Charlie Chaplin was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the silent era. He is mostly famous for his screen persona “the tramp.”
Born on April 16, 1889 in London, Chaplin is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry. He had been a productive and creative film maker for about 75 years before he died in 1977. Below are some fun facts about the famous comic:
1. Chaplin Had a Difficult Childhood.
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| Charlie Chaplin at the Central London District School in Hanwell, 1897. Chaplin is in the centre of the third row. |
As the health of Chaplin’s mother deteriorated, so too did the family’s finances. It got so bad that in 1896 Chaplin and his older half-brother were sent to a public boarding school for “orphans and destitute children.”
Chaplin spent about 18 months there, the longest period of continuous schooling he would ever receive. He learned to read and write, but apparently suffered quite a few indignities, including a severe caning and the shaving of his head during a bout with ringworm. Shortly thereafter, his mother was committed to a mental institution. His father, meanwhile, played very little role in his upbringing and ended up dying of alcoholism at age 37.
2. Chaplin Started Performing As a Child.
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| Charlie Chaplin, between age 14-16, appearing as Billy the Pageboy in the play Sherlock Holmes. |
Both Chaplin’s parents were in the entertainment industry. It is reported that, at age five, Chaplin replaced his mother (who was suffering from laryngitis) at a music-hall show, singing his first song “Jack Jones” in front of a crowd of soldiers.
At age 12, he appeared as Billy the Pageboy in a rendition of Sherlock Holmes. 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 the play after more than two-and-a-half years.
3. He Was Against Using Sound.
Sound was a revelation for the medium. But like all new technologies, some of the old guards were reluctant to embrace it. Chaplin was one filmmaker vehemently opposed to using sound and dialogue in his movies. As most of his comedy was pantomime, he felt it was unnecessary. He also bemoaned its technical limitations.
City Lights was produced when sound had all but become the norm, and while it was a silent film, it still included sound effects. Despite his resistance towards the rising tide of talkies, the movie was a huge success and stands as one of his most celebrated works.
4. Chaplin Was an Accomplished Musician
Other than his prowess as a filmmaker, Chaplin was also a self-taught musician. As such, he strove for the best when it came to the music in his films. He composed most of the scores for his works, though he couldn’t read notation so he sought help from other composers in order to translate his ideas into written form. Because of this, some thought these composers should have received the majority of the credit, but most who worked insisted the final product was a result of his ideas. Some of the more pop-oriented tunes from his movies even became hits.
5. He Was the First Actor to Appear in Time Magazine.
Chaplin was the first actor ever to appear in Time Magazine in the July 6, 1925 issue. The magazine is famous for its influential and controversial covers and this was a big step for the actor.
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