Charlie Chaplin, voluit (KBE) Charles Spencer Chaplin jr. was een Britse vaudeville-acteur die in de tijd van het ontstaan van de bioscoopfilm in de Verenigde Staten de beroemdste filmster ter wereld werd. Later werd hij ook filmregisseur. Zijn bekendste rol was ongetwijfeld die van de zwerver (The Tramp), een mannetje van eenvoudige komaf met een klein snorretje en een aanzienlijke persoonlijke waardigheid. Gekleed in een strak zittende jas, een bamboe wandelstokje en een hoedje, lukt het hem in het dagelijks leven steeds weer vanuit een underdog-situatie zijn moeilijkheden te overwinnen. Chaplin speelde deze rol met veel succes van 1914 tot 1936 in tientallen films.

GEBOREN:
-----------------------
 16 april 1889

OVERLEDEN:
-----------------------
  25 december 1977

OSCARS:
-----------------------
Academy Honorary Award
1929

Academy Honorary Award
1972

NYFCC Award for Best Actor
1940
for The Great Dictator


Chaplin werd geboren als zoon van Charles Chaplin (een Roma) en Hannah Harriette Hillin, die beiden in reizende toneelgezelschappen werkten. Zijn ouders gingen spoedig na zijn geboorte uit elkaar, waarna hij bij zijn moeder achterbleef. Zij besteedde de kleine Charlie en diens halfbroer Sydney uit in het armenhuis ('workhouse'), waar ze na een paar weken werden overgeplaatst naar een school voor wezen en verlaten kinderen in Hanwell. Later ontdekten zij dat ze een halfbroer hadden, George Dryden (31 augustus 1892 - 30 september 1957), een zoon van hun moeder, eveneens acteur en later werkzaam bij Charlie. Vader Chaplin stierf als alcoholist toen Charlie 12 was, zijn moeder stortte geestelijk in, en werd uiteindelijk opgenomen in een gesticht, het Cane Hill Asylum bij Croydon. Ze overleed in 1928.

Stomme films waren even gemakkelijk te begrijpen voor een Chinees publiek als voor een Amerikaans; Chaplin werd letterlijk een wereldster. Met de opkomst van de geluidsfilm begon zijn reputatie te tanen; zijn forte was stil spel. Ook werd hij in de V.S. beschuldigd communist te zijn; hij vertrok naar Zwitserland.

Veel minder bekend is dat hij naast acteur en regisseur ook componist was. Hij schreef onder andere solowerken voor cello en de filmmuziek bij zijn eigen film 'Modern Times', en het wereldberoemde nummer 'Smile'.

• Mildred Harris; zij kregen een zoon: Norman Spencer Chaplin (bijgenaamd "The Little Mouse"), die stierf als baby.
• Lita Grey.
• Paulette Goddard, geen legaal huwelijk.
• Oona O'Neil. Dochter van toneelschrijver Eugene O'Neill. Toen zij trouwden was Charlie 54 en Oona net 18. Het huwelijk werd omschreven als gelukkig. Ze kregen drie zoons: Christopher, Eugene en Michael Chaplin en vijf dochters: Geraldine (eveneens een bekend actrice), Josephine, Jane, Victoria en Annette-Emilie Chaplin. Oona overleed, na jarenlang alcoholmisbruik, in 1991 aan alvleesklierkanker.

Charlie Chaplin overleed in zijn slaap in 1977 tijdens de nacht/ochtend van eerste kerstdag aan een hartstilstand en was 88 jaar oud.

Op 8 maart 1978 werd zijn lijk gestolen. Het plan was om losgeld te eisen, dit mislukte en de dieven werden gearresteerd. Het lijk werd 11 weken later teruggevonden bij het meer van Genève en herbegraven onder 180 cm beton.

FILMOGRAFIE
---------------------------

1. A Countess from Hong Kong (1967) .... An old steward
   
   
2. A King in New York(1957) .... King Shahdov
3. Limelight (1952) .... Calvero
   
   
4. Monsieur Verdoux (1947) .... Henri Verdoux
5. The Great Dictator (1940) .... Adenoid Hynkel (Dictator of Tomania) / A Jewish Barber
   
   
6. Modern Times (1936) (as Charlie Chaplin) .... A factory worker
7. City Lights(1931) (as Charlie Chaplin) .... A Tramp
   ... aka City Lights: A Comedy Romance in Pantomime (USA: copyright title)
   
   
8. The Circus (1928) (as Charlie Chaplin) .... A Tramp
9. Camille (1926/II) .... Mike
   ... aka The Fate of a Coquette (USA: subtitle)
10. The Gold Rush (1925) .... The Lone Prospector
11. A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923) (uncredited) .... Porter
12. The Pilgrim (1923) .... The Pilgrim
13. Pay Day (1922/I) .... Laborer
14. Nice and Friendly (1922) .... Tramp
15. The Idle Class (1921) .... Tramp and Husband
    ... aka Vanity Fair (USA)
16. The Nut (1921) (uncredited) .... Chaplin impersonator
17. The Kid (1921) (as Charlie Chaplin) .... A Tramp
    
    
18. A Day's Pleasure(1919) .... Father
    ... aka A Ford Story (USA)
19. Sunnyside (1919) .... Farm handyman
20. The Professor (1919) .... Professor Bosco
21. Shoulder Arms (1918) .... Recruit
22. The Bond(1918) .... Charlie
    ... aka Charlie Chaplin in a Liberty Loan Appeal
23. Triple Trouble (1918) .... The Janitor
    ... aka Charlie's Triple Trouble (USA)
24. A Dog's Life (1918) .... Tramp
25. The Adventurer (1917/I) .... The Convict
26. The Immigrant (1917) .... Immigrant
    ... aka A Modern Columbus (USA)
    ... aka Broke (USA: 8mm release title (short version))
    ... aka Hello U.S.A. (USA)
    ... aka The New World (USA)
27. The Cure (1917) .... The Inebriate
    ... aka The Water Cure (USA)
28. Easy Street (1917) .... The Derelict
29. The Rink (1916) .... A Waiter. Posing as Sir Cecil Seltzer
    ... aka Rolling Around (USA)
    ... aka Waiter (USA)
30. Behind the Screen (1916) .... David (Goliath's assistant)
    ... aka The Pride of Hollywood (USA)
31. The Pawnshop (1916) .... Pawnshop assistant
    ... aka At the Sign of the Dollar (USA)
    ... aka High and Low Finance (USA)
32. The Count (1916) .... Tailor's apprentice
    ... aka Almost a Gentleman (USA)
33. One A.M. (1916) .... Drunk
    ... aka Solo (USA)
34. The Vagabond (1916) .... Street Musician
    ... aka Gipsy Life (USA)
35. The Fireman (1916) .... Fireman
    ... aka A Gallant Fireman (USA)
    ... aka The Fiery Circle (USA)
36. The Floorwalker (1916) .... Tramp
    ... aka Shop (USA)
    ... aka The Store
37. Burlesque on Carmen(1916) .... Darn Hosiery
    ... aka Charlie Chaplin's Burlesque on Carmen (USA: complete title)
38. Police (1916) .... Charlie, Convict 999
    ... aka Charlie in the Police (USA)
    ... aka Charlie the Burglar
    ... aka Housebreaker
39. Burlesque on Carmen (1915) .... Darn Hosiery
    ... aka Charlie Chaplin's Burlesque on Carmen (USA: complete title)
40. A Night in the Show (1915) .... Mr. Pest and Mr. Rowdy
    ... aka A Night at the Show
    ... aka Charlie at the Show
41. Shanghaied (1915) .... Tramp
    ... aka Charlie Shanghaied (USA)
    ... aka Charlie on the Ocean
    ... aka Charlie the Sailor
42. The Bank (1915) .... Charlie, a Janitor
    ... aka Charlie Detective
    ... aka Charlie at the Bank
    ... aka Charlie in the Bank (USA)
43. A Woman (1915) .... Gentleman/'Nora Nettlerash'
    ... aka Charlie the Perfect Lady (USA)
    ... aka The Perfect Lady
44. Work (1915) .... Izzy A. Wake's assistant
    ... aka Charlie at Work
    ... aka Charlie the Decorator (USA)
    ... aka Only a Working Man
    ... aka The Paperhanger
    ... aka The Plumber
45. His Regeneration (1915) (uncredited) .... A customer
46. By the Sea (1915) .... Stroller
    ... aka Charlie by the Sea (USA)
    ... aka Charlie's Day Out
47. The Tramp (1915) .... Tramp
    ... aka Charlie on the Farm (USA)
    ... aka Charlie the Hobo
    ... aka Charlie the Tramp (USA)
48. A Jitney Elopement (1915) .... Suitor, the Fake Count
    ... aka Charlie's Elopement
    ... aka Married in Haste
49. In the Park (1915) .... Charlie
    ... aka Charlie in the Park
    ... aka Charlie on the Spree
50. The Champion (1915) .... Challenger
    ... aka Battling Charlie
    ... aka Champion Charlie
    ... aka Charlie the Champion (USA)
51. A Night Out (1915/I) .... Reveller
    ... aka Champagne Charlie
    ... aka Charlie's Drunken Daze (USA)
    ... aka Charlie's Night Out (USA)
    ... aka His Night Out (USA)
52. His New Job (1915) .... Film Extra
    ... aka Charlie's New Job
53. His Prehistoric Past (1914) .... Weakchin
    ... aka A Dream
    ... aka King Charlie
    ... aka The Caveman
    ... aka The Hula-Hula Dance (USA)
54. Getting Acquainted (1914) .... Mr. Sniffels
    ... aka A Fair Exchange
    ... aka Exchange Is No Robbery
    ... aka Hello Everybody
55. Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914) .... Charlie, City Slicker
    ... aka For the Love of Tillie
    ... aka Marie's Millions
    ... aka Tillie's Big Romance
    ... aka Tillie's Nightmare
56. His Trysting Place (1914) .... Clarence, the Husband
    ... aka Family Home
    ... aka Family House
    ... aka His Trysting Places (USA)
    ... aka The Henpecked Spouse (USA)
    ... aka The Ladies' Man (USA)
    ... aka Very Much Married (USA)
57. His Musical Career (1914) .... Charlie, Piano Mover
    ... aka Charlie as a Piano Mover (USA)
    ... aka Musical Tramps
    ... aka The Piano Movers
58. Gentlemen of Nerve (1914) .... Mr. Wow-Woe, Track Fanatic
    ... aka Charlie at the Races
    ... aka Some Nerve
59. Dough and Dynamite (1914) .... Pierre, a Waiter
    ... aka The Cook
    ... aka The Doughnut Designer
    ... aka The New Cook
60. Those Love Pangs (1914) .... Masher
    ... aka Busted Hearts
    ... aka Oh, You Girls (USA)
    ... aka The Rival Mashers
61. The New Janitor (1914) .... Janitor
    ... aka The Blundering Boob
    ... aka The New Porter
    ... aka The Porter
62. The Rounders (1914) .... Reveller
    ... aka Going Down (USA)
    ... aka Oh, What a Night (USA)
    ... aka Revelry
    ... aka The Love Thief (USA)
    ... aka Tip, Tap, Toe (USA)
    ... aka Two of a Kind
63. His New Profession (1914) .... Charlie
    ... aka Helping Himself
    ... aka The Good for Nothing
64. The Masquerader (1914/I) .... Film Actor/Beautiful Stranger
    ... aka Putting One Over
    ... aka The Female
    ... aka The Female Impersonator (USA)
    ... aka The Perfumed Lady (USA)
    ... aka The Picnic (USA)
65. Recreation (1914) .... Tramp
    ... aka Spring Fever
66. The Face on the Bar Room Floor (1914) .... Artist
    ... aka The Ham Actor
    ... aka The Ham Artist
67. The Property Man (1914) .... The Property Man
    ... aka Charlie on the Boards (USA)
    ... aka Getting His Goat
    ... aka Hits of the Past (USA)
    ... aka Props (USA)
    ... aka The Rustabout
    ... aka Vamping Venus
68. Laughing Gas (1914) .... Dentist's Assistant
    ... aka Busy Little Dentist (USA)
    ... aka Down and Out
    ... aka Laffing Gas (USA)
    ... aka The Dentist
    ... aka Tuning His Ivories (USA)
69. Mabel's Married Life (1914) .... Mabel's Husband
    ... aka The Squarehead
    ... aka When You're Married
70. Mabel's Busy Day (1914) .... Tipsy Nuisance
    ... aka Charlie and the Sausages
    ... aka Hot Dog Charlie
    ... aka Hot Dogs
    ... aka Love and Lunch
71. The Knockout (1914) .... Referee
    ... aka Counted Out
    ... aka The Pugilist
72. Her Friend the Bandit (1914) .... Bandit
    ... aka A Thief Catcher
    ... aka Mabel's Flirtation
73. The Fatal Mallet (1914) .... Suitor
    ... aka Hit Him Again
    ... aka The Pile Driver
    ... aka The Rival Suitors
74. A Busy Day (1914) .... Wife
    ... aka Busy as Can Be (USA)
    ... aka Lady Charlie
    ... aka Militant Suffragette
75. Caught in the Rain (1914) .... Tipsy Hotel Guest
    ... aka At It Again
    ... aka In the Park (USA: reissue title)
    ... aka Who Got Stung?
76. Caught in a Cabaret (1914) .... Waiter
    ... aka Charlie the Waiter (USA)
    ... aka Faking with Society
    ... aka Jazz Waiter
    ... aka Prime Minister Charlie (USA)
    ... aka The Waiter
77. Twenty Minutes of Love (1914) .... Pickpocket
    ... aka Cops and Watches
    ... aka He Loves Her So
    ... aka Love-Friend
78. Mabel at the Wheel (1914) .... Villain
    ... aka A Hot Finish (USA)
    ... aka His Daredevil Queen
79. The Star Boarder (1914/II) .... The Star Boarder
    ... aka In Love with His Landlady
    ... aka The Fatal Lantern (USA)
    ... aka The Hash-House Hero
    ... aka The Landlady's Pet (USA)
80. Cruel, Cruel Love (1914) .... Lord Helpus/Mr. Dovey
    ... aka Lord Helpus
81. His Favorite Pastime (1914) .... Drunken masher
    ... aka Charlie Is Thirsty (USA)
    ... aka Charlie's Reckless Fling (USA)
    ... aka The Bonehead
    ... aka The Reckless Fling (USA)
82. Tango Tangles (1914) .... Tipsy Dancer
    ... aka Charlie's Recreation
    ... aka Music Hall
83. A Film Johnnie (1914) .... The Film Johnnie
    ... aka Charlie at the Studio
    ... aka Charlie the Actor (USA)
    ... aka Film Johnny (UK)
    ... aka Million Dollar Job
    ... aka Movie Nut
84. Between Showers(1914) .... Masher
    ... aka Charlie and the Umbrella
    ... aka In Wrong Thunder and Lightning (USA)
    ... aka The Flirts
85. Mabel's Strange Predicament (1914) .... Tramp
    ... aka Hotel Mixup
86. Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914) .... Tramp
    ... aka Kid's Auto Race
    ... aka The Children's Automobile Race
    ... aka The Pest (USA)
87. Making a Living (1914) .... Swindler
    ... aka A Busted Johnny
    ... aka Doing His Best
    ... aka Take My Picture (USA)
    ... aka Troubles