Biography of Charles Chaplin | Actor and filmmaker English

Creator of the tender and err Charlot, the actor and filmmaker English remains one of the great geniuses in the history of the seventh art.

Charles Spencer Chaplin parents were singers and actors of varieties of Jewish origin which, at the time, achieved a reasonable success. Especially the mother, Hannah Hili, daughter of a shoemaker, Petite, graceful and with a pleasant voice. The child was born at eight o'clock in the afternoon of April 16, 1889 in London Street East Lane, Walworth. It was not a good time for the family. The father, Charles, had left home in pursuit of his love of alcohol, and Hannah was forced to keep his children Sydney and Charles alone. I was at the Summit of his career under the pseudonym of Lily Harvey, but he began to fail him voice. In 1894, during a function in Aldershot, their Twitter broke in the middle of a song. The businessman sent to scene little Charles, of five years, which imitated the voice of Lily including final fainting, to the great amusement of the public. That was his artistic debut.

The failure and lack of money upset the mental health of Hanna Hill, who began to show signs of loss. She and the children went to live in the Lambeth Street haven. Sydney and Charlie attended a time school for poor children of Hanwell, suffering severe self-discipline and the taunts of the more fortunate children. In 1896 the State of Hannah forced to confine it in a sanatorium frenopático. The following year, Charlie was joined to the Eight Lancashire Lads (the eight Lancashire boys), a group of amateur youth performers making tours of peoples. He later joined other companies Street, already professionals although very modest. The father died in 1898, while Charlie Chaplin was already an expert child actor. In 1901, with twelve years, represented the role of protagonist in Jim, the Romance of a Cockney, and four years later went on a tour with The Painful Predicament of Sherlock Holmes. The year 1906 it was fortunate for the young comedian. It began with a contract in the Casey Court Circus as one of the first attractions, and ended with another contract for the famous company of pantomime of Fred Karno, which acted also Stan Laurel.

The beginnings in Hollywood

Nineteen Charlie lived the first of his numerous and intense romances, to fall head over heels for the young actress Hetty Kelly. With Fred Karno future Charlot had improved and diversified its remarkable mimicking resources, and included the director in the troupe that performed a tour to Paris in 1909, and the following year another six months by the United States. It was the era in which Mack Sennett obtained a great success with his films short of bathers and the police, based on runs, exaggerated gestures, sticks and fights with cream tarts. Sennett felt cinematic possibilities of more refined and complex of Chaplin mimicry, and when this was his second tour in 1912 convinced him to be incorporated to its producer, the Keystone.

Chaplin in A Night in the Show (Charlot at the Theatre)

Charlie Chaplin came to Hollywood in the spring of 1913, and began working in November. On February 2, 1914 premiered its first film, Making a Living (earning a living, also known as Charlot journalist). In that same year shot 35 films a roll (short of between twelve and sixteen minutes long), written and directed by Sennett, Charles himself or other directors. Yet his characterizations were only sketches of the naive and sentimental drifter who would give him fame around the world, but as Chaplin played in each one a trade or different situation, baptize them is then as dancer Charlot, Charlot waiter, conquest, Charlot Charlot elegant thief, etc. The success was overwhelming, and in 1915 the Essanay company stole Sennett its star by a contract of $1,500 a week. Fabulous figure for a comedian of silent films, which had been charging ten times less in Keystone.

With the Essanay, Chaplin went to write and direct the fourteen films that shot that year. They already had a duration of two rolls, a more complicated plot that was romantic and melancholy touches in the humorous recipe, and a carefully structured and rehearsed script. Chaplin was the absolute protagonist (in some female role), and in most of them their partner was Edna Purviance. Remember A Night in the Show, The Champion, The Night Out and especially The Tramp (tramp), in which propagate the character that would later become known as Charlot. It would have after that was choosing almost at random - as a tramp would real - hat, cane, wide pants, tight jacket and the shoes. The result was the outfit most famous and enduring in the history of cinema.

The celebrity of Chaplin and his character was already universal (Charlot name would give it was in 1915 the distributor of its films in France), and the successful mimo again shifted production in 1916. With the Mutual he would make twelve films in two years, including The Pawnshop (the lender), Easy Street (the street of peace) and especially The Immigrant (the immigrant), three with Edna Purviance. At the beginning of 1918 the First National hired Charlie Chaplin the digit record of one million dollars per year. It was also the year of the first of their weddings with girls almost adolescents. His marriage to Mildred Harris nineteen secondary actress, on 23 October, lasted until 1920 and the divorce cost Charles 200,000 of your precious dollars.

Also in 1918, made a tour to sell bonds of war along with other two superstars of the era: acrobatic Beau Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford (known as «The bride of America»). With the First National, he shot twelve films between 1922 and this year, some so classic in his filmography as A Dog Life (life of dog) and Shoulder Arms (shoulder arms). And also what is considered his first masterpiece, in which chiseled his tragicomic, critical and subtly poignant style: The Kid (the kid), with Jackie Coogan, the inevitable Purviance and six rolls of duration. In 1921 he returned for the first time to Europe for the premiere of the film and received a massive reception, severe European criticism while it established him as a genius of the cinema.

Chaplin in the circus (1927)

Already in 1919 Chaplin, Pickford and Fairbanks, with director David W. Griffith (no doubt another genius of the cinema) had formed the independent production company United Artists, but Chaplin did not work for this to not to finish his contract with First National. In 1923, with own production company, solid personal fortune and a sumptuous mansion in Beverly Hills, he was at the end with your hands free to develop their creativity without ties. That year he directed, without acting, excellent A Woman of Paris, with its admired Edna and Adolphe Menjou. The multifaceted creative had already thirty-five years, and on November 24, 1924 he married in Mexico with the young actress Lolita McMurray (or Lita Grey), sixteen-year-old. The union lasted until 1927 and Chaplin won her her first two sons (Charles Spencer and Sydney Earle) and paid a million dollars to divorce his Lolita.

At that time he began the great final trilogy of the character of Charlot, rolling in 1925 The Gold Rush (the gold rush), that in 1942 he made a sound version narrated by his voice and music itself. Already in 1927, opened the first sound film, the jazz singer, with Al Jolson, but Chaplin remained faithful to the silent film in 1928 when performed The circus (Circus), film which he considered less accomplished that which were part of the trilogy, despite being a magnificent comic film. This film received its first Oscar of the Academy in 1929. Two years later it opened City Lights (city lights), paradigm of the tenderness and the desolation of his alter ego cinema, with inclusion of sound scenes and music by Chaplin.

In 1932 he made a new and extensive trip to Europe, where a reception he met French actress Paulette Goddard. Both continued together the route of what became a world tour, and the year following Paulette would be his partner in the last film of the trilogy: Modern Times (modern times), an acid parable about the industrial machinery and the miseries of capitalism.

At the outset of the war and the German invasion on Europe, Chaplin filmed, in 1940, The Great Dictator (the great dictator), a fun and fierce parody of the fascism, in which the actor is desdoblaba in a Charlot transformed into Jewish Barber and a mythomaniac and paranoid Hitler announcing availability of Chaplin to embody new roles, no bowler hat or shoes. Accompanying the Goddard, whose character bore the name of the mother of Charles (Hannah), who died in 1928. Chaplin and Paulette are distanced in 1941 and soon after the filmmaker was engaged in a process by the paternity of the daughter of the actress Joan Barry, called Carol Ann. Sentenced for violation of the Mann Act in April 1942, he should take care of the maintenance of the child. The scandal did not prevent him at fifty-four years, marrying the daughter of the distinguished playwright Eugene O'Neill, a beautiful young woman of eighteen called Oona, who would remain the rest of his life at his side.

The Patriarch of Vevey

After film Monsieur Verdoux in 1947, Charles Chaplin fell under the wave of the maccarthismo which had as white intellectuals and artists of Hollywood. Social criticism that oozed their work, added probably to his Jewish background and the fact of being a foreigner (never nationalized), led him to appear in 1949 before the inquisicional Committee on UN-American activities. The following year, as he and his family traveled throughout Europe, were ordered to the immigration authorities that they retain it on his return. Chaplin decided never to return and was installed in a luxury residence in Corsier-sur-Vevey, on the placid banks of the Swiss Lake of Léman, from Geneva. Oona was responsible for liquidating their economic and Professional Affairs in the United States.

England offered his prodigal son a place to continue his work. In 1952 he filmed in London Limelight (Limelight), magnificent and sentimental recollection of his days of traveling comedian, and two years later received the international peace prize. Their resentment against the United States was reflected in A King in New York (a King in New York), film of 1957 whose ups and downs don't hide the corrosive humor chapliniano. The filmmaker was already an old patriarchal and lively man who began to write his memoirs in 1959. At the age of seventy-eight he was father of her eighth son with Oona, Christopher, born in 1962, and in 1964 was published in London his autobiography, story of my life.

Chaplin with his last wife, Oona O'Neill

Already octogenarian, Chaplin had spirit and energy still to write and shoot a last film, A Countess from Hong Kong (the Countess from Hong Kong, 1966). Despite having two players of luxury as Sofía Loren and Marlon Brando, and to the director himself in the role less than a waiter, the film was not successful and perhaps did not deserve it. The masterful hand of Chaplin retained some elegance, but the topic was trivial and clearly anachronistic style. The aged creator should warn him, because he did not return to insist.

Charles Chaplin lived still a decade in their refuge from Vevey, surrounded by their children and accompanied by the loyal Oona. In 1972 he accepted a brief triumphant return to Hollywood, to receive an Oscar for the totality of his work. In 1976 Richard Patterson shot The Gentleman Tramp (the gentleman tramp), inspired by his autobiography, which included family scenes in Vevey, filmed by cinematographer, Nestor Almendros Spanish. Another Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura, married Geraldine, daughter Oona more consistent with the profession of his father. Died at the age of eighty-eight, the 1977 Christmas day. It left a total of 79 films filmed in over fifty years of activity as an actor and director. In the almost all of them was also author of the script, with dialogue and music in the sound. In addition to those already mentioned, it is worth adding Carmen (1916), according to the novel of Mérimée; The Vagabond (The vagabond), 1916; A Day's Pleasure (A day of revelry), 1919; Pay Day (Pay day), 1922, and The Pilgrim (the Pilgrim), 1923, among the most appreciated by the critics and by the public.

Chronology of Charles Chaplin

1889	It was born in London.
1913	It comes to Hollywood to work with Mack Sennett.
1914	Premiering his first film earning a living (Making a Living)
1919	The production company United Artists is be with Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D. W. Griffith.
1920	Shooting of the boy and divorce from Mildred Harris.
1925	He shoots the gold rush, after her marriage to Lita Grey.
1928	Received an Oscar for his film the circus.
1940	He films the great dictator.
1943	Judgement by the paternity of the daughter of the actress Joan Barry and Oona O'Neill wedding.
1950	It suffers from the mccarthyist persecution and settles in Switzerland.
1952	Premiere of limelight, his most appreciated film of maturity.
1954	He received the international peace prize.
1966	Shoots his last film, a Countess from Hong Kong.
1972	Received an Oscar for the totality of his work.
1975	He received the title of Sir.
1977	He died in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland.

Charles Chaplin films

The comedian and filmmaker British Charles Chaplin is one of the most outstanding personalities of the history of the cinema. The films directed and starred in have maintained their popularity over the years and continue being contemplated with delight by people of different generations.

Figure pioneer of cinematography, Chaplin was able to take advantage of his extraordinary gifts as mimo to become one of the most popular characters of the silent film. Highlighted by their ability to combine humor with the sentimentality in a few arguments of great complexity. His mastery of gestures and their ability to create hilarious situations enabled him to overcome the limitations imposed by the fact of not be able to use oral language. In this way, he drafted a film based on the pantomime and the expressiveness of the image, which has been followed decades later by comedians such as Mel Brooks and Mister Bean.

A night Out (Trasnochador Charlot, 1915)

Chaplin the most famous character in the history of cinema became popular thanks to its Charlot, probably. The adventures of this naive and sentimental tramp have been exhibited at countless occasions. In fact, it is difficult that someone is unable to identify this character of peculiar mustache, who wears baggy jeans, tight jacket, a ramshackle bowler hat and that wielding a cane cane: his image has been reproduced over and over again in magazines, newspapers and television programs.

Some of Chaplin's films have become true classics and have aroused the admiration of moviegoers, as happens with the guy (The kid, 1920), the gold rush (The gold rush, 1925) or the city lights (City lights, 1931). Others of his films have stood out for its ability to reflect historical events with irony. It is what happens, for example, in modern times (Modern times, 1935), work in which treated critically the consequences of industrialization and capitalism, or the great dictator (The great dictator, 1940), film in which Chaplin parodied the German dictator Adolf Hitler.

The life of the British comedian was brought to the screen in Chaplin (1992), a film directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Robert Downey son.

Filmography

1914	Charlot journalist (Marking a Living). Suffocating racing (Kid Auto Races at Venice). Extraordinary Adventures of Mabel (Mabel completo Strange Predicament). All for an umbrella (Between Showers). Charlot and fire (A Film Johnnie). Charlot in the dance (Tango Tangles). Extremely elegant Charlot (His Favorite Pastime). A cruel (Cruel, Cruel Love) love. Charlot, ideal guest (The Star Boarder). Mabel and the infernal car (Mabel at the Wheel). Charlot's conquest (Twenty Minutes of Love). Charlot waiter (Caught in a Cabaret). Charlot and la Sonnambula (Caught in the Rain). Charlot suffragist (A Busy Day). Charlot (The Fatal Mallet) harness. Charlot, elegant thief (Her Friend the Bandit). Charlot, referee (The Knockout). Mabel, street vendor (Mabel's Busy Day). Charlot in married life (Mabel's Married Life). Charlot, fake dentist (Laughing Gas). Charlot "regisseur" (The Property Man). Painter Charlot (The Face on the Bar-Room Floor). Rogue spring (Recreation). Charlot, artist of cinema (The Masquerader). New placement of Charlot (His New Profession). Charlot and Fatty at the Café (The Rounders). Charlot, Concierge (The New Janitor). JES, Charlot (Those Love Pangs) rival. Charlot Baker (Dough and Dynamite). Mabel and Charlot (Gentleman of Nerve) races. Charlot dominates the piano (His Musical Career). Charlot cheats (His Trusting Place). Adventures of Tillie. The romance of Charlot (Tillie completo Punctured Romance). Charlot has a jealous woman (Getting Acquaninted). Prehistoric Charlot (His Prehistoric Past).
1915	Charlot shifts job (His New Job). Trasnochador Charlot (A Night Out). A boxing champion (The champion). Charlot in the Park (In the Park). Charlot-tramp (The Tramp). Charlot on the beach (By the sea). Charlot working papelista (Work). Charlot, perfect Lady (A Woman). Charlot, Porter's Bank (The Bank). Charlot sailor (Shanghaied). Charlot at the theatre (A Night in the Show). Carmen (Carmen). Charlot, graduate of presidio (Police). Adventures of Charlot (Triple Trouble). The magazine of Charlot (The Essanay Chaplin Revue).
1916	Charlot, responsible for Bazaar (The Floorwalker). Charlot firefighter (The Fireman). Charlot, itinerant musician (The Vagasond). Charlot, at one in the morning (One A. M.). The conde (The Count). Charlot lender (The Pawnshop). Charlot, stagehand of film (Behind the Screen). Charlot, hero of Skate (The Rink).
1917	Charlot in the street of la Paz (Easy Street). Charlot in the Spa (The Cure). Emigrant Charlot (The Immigrant). The adventurer (The Adventurer).
1918	Life of dog (A Dog's Life). Shoulder arms! (Shoulder Arms!). The Bond. 1919 (Sunnyside) Sun. A day of revelry (A pleasure days).
1920	The kid (The Kid).
1921	Holiday (The Middle Class).
1922	Day of pay (Pay Day). The Pilgrim (The Pilgrim).
1923	A woman of Paris (A Woman of Paris).
1925	The chimera of gold (The Gold Rush).
1927	The circus (The Circus).
1930	Lights of the city (City Lights).
1935	Modern times (Modern Times).
1940	The great dictator (The Great Dictator).
1946	Monsieur Verdoux (Monsieur Verdoux).
1952	Limelight (Limelight).
1956	A King in New York (A King in New York).
1966	The Countess from Hong Kong (A Countess From Hong Kong).

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