blues1298
Charlie Chaplin
It's a fact. He was the world's most famous and beloved comic star and whether you agree or not, he remains in death the greatest comic star in the history of Hollywood. Chaplin's friendly rivalry with fellow legendary silent screen comics Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd is cemented in Tinseltown folklore. All three brilliant physical performers especially in those early years of real death defying stunt work made famous by Keaton and Lloyd. Chaplin on the other hand showcased formidable talent behind the camera lens becoming a director that complemented his deft hand of acting maniacal on one scene then displaying tender moments of innocence and romance the next. No better example than his creation of the Little Tramp in many of his vintage classic films with shabby two piece suit, bowler hat, twirling walking cane and the classic Chaplin walk with both feet pointed outwards heading onto a new adventure. In these pre-code era of Hollywood filmmaking, Chaplin was not far from controversy in how he lived his life and conducted himself. A roving womaniser at the height of his powers in the 20s and 30s, it's reported that Chaplin slept with over 2000 women in his lifetime, and a fair few of them being nothing more than late teenagers or in their 20s when he was decades older. Basically Charlie liked them young. Would have tons of paperwork filed against him on paternity suits when he denied the pregnant woman's child was his. This type of news would erode his once cast iron popularity in public and the backlash would take it's toll on his once shining career. Facing jail time on a smear campaign against him for human trafficking amongst other things, he's only choice after being acquitted was to choose exiling himself from America for the rest of his life moving to Switzerland with teen wife Oona who was 36 years younger than him. Chaplin last great American film is one of his most iconic films where he played a "Adolf Hitler" type leader and openly mocked the real life figure in the film's portrayal with raving ramblings and wild exaggerated mannerisms that Hitler became notorious for as his army matched across Western Europe in the same year of 1940 when this masterpiece film "The Great Dictator" (!940) was released. Time is a great healer as it's said and decades later and attitudes of later generations more softer than the witch-hunt attitudes of the 1940s, the Academy of Motion Pictures wanted the honour the little genius at the 1972 Oscars ceremony with a Lifetime Achievement Oscar. He accepted the invite and flew back to the US for the first time in 20 years after being barred back into the US while abroad in 1952. The scenes of Chaplin on stage accepting the Oscar with tears in his eyes as this age New America wanted to make amends for really what was an unjust crime against cinema by robbing the world of his immense talents during the decades that mattered. His career is already magnificent, imagine how much better it could've been in the 1950s and 1960s. There was still films he made during his exile, the masterpiece "Limelight" (1952), "A King in New York" (1957), and his last ever film "A Countess from Hong Kong" in 1967 are a nice mix of gems and hidden delights. Chaplin and Oona would have 8 children before ill health with a series of mini strokes set in during the late 1960s. On Christmas Day morning in 1977, Chaplin died in his sleep having another stroke. He was 88 years old. *Above photo of the Little Tramp" in 1918.
Charlie Chaplin
It's a fact. He was the world's most famous and beloved comic star and whether you agree or not, he remains in death the greatest comic star in the history of Hollywood. Chaplin's friendly rivalry with fellow legendary silent screen comics Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd is cemented in Tinseltown folklore. All three brilliant physical performers especially in those early years of real death defying stunt work made famous by Keaton and Lloyd. Chaplin on the other hand showcased formidable talent behind the camera lens becoming a director that complemented his deft hand of acting maniacal on one scene then displaying tender moments of innocence and romance the next. No better example than his creation of the Little Tramp in many of his vintage classic films with shabby two piece suit, bowler hat, twirling walking cane and the classic Chaplin walk with both feet pointed outwards heading onto a new adventure. In these pre-code era of Hollywood filmmaking, Chaplin was not far from controversy in how he lived his life and conducted himself. A roving womaniser at the height of his powers in the 20s and 30s, it's reported that Chaplin slept with over 2000 women in his lifetime, and a fair few of them being nothing more than late teenagers or in their 20s when he was decades older. Basically Charlie liked them young. Would have tons of paperwork filed against him on paternity suits when he denied the pregnant woman's child was his. This type of news would erode his once cast iron popularity in public and the backlash would take it's toll on his once shining career. Facing jail time on a smear campaign against him for human trafficking amongst other things, he's only choice after being acquitted was to choose exiling himself from America for the rest of his life moving to Switzerland with teen wife Oona who was 36 years younger than him. Chaplin last great American film is one of his most iconic films where he played a "Adolf Hitler" type leader and openly mocked the real life figure in the film's portrayal with raving ramblings and wild exaggerated mannerisms that Hitler became notorious for as his army matched across Western Europe in the same year of 1940 when this masterpiece film "The Great Dictator" (!940) was released. Time is a great healer as it's said and decades later and attitudes of later generations more softer than the witch-hunt attitudes of the 1940s, the Academy of Motion Pictures wanted the honour the little genius at the 1972 Oscars ceremony with a Lifetime Achievement Oscar. He accepted the invite and flew back to the US for the first time in 20 years after being barred back into the US while abroad in 1952. The scenes of Chaplin on stage accepting the Oscar with tears in his eyes as this age New America wanted to make amends for really what was an unjust crime against cinema by robbing the world of his immense talents during the decades that mattered. His career is already magnificent, imagine how much better it could've been in the 1950s and 1960s. There was still films he made during his exile, the masterpiece "Limelight" (1952), "A King in New York" (1957), and his last ever film "A Countess from Hong Kong" in 1967 are a nice mix of gems and hidden delights. Chaplin and Oona would have 8 children before ill health with a series of mini strokes set in during the late 1960s. On Christmas Day morning in 1977, Chaplin died in his sleep having another stroke. He was 88 years old. *Above photo of the Little Tramp" in 1918.