmaking, and Chaplin Sr. provided no financial support. As the situation deteriorated, Chaplin was sent to Lambeth Workhouse when he
12160-425: The restoration, Bauman soon discovered that a layer of varnish sat on top of the paint indicating that someone had altered the original. After removing the varnish, Bauman discovered that the woman Bloom claimed was Mary Todd Lincoln was an unknown woman who bore no resemblance to the former First Lady. It was noted that the woman's coloring was "...much fresher, a much warmer, a much redder toned, flesh toned..." than
12288-420: The studio. By early June, however, Chaplin "suddenly decided he could scarcely stand to be in the same room" as Collins, but instead of breaking off the engagement directly, he "stopped coming in to work, sending word that he was suffering from a bad case of influenza, which May knew to be a lie." Ultimately work on the film resumed, and following its September 1921 release, Chaplin chose to return to England for
12416-451: The tramp would make light of his predicament and maintained a positive and comicial outlook. Typically, tramp characters like Bloom's included slapstick comedy routines as well as dancing or pantomime . One of Bloom's tramp character's jokes was, "I don't spend all my time in saloons. I can't. They have to close up some time." Bloom's tramp character became a big hit with audiences and was quickly copied by hundreds of other performers of
12544-435: The typical Keystone farce, and he developed a large fan base. In November 1914, he had a supporting role in the first feature length comedy film, Tillie's Punctured Romance , directed by Sennett and starring Marie Dressler , which was a commercial success and increased his popularity. When Chaplin's contract came up for renewal at the end of the year, he asked for $ 1,000 a week, an amount Sennett refused as he thought it
12672-522: The war but, as he later recalled: "Dangerous or not, the idea excited me." He spent four months filming the picture, which was released in October 1918 with great success. After the release of Shoulder Arms , Chaplin requested more money from First National, which was refused. Frustrated with their lack of concern for quality, and worried about rumours of a possible merger between the company and Famous Players–Lasky , Chaplin joined forces with Douglas Fairbanks , Mary Pickford and D. W. Griffith to form
12800-569: The widow of slain president Abraham Lincoln . Bloom claimed shortly before President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865 , Mary Lincoln commissioned painter Francis Bicknell Carpenter (who had lived at the White House for six months during Lincoln's presidency and had previously painted First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln ) to paint a portrait of her as gift to her husband. After
12928-568: The woman in the portrait to the real Mary Lincoln was rationalized as "artistic idealization". For the next 32 years, the portrait hung at the Illinois Executive Mansion in Springfield, Illinois . In April 2010, art conservator Barry Bauman was hired to clean the portrait as it had accumulated dirt and grime after years of being displayed. Bauman also hoped to restore the portrait to its previous 1929 appearance. During
13056-589: The workplace would increase unemployment levels. It was these concerns that stimulated Chaplin to develop his new film. Modern Times was announced by Chaplin as "a satire on certain phases of our industrial life". Featuring the Tramp and Goddard as they endure the Great Depression , it took ten and a half months to film. Chaplin intended to use spoken dialogue but changed his mind during rehearsals. Like its predecessor, Modern Times employed sound effects but almost no speaking. Chaplin's performance of
13184-429: The world but Charlie Chaplin could have done it. He is the only person that has that peculiar something called 'audience appeal' in sufficient quality to defy the popular penchant for movies that talk." Given its general release in January 1931, City Lights proved to be a popular and financial success, eventually grossing over $ 3 million. The British Film Institute called it Chaplin's finest accomplishment, and
13312-515: Was The Great Dictator (1940), which satirised Adolf Hitler . The 1940s were marked with controversy for Chaplin, and his popularity declined rapidly. 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. An FBI investigation was opened, and Chaplin was forced to leave the U.S. in 1952 and settle in Switzerland. He abandoned
13440-412: Was Mack Sennett , who initially expressed concern that the 24-year-old looked too young. He was not used in a picture until late January, during which time Chaplin attempted to learn the processes of filmmaking. The one-reeler Making a Living marked his film acting debut and was released on 2 February 1914. Chaplin strongly disliked the picture, but one review picked him out as "a comedian of
13568-511: Was 16 and he was 35, meaning Chaplin could have been charged with statutory rape under California law. He therefore arranged a discreet marriage in Mexico on 25 November 1924. They originally met during her childhood and she had previously appeared in his works The Kid and The Idle Class . Their first son, Charles Spencer Chaplin III , was born on 5 May 1925, followed by Sydney Earl Chaplin on 30 March 1926. On 6 July 1925, Chaplin became
13696-408: Was a big success, and Chaplin received considerable press attention. Karno selected his new star to join the section of the company that toured North America's vaudeville circuit, a section which also included Stan Laurel . The young comedian headed the show and impressed reviewers, being described as "one of the best pantomime artists ever seen here". His most successful role was a drunk called
13824-421: Was able to pull off the hoax because all the participants in his story were unable to refute his story as they were dead. Cornelius also believes that Bloom sought out the Lincolns not only make money from the sale of the portrait but to legitimatize its authenticity. Bloom was likely aware that the surviving Lincolns were eager to portray Mary and her son Robert Todd Lincoln in a positive and sympathetic light after
13952-540: Was acclaimed for its innovative, subtle approach. The public, however, seemed to have little interest in a Chaplin film without Chaplin, and it was a box office disappointment . The filmmaker was hurt by this failure – he had long wanted to produce a dramatic film and was proud of the result – and soon withdrew A Woman of Paris from circulation. Chaplin returned to comedy for his next project. Setting his standards high, he told himself "This next film must be an epic! The Greatest!" Inspired by
14080-459: Was actually the first film featuring the Tramp but a different film, shot later but with the same character, happened to be released two days earlier. The Tramp debuted to the public in the Keystone comedy Kid Auto Races at Venice (released on 7 February 1914; Mabel's Strange Predicament , shot earlier, was released on 9 February 1914). Chaplin, with his Little Tramp character, quickly became
14208-625: Was admitted to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, New York City . He died there two days later of "complication of diseases" at the age of 70. Bloom's funeral was held at the Seidel Funeral Chapel in Reading on December 16. He was buried at Charles Evans Cemetery the following morning. In early 1929, Bloom made news when he announced that he had acquired a previously unknown oil portrait of former First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln ,
14336-485: Was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film . He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp , and is considered one of the film industry's most important figures. His career spanned more than 75 years, from childhood in the Victorian era until a year before his death in 1977, and encompassed both accolade and controversy. Chaplin's childhood in London
14464-471: Was committed to Cane Hill mental asylum; she had developed psychosis seemingly brought on by an infection of syphilis and malnutrition. For the two months she was there, Chaplin and his brother Sydney were sent to live with their father, whom the young boys scarcely knew. Charles Sr. was by then severely alcoholic, and life there was bad enough to provoke a visit from the National Society for
14592-447: Was completely restored, Bauman determined that while it had been painted in the 1860s (likely around 1864), the woman in the portrait was not Mary Todd Lincoln and the painting was not the work of Francis Bicknell Carpenter. The real subject of the portrait and the artist remain unknown. Bauman also determined that Bloom, who also painted his own works, had likely altered the original portrait himself. Bauman also believed Bloom painted over
14720-408: Was considered a particular turning point in his development. The use of pathos was developed further with The Bank , in which Chaplin created a sad ending. Robinson notes that this was an innovation in comedy films, and marked the time when serious critics began to appreciate Chaplin's work. At Essanay, writes film scholar Simon Louvish , Chaplin "found the themes and the settings that would define
14848-464: Was cynical about this new medium and the technical shortcomings it presented, believing that "talkies" lacked the artistry of silent films. He was also hesitant to change the formula that had brought him such success, and feared that giving the Tramp a voice would limit his international appeal. He, therefore, rejected the new Hollywood craze and began work on a new silent film. Chaplin was nonetheless anxious about this decision and remained so throughout
14976-476: Was not a Roman Catholic . As the painting had been owned by the Lincoln family, the authenticity of the painting was not immediately questioned. The conservators that worked on the initial restoration reasoned that the added paint was likely the result of "heavy handed" retouches by other conservators or by Francis Bicknell Carpenter who was known to "fiddle with" his finished paintings. The lack of resemblance to
15104-467: Was one of poverty and hardship. His father was absent and his mother struggled financially—he was sent to a workhouse twice before age nine. When he was 14, his mother was committed to a mental asylum . Chaplin began performing at an early age, touring music halls and later working as a stage actor and comedian. At 19, he was signed to the Fred Karno company, which took him to the United States. He
15232-464: Was one of the earliest films to combine comedy and drama. It was released in January 1921 with instant success, and, by 1924, had been screened in over 50 countries. Chaplin spent five months on his next film, the two-reeler The Idle Class . Work on the picture was for a time delayed by more turmoil in his personal life. First National had on 12 April announced Chaplin's engagement to the actress May Collins , whom he had hired to be his secretary at
15360-492: Was one of the world's best-paid and best-known figures. In 1919, Chaplin co-founded the distribution company United Artists , which gave him complete control over his films. His first feature-length film was The Kid (1921), followed by A Woman of Paris (1923), The Gold Rush (1925), and The Circus (1928). He initially refused to move to sound films in the 1930s, instead producing City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936) without dialogue. His first sound film
15488-434: Was rarely referred to by any names on-screen, although he was sometimes identified as "Charlie" and rarely, as in the original silent version of The Gold Rush , "The little funny tramp". The character of the Tramp was originally created by accident while Chaplin was working at Mack Sennett 's Keystone Studios , when dressing up for the 1914 short film Mabel's Strange Predicament starring Mabel Normand and Chaplin. In
15616-618: Was relieved when he met 21-year-old actress Paulette Goddard in July 1932, and the pair began a relationship. He was not ready to commit to a film, however, and focused on writing a serial about his travels (published in Woman's Home Companion ). The trip had been a stimulating experience for Chaplin, including meetings with several prominent thinkers, and he became increasingly interested in world affairs. The state of labour in America troubled him, and he feared that capitalism and machinery in
15744-495: Was reported that nine out of ten men who attended costume parties, did so dressed as the Tramp. The same year, a study by the Boston Society for Psychical Research concluded that Chaplin was "an American obsession". The actress Minnie Maddern Fiske wrote that "a constantly increasing body of cultured, artistic people are beginning to regard the young English buffoon, Charles Chaplin, as an extraordinary artist, as well as
15872-500: Was scouted for the film industry and began appearing in 1914 for Keystone Studios . He soon introduced and adopted the Tramp as his screen persona. He directed his own films and continued to hone his craft as he moved to Essanay Studios , where the Tramp persona was developed emotionally in The Tramp (1915). He then attracted a large fanbase and demanded more money as he moved to Mutual and First National corporations. By 1918, he
16000-490: Was seven years old. The council housed him at the Central London District School for paupers , which Chaplin remembered as "a forlorn existence". He was briefly reunited with his mother 18 months later, but Hannah was forced to readmit her family to the workhouse in July 1898. The boys were promptly sent to Norwood Schools, another institution for destitute children. In September 1898, Hannah
16128-472: Was soon forgotten, but Chaplin was deeply affected by it. Less than five months after the divorce, Grey's former butler Don Solovich was murdered in Utah, and articles speculated about connections between Chaplin and the murder. Before the divorce suit was filed, Chaplin had begun work on a new film, The Circus . He built a story around the idea of walking a tightrope while besieged by monkeys, and turned
16256-663: Was to work with Chaplin for 30 years. Behind the Screen and The Rink completed Chaplin's releases for 1916. The Mutual contract stipulated that he release a two-reel film every four weeks, which he had managed to achieve. With the new year, however, Chaplin began to demand more time. He made only four more films for Mutual over the first ten months of 1917: Easy Street , The Cure , The Immigrant and The Adventurer . With their careful construction, these films are considered by Chaplin scholars to be among his finest work. Later in life, Chaplin referred to his Mutual years as
16384-413: Was too large. The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company of Chicago sent Chaplin an offer of $ 1,250 a week, with a signing bonus of $ 10,000. He joined the studio in late December 1914, where he began forming a stock company of regular players, actors he worked with again and again, including Ben Turpin , Leo White , Bud Jamison , Paddy McGuire , Fred Goodwins and Billy Armstrong . He soon recruited
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