Charlie Chaplin

He never returned to the stage

His FILM career begins at $150a week

April 16, 1889 Charlie Chaplin is Born

1889

tap dancer, member of the juvenile group "The Eight Lancahire Lads"

Charlie

Chaplin'sfather dies of alcoholism. Charlie begins his career.

1901

1913

Chaplin starts his career as producer

1917

February 7First release of Chaplin "the Tramp" the character that made him famous

1914

Charlie releases"City Lights" a silent movie, eventhough the rest of the industry had converted to sound

1930

His only picture in color

Chaplin releases his last picture "A Countess from Hong Kong"

1966

"Monsieur Verdoux," the movie that cause Chaplin to move out of the US is realeased.

1947

December 25Charlie Chaplin dies froma stroke

1977

The Sound Dilema Chaplin's natural talent and brilliance shine in a speechless crowd, literally. He is and has been, for a long time, the father of pantomime and slapstick comedy. The world, however, changed, evolved and although most would claim for the better, drifted into sound. The cinema industries transitioned into producing movies with sound during the late 1920s. This created a major problem for Charlie Chaplin for his entire empire depended upon silent movies. In the fall of 1927 talking pictures began to catch on. By the time Chaplin finished City Lights, late 1930, the entire motion picture industry had converted to sound. This movie contained no spoken dialogue. Charlie had, however, experimented with myriad sound effects and a musical score which he composed. The film was a success, even when the silent era was fading. Chaplin, of course despised such transformation. He commented, "They are spoiling the oldest art in the world, the art of pantomime. They are ruining the great beauty of silence." His disdain for talkies led him to fear returning to Hollywood after City Lights. He expressed, "I mused over the possibility of making a sound film, but the thought sickened me, for I realized I could never achieve the excellence of my silent pictures." Such belief, may experts acclaimed, turned put to be true. Chaplin was never able to master the art of talking movies like he dominated the silent ones. However, this does not make him any less of a genius for nobody was ever able to reach his level of excellence. There is no doubt the Charlie Chaplin was the father of pantomime.

mother had permanent mental breakdown

no studio could afford him

The Tramp

"Little Fellow"

"Life is tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot"

"I remain just onething, and one thing only,and that is a clown.It places me on afar higher plane thanany politician."

"Imagination means nothing without doing"

Chaplin

"If you just smile"