I chose Charlie Chaplin because I knew he was an impact upon the film industry. When I picked him for my report I was hoping to learn some of the ways he did his falls (stunts so he didn't get hurt). When I started researching, though, I discovered a man of much more interest than I had ever thought.
Facts in Brief--Birth: April 16, 1889, in the poor district of London
Died: December 25, 1977, in his sleep
Parents: His mother, though in and out of mental hospitals, was a successful singer. His father was a successful actor until he started drinking.
Education: Lambeth Workhouse: he left school barely able to read and write, and joined a group of clog (wooden shoes from Holland) dancers.
Chaplin arrived in the United States in 1910, and was chosen by Mack Sennett to be in a Keystone Films silent comedy series. During this time, Chaplin created the role of the "Tramp." After making thirty short movies with Sennett, Chaplin was getting exhausted. He left to work at Essanay Studios to make The Tramp. In 1918 he signed a $1,000,000 contract with National Films.
After signing with National Films, Chaplin was in A Dog's Life, Shoulder Arms, and The Kid. In 1923, Chaplin joined with three other entertainers to make the United Artists. Their goal was to make high quality, feature length films. During this time Chaplin starred in A Woman in Paris, The Gold Rush, and The Circus. All three of these were considered by critics to be his funniest films. Chaplin won an Academy Award in 1929 for his work in The Circus.
Before the Great Depression hit, Chaplin was considered to be the best actor of the 1920's. As they said in the book, The Century, by Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster, "Teenagers from Maine to California looked to the movies to see the latest fashions and hear hit songs. Charlie Chaplin was the biggest star, but..." City Lights was considered by critics to be some of Chaplin's best work. Modern Times and The Great Dictator (about Adolf Hitler) were some of Chaplin's early 1930's films. Monsieur Verdoux was before its time; it showed Chaplin as a director and a writer.
In the late 1940's and early 1950's, Chaplin's political perspective on right-wing dictatorship was not accepted by the public. His personal life was rough at the time and critics considered his art to be bitter. During this time, a paternity suit was brought against Chaplin. He did prove that he was not the father, but his reputation to the public was devastated.
From 1947 to 1952, Chaplin devoted a great deal of his time to Limelight, an autobiography. While on vacation, in 1952, Chaplin was told by the United States Attorney General that his reentry would be challenged on charges of turpitude and political unreliability (turpitude is a hateful and evil doing). Chaplin had never become a United States citizen, so he sold all of his American possessions and moved to Geneva, Switzerland with his family.
In 1964, Chaplin published My Autobiography, a book with many self-apologies. In 1967, Chaplin made one of his last movies A Countess from Hong Kong, considered by critics to be a disaster.
By 1972, times had changed and Chaplin was back in the United States. He was honored in tributes in Hollywood and New York City, one of which included winning an Academy Award. In 1975, he became Sir Charles Chaplin, after being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
I felt that Charlie Chaplin is one of the most interesting people I have learned about. He came from rags and bad parenting to become an actor trying to make a living, and finally to become a famous person everybody knows and loves. Like everything, his life had a downshift. Although he made some tough decisions, and had some hard breaks, he rode it out to once again aspire in his work.
Charlie Chaplin had a great impact upon the twentieth century. From his films, to his writing, and to his directing, or sometimes all three at once, Chaplin changed them all. He was also not afraid to show what he believed in, no matter what the consequences. In fact, he had such an impact, that in 1992 a movie was made about him, coincidentally called Chaplin.