Charles Chaplin's parents, Charles and Hannah Chaplin, were music hall entertainers. His first stage appearance, at age five, was singing a song in place of his mother who had become ill. At eight he toured in a musical, "The Eight Lancaster Lads". Nearly 11, he appeared in "Giddy Ostende" at London's Hippodrome. From age 17 to 24 he was with Fred Karno's English vaudeville troupe, which brought him to New York in 1910, aged 21. In November of 1913 he signed a contract with Mack Sennett at Keystone and left for Hollywood the next month. His first movie, Take My Picture, premiered in February of 1914. He made 35 films that year, moved to Essanay in 1915 and did 14 more, then jumped over to Mutual for 12 two-reelers in 1916 and 1917. In 1918 he joined First National (later absorbed by Warner Bros.) and in 1919 formed United Artists along with Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D.W. Griffith. His first full-length film was The Kid; his first for UA, which he produced and directed himself, was A Woman of Paris. In 1929, at the first Oscar awards,he won a special award "for versatility and genius in writing, acting, directing and producing" The Circus. In 1943 he was accused of fathering a child; the papers made much of the scandal, but it was proved in a court trial that he was not the father. The same year he entered his fourth marriage, to Oona Chaplin, daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill. They had eight children. Tired of political and moralistic controversies and plagued with tax problems, he left the United States for Switzerland in 1952. He published his memoirs in 1964. In 1972 he returned to Hollywood to claim a special Oscar honoring his lifetime contributions to movies. He was named Knight Commander of the British Empire in 1975. He died in his sleep from old age.
Caught in the Rain (1914): $150/week
Twenty Minutes of Love (1914): $150/week
Mabel's Strange Predicament (1914): $150/week
The Pest (1914): $150/week
Take My Picture (1914): $150/week

Destroyed the original negative of Sea Gull, The (1933) before a number of witnesses. The film never saw release, possibly because he was dismayed by the poor performance of his lead actress, Edna Purviance. Grandfather of Dolores Chaplin and Carmen Chaplin. Long after becoming a millionaire, he continued to live in a shabby hotel room, and kept his studio checks in a trunk for months. He thought his period with Mutual was the most consistently pleasant period in his career, although he felt that the plots of the films were too formualic for his taste. Ranked #79 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997] He was 29 years old when he wed Mildred Harris; she was 17. He was 35 years old when he wed Lita Grey; Lita was 16. He was 47 years old when he wed Paulette Goddard; Paulette was 26. He was 54 years old when he wed Oona O'Neill (Oona Chaplin); Oona was 18. On 3 March 1978 his dead body was stolen from the Corsier-Sur-Vevey cemetery. It took until 18 May when the police found it. His Beverly Hills residence was known as "Breakaway House". Designed by Chaplin himself and built by studio carpenters, it began falling to bits over the years, much to the amusement of visitors. Built on Summit Drive in the Pickfair neighborhood, the house boasted a pipe organ Chaplin continually used to entertain his guests in the great hall; he also screened his films there. His tennis court was a hive of activity; even the elusive Greta Garbo was a frequent player. He seems to have been an inspiring host; many of his guests joined in with his antics, and reflected that they had never been so funny before or since -- it was the influence of Chaplin. Half-brother of Syd Chaplin Father of Charles Chaplin Jr. Father of Sydney Chaplin Father, with Oona Chaplin, of Geraldine Chaplin, Josephine Chaplin, Christopher Chaplin, Jane, Eugene, Michael Chaplin, Victoria Chaplin, and Annette-Emilie. He was subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Council (HUAC) in September of 1947, but his appearance was postponed three times, and he never appeared. He sent HUAC a telegram stating "I am not a Communist, neither have I ever joined any political party or organization in my life". HUAC determined that it was no longer needed for him to appear. Knighted in 1975. In her book, "Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin", Joyce Milton asserts that Vladimir Nabokov's controversial classic, "Lolita", was inspired by Chaplin's relationship with Lita Grey. On the 100th anniversary of Charlie Chaplin's birth, celebrations were held in Corsier and Vevey, Switzerland, where he last lived. For the occasion, 100 children from the region performed a choreography dressed up as little tramps. Interred at Corsier-Sur-Vevey Cemetery, Corsier-Sur-Vevey, Switzerland. A much-repeated story claims that he once entered a Charlie Chaplin-look-a-like-contest and finished third! In some versions of the story, he came in second. Stan Laurel was his understudy on the English stage. When both Stan Laurel and Chaplin moved to America they shared a room in a boarding house. Cooking was not allowed in the boarding house where Stan Laurel and Chaplin stayed, so he would play the violin to cover up the sound of Laurel frying up food on a hot plate. Invented his tramp costume with the help of 'Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle' 's pants. Arbuckle's father-in-law's derby, Chester Conklin's cutaway, Ford Sterling's size-14 shoes, and some crepe paper belonging to Mack Swain (which became the tramp's mustache). The only item that actually belonged to Chaplin was the whangee cane. His bowler and cane was sold for $150,000 in 1987 He was the first actor to appear on the cover of "Time" magazine, (July 6, 1925). He was also the first actor to have a comic strip about him; Ed Carey's 1916 strip, "Pa's Imported Son-in-Law", detailed the adventures of Chaplin. After his body was recovered from grave robbers, Chaplin was reburied in a vault surrounded by cement. Pictured (as Charlie Chaplin) on one of ten 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps celebrating stars of the silent screen, issued 27 April 1994. Designed by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld, this set of stamps also honored Rudolph Valentino, Clara Bow, Lon Chaney, John Gilbert, Zasu Pitts, Harold Lloyd, Theda Bara, Buster Keaton, and the Keystone Kops. Pictured on one of fifteen 32¢ US commemorative postage stamps in the "Celebrate the Century" series, issued 3 February 1998, celebrating the 1910s. In Spain he had a different dubbing actor in each of his sound films. They were: Ricardo Solans (The Great Dictator), Félix Acaso (Limelight) and Joaquín Díaz (A King in New York). The dubbing actor of Monsieur Verdoux is, at this time, unknown. Father-in-law of Jean-Baptiste Thiérrée. Son-in-law of Eugene O'Neill. Grandfather of James Thiérrée. Most people (now and during his lifetime) believe that Chaplin had brown eyes because they had only seen him in black and white with black eye makeup on. It fact they were very blue. Chaplin remarked in his autobiography that people meeting him for the first time were always struck by his blue eyes. And his future wife Oona Chaplin wrote "Just met Charlie Chaplin. What blue eyes he has!" to a girlhood friend in 1942. Was an accomplished musician who, in his later years, often reissued his silent films with scores he had composed himself. His handprints, footprints and signature were immortalized in cement at Grauman's (now Mann's) Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, but after his fall from grace with the Americans because of his political views, the section of cement was removed from public view. It cannot be located and is now feared lost. Half brother of Wheeler Dryden. His mother, Hannah Smith Chaplin, was Romanichal (English Gypsy). Grandfather of actress Kiera Chaplin. Grandfather of Aurélia Thiérrée. Although Adolf Hitler was not at all a fan - in fact he had been misinformed that Charlie was Jewish, and therefore despised him - he was also well aware of how beloved Charlie was throughout the world at that time, and that was the reason he grew the Chaplin moustache: he thought it would endear him to the people. (Source: The Tramp and the Dictator) Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. Pg. 99-102. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387 As a child he was confined to a bed for weeks due to a serious illness. At night his mother would sit at the window and act out what was going on outside. This was a major reason Chaplin became a comedian. When Chaplin arrived in the U.S. with the Fred Karno troupe on Oct. 2, 1912, in his second trip to America, according to Ellis Island immigration records he had $45 in his pocket. He listed his half-brother, Sydney, as his next of kin even though his mother was still alive. Sailing with him was fellow Karno troupe member Arthur Stanley Jefferson - later to be known as Stan Laurel. Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 115-124. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987. Did not receive screen credit on the many comedies he made for Keystone in 1914-15, as it was studio policy not to credit its actors (any Keystone film that credits Chaplin is a reissue print). His first screen credit appeared on His New Job, his first film for Essanay. Called The Armored Cruiser Potemkin his favorite movie. He was voted the 9th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Is mentioned in the song called "Facts of life" from 2004. Was 73 years old when his youngest son, Christopher, was born. Received an Honorary Oscar the The 44th Annual Academy Awards. He appeared on stage blowing kisses to the Hollywood audience with tears running down his face while he received a long standing ovation. Ironically, he won another Oscar the following year. He and Buster Keaton had an interesting relationship. Long considered rivals but always having avoided commenting about each other in the press, Chaplin hired Keaton for a part in Limelight. Keaton, who was flat broke at the time, went into a career decline after having been signed by MGM in 1928, as the studio would not let him improvise in any of his films nor allow him any writing or directorial input, and he was eventually reduced to writing gags - often uncredited - for other comedians' films. Chaplin, at this point, felt sorry for Keaton due to his hard luck, but Keaton recognized that, despite Charlie's better fortune and far greater wealth, Chaplin was (strangely) the more depressed of the two. In one scene in Limelight, Chaplin's character was dying. While the camera was fading away, Keaton was muttering to Chaplin without moving his lips, "That's it, good, wait, don't move, wait, good, we're through." In his autobiography Keaton called Chaplin "the greatest silent comedian of all time." At the Golden Camera Awards 2005 in Berlin, Geraldine Chaplin told in a moving speech honoring Jerry Lewis about the last time she saw her father alive. He watched a movie of Lewis on television screaming "He`s funny, that bastard!". Named the #10 Greatest Actor on The 50 Greatest Screen Legends list by the American Film Institute In all his years of living and working in the United States he never became a U.S. citizen. He was the uncle of Spencer Dryden, drummer for the 1960s rock band Jefferson Airplane. Founder of United Artists along with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith. Profiled in in J.A. Aberdeen's "Hollywood Renegades: The Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers". Palos Verdes Estates, CA: Cobblestone Entertainment. His performance as The Tramp in "City Lights" (1931) is ranked #44 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006). Is portrayed in Sesame Street skits by Linda Bove (Linda) and Sonia Manzano (Maria). His performance as The Little Tramp in "City Lights" (1931) and a slew of other pictures is ranked #24 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. Composed about 500 melodies, including "Smile" and "This is My Song" Up until his last few movies, he never shot with a working script. He would start with a story in his mind and constantly retool it, often shooting hours of scenes that wouldn't make the final cut until he was satisfied. He spent his nights during filming, critiquing the rushes with his assistant directors. Consequently compared to the major studio's films, he spent months/years and excessive amounts of money on his productions. He often said though he would not release any of his films until he was 100% satisfied with the result.