CHARLIE CHAPLIN
Born: April 16, 1889 -- London, England
Died: December 25, 1977 -- Vevey, Switzerland
Quotation: "Friends have asked how I came to engender this American antagonism. My prodigious sin was, and still is, being a non-conformist. Although I am not a Communist, I refused to fall in line by hating them. Secondly, I was opposed to the Committee on Un-American Activities -- a dishonest phrase to begin with, elastic to wrap around the throat and strangle the voice of any American citizen whose honest opinion is a minority of one."
"I am applauded because everybody understands me; you are applauded because nobody understands you." (addressed to Albert Einstein)
Life
Charlie Chaplin is one of the most famous actors of the early 1900s. His role as a tramp endeared him to audiences around the world. A skilled actor, he was given many awards, including two Oscars, one in 1929 for his movie "The Circus," and another in 1972 for his contribution to the film industry. In 1975, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and made Knight Commander of the British Empire, from tramp to knight.
Historical Significance
Charlie Chaplin was a brilliant actor who also wrote, directed, and composed the score of most of his movies. Early in his career he built his own studio which gave him more financial benefits, and also more freedom in the content of his films. He was considered dangerously radical in his leftist views. His films increasingly became more political in content, with films such as "Monsieur Verdoux," which attacked capitalism, and his most overtly political film, "The Great Dictator." This film was written before the U.S. jointed the war, and was a message warning of the danger of Nazism. It also showed the cruelty of the anti-Semitism of the Nazis. It was a big push for the U.S. to join the fight. Hitler saw this movie and was a big fan of Charlie Chaplin. Because of his political views, which were too radical for the extremely anti-communist government of the McCarthy era, Charlie Chaplin was refused re-entry into the U.S. when he went for a trip to England. Effectively forced out of the U.S., he only returned to collect his Oscar award in 1972, and even then he was only given a two-month visiting visa. Charlie lived a very tumultuous, Hollywood-style life. Besides the problems he had with the government, he also had all sorts of romantic relationships and mishaps. He was married to or romantically involved with at least 4 actors before he married his final wife who was 36 years younger than him. Charlie Chaplin's tramp is one of the world's most widely recognized characters, and his films are also some of the most famous in film history.
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