Charlie Chaplin Research Paper

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Comedians have been around since the medieval times, although they were referred to as royal jokers. Charlie Chaplin is considered one of the greatest comedians in his time and his numerous performances prove this. He started out small and has impacted the world of Hollywood forever. His methods and ways of making people laugh will never be forgotten. Chaplin said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” (brainyquote.com) Charles Chaplin was born on April 16th, 1889 in London, England. (biography.com) His mother, Hannah Chaplin, was a singer and her stage name was Lily Harley. Charles Chaplin Senior, his father, was unfortunately a drunk and abandoned him and his family at a very young age. They had total of two kids together Charlie Jr. …show more content…

One of his greatest assets is his deep understanding of human nature. (archive.org) Chaplin did not serve the press or critics. He served the people. Winston Churchill said that the silent films were "everybody's language." (archive.org) Chaplin was unique in the way that he not only financed and produced all his films but also was the author, actor, and soundtrack composer of them as well. (charliechaplin.com) For Chaplin, the best way to locate the humor or sadness of a situation was to create an environment and walk around it until something natural happened. (pbs.org) He also knew that a successful scene was not simply about the star, but everyone on the screen. He made his entire cast work together in every performance. (pbs.org) His constant attention to detail often ran many features over time and over budget. As his popularity increased he took more liberties with filming. (pbs.org) Chaplin usually improvised his story in front of the camera with only a basic framework of a script. (pbs.org) He would shoot and print hundreds of takes when making a movie. It was very expensive but it provided lovely and spontaneous footage. (pbs.org) Sometimes, half-way through a film he would decide an actor wasn't working to his standard and he would start over with a new one. (pbs.org) In 1964, he released his first autobiography called "My Autobiography" which was followed by "My Life in Pictures" in 1974. (history.co.uk) Chaplin wrote a total of four books. Those include, "My Trip Abroad" and "My Life in Pictures." (charliechaplin.com) He was also a composer. Some famous songs are, "Sing a Song”; "With You Dear in Bombay”; "There's Always One You Can't Forget”; "Smile" and many

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