English comic actor and filmmaker (1889–1977)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Chaplin</span>

Charlie Chaplin

<p><b>Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin</b> <span class="noexcerpt nowraplinks" style="font-size:100%; font-weight:normal;"><a href="/en/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire" title="Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire" class="mw-redirect wl">KBE</a></span> (16 April 1889<span>&nbsp;</span><span>–</span><span> </span>25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of <a href="/en/Silent_film" title="Silent film" class="wl">silent film</a>. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, <a href="/en/The_Tramp" title="The Tramp" class="wl">the Tramp</a>, and is considered one of the film industry's most important figures. His career spanned more than 75 years, from childhood in the Victorian era until a year before his death in 1977, and encompassed both adulation and controversy.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">English comic actor and filmmaker (1889–1977)</div>
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<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-header,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-subheader,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-above,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-title,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-image,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-below{text-align:center}</style><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Quick facts: Sir Charlie Chaplin KBE, Born, Died, Burial p...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="infobox biography vcard mobile-collapse-element"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:125%;"><div class="honorific-prefix" style="font-size: 77%; font-weight: normal; display:inline;"><a href="/en/Sir" title="Sir" class="wl">Sir</a></div><br><div class="fn" style="display:inline">Charlie Chaplin</div><br><div class="honorific-suffix" style="font-size: 77%; font-weight: normal; display:inline;"><span class="noexcerpt nowraplinks" style="font-size:100%; font-weight:normal;"><a href="/en/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire" title="Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire" class="mw-redirect wl">KBE</a></span></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg/220px-Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="540" data-file-height="720" data-file-type="bitmap" height="293" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg/330px-Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg/440px-Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg 2x" alt="Charlie_Chaplin_portrait.jpg"></a></span><div class="infobox-caption">Chaplin in the early 1920s</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><div style="display:inline" class="nickname">Charles Spencer Chaplin</div><br><span style="display:none">(<span class="bday">1889-04-16</span>)</span>16 April 1889<br><div style="display:inline" class="birthplace"><a href="/en/London" title="London" class="wl">London</a>, England</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Died</th><td class="infobox-data">25 December 1977<span style="display:none">(1977-12-25)</span> (aged<span>&nbsp;</span>88)<br><div style="display:inline" class="deathplace"><a href="/en/Corsier-sur-Vevey" title="Corsier-sur-Vevey" class="wl">Corsier-sur-Vevey</a>, Switzerland</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Burial place</th><td class="infobox-data label">Cimetière de Corsier-sur-Vevey, Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Occupations</th><td class="infobox-data role"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Actor</li><li>comedian</li><li>director</li><li>composer</li><li>screenwriter</li><li>producer</li><li>editor</li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Years<span>&nbsp;</span>active</th><td class="infobox-data">1899–1975</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Works</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Charlie_Chaplin_filmography" title="Charlie Chaplin filmography" class="wl">Full list</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Spouses</th><td class="infobox-data"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><div style="display:inline;white-space:nowrap;"><div style="display:inline-block;line-height:normal;margin-top:1px;white-space:normal;"><a href="/en/Mildred_Harris" title="Mildred Harris" class="wl">Mildred Harris</a></div>
   <div style="line-height:0;margin-bottom:-2px;"><span>​</span></div><span> </span><div style="display:inline-block;margin-bottom:1px;"><span>​</span></div><span>(</span><abbr about="#mwt27" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>married</span>&quot;}]]}">m.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1918<span>;</span><span> </span><abbr about="#mwt28" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>divorced</span>&quot;}]]}">div.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1920<span>)</span><wbr><span>​</span></div></li><li><div style="display:inline;white-space:nowrap;"><div style="display:inline-block;line-height:normal;margin-top:1px;white-space:normal;"><a href="/en/Lita_Grey" title="Lita Grey" class="wl">Lita Grey</a></div>
   <div style="line-height:0;margin-bottom:-2px;"><span>​</span></div><span> </span><div style="display:inline-block;margin-bottom:1px;"><span>​</span></div><span>(</span><abbr about="#mwt29" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>married</span>&quot;}]]}">m.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1924<span>;</span><span> </span><abbr about="#mwt30" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>divorced</span>&quot;}]]}">div.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1927<span>)</span><wbr><span>​</span></div></li><li><div style="display:inline;white-space:nowrap;"><div style="display:inline-block;line-height:normal;margin-top:1px;white-space:normal;"><a href="/en/Paulette_Goddard" title="Paulette Goddard" class="wl">Paulette Goddard</a></div>
   <div style="line-height:0;margin-bottom:-2px;"><span>​</span></div><span> </span><div style="display:inline-block;margin-bottom:1px;"><span>​</span></div><span>(</span><abbr about="#mwt31" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>married</span>&quot;}]]}">m.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1936<span>;</span><span> </span><abbr about="#mwt32" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>divorced</span>&quot;}]]}">div.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1942<span>)</span><wbr><span>​</span></div></li><li><div style="display:inline;white-space:nowrap;"><div style="display:inline-block;line-height:normal;"><a href="/en/Oona_O'Neill" title="Oona O'Neill" class="wl">Oona O'Neill</a></div><span> </span><div style="display:inline-block;"><span>​</span></div><span>(</span><abbr about="#mwt33" typeof="mw:ExpandedAttrs" data-mw="{&quot;attribs&quot;:[[{&quot;txt&quot;:&quot;title&quot;},{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;<span typeof=\&quot;mw:Nowiki\&quot; data-parsoid=\&quot;{}\&quot;>married</span>&quot;}]]}">m.</abbr><span>&nbsp;</span>1943<span>)</span><wbr><span>​</span></div></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Children</th><td class="infobox-data">11, including <a href="/en/Charles_Chaplin_Jr." title="Charles Chaplin Jr." class="wl">Charles</a>, <a href="/en/Sydney_Chaplin_(American_actor)" title="Sydney Chaplin (American actor)" class="wl">Sydney</a>, <a href="/en/Geraldine_Chaplin" title="Geraldine Chaplin" class="wl">Geraldine</a>, <a href="/en/Michael_Chaplin_(actor)" title="Michael Chaplin (actor)" class="wl">Michael</a>, <a href="/en/Josephine_Chaplin" title="Josephine Chaplin" class="wl">Josephine</a>, <a href="/en/Victoria_Chaplin" title="Victoria Chaplin" class="wl">Victoria</a>, <a href="/en/Eugene_Chaplin" title="Eugene Chaplin" class="wl">Eugene</a> and <a href="/en/Christopher_Chaplin" title="Christopher Chaplin" class="wl">Christopher</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Parent(s)</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Charles_Chaplin_Sr." title="Charles Chaplin Sr." class="wl">Charles Chaplin Sr.</a><br><a href="/en/Hannah_Chaplin" title="Hannah Chaplin" class="wl">Hannah Hill</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Relatives</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Chaplin_family" title="Chaplin family" class="wl">Chaplin family</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Website</th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="url"><a rel="mw:ExtLink nofollow" href="http://charliechaplin.com" class="external text" target="_blank">charliechaplin<wbr>.com</a></span></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header">Signature</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><span><a href="/en/File:Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg/150px-Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="290" data-file-height="60" data-file-type="drawing" height="31" width="150" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg/225px-Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg/300px-Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg.png 2x" alt="Firma_de_Charles_Chaplin.svg"></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <footer class='mobile-collapse-footer mobile-collapse-btn'><b>Close</b> <span class='arrow'>▲</span></footer></div>

<p>Chaplin's childhood in London was one of poverty and hardship. His father was absent and his mother struggled financially — he was sent to a <a href="/en/Workhouse" title="Workhouse" class="wl">workhouse</a> twice before age nine. When he was 14, his mother was committed to a <a href="/en/Mental_asylum" title="Mental asylum" class="mw-redirect wl">mental asylum</a>. Chaplin began performing at an early age, touring <a href="/en/Music_hall" title="Music hall" class="wl">music halls</a> and later working as a stage actor and comedian. At 19, he was signed to the <a href="/en/Fred_Karno" title="Fred Karno" class="wl">Fred Karno</a> company, which took him to the United States. He was scouted for the film industry and began appearing in 1914 for <a href="/en/Keystone_Studios" title="Keystone Studios" class="wl">Keystone Studios</a>. He soon developed the Tramp persona and attracted a large fan base. He directed his own films and continued to hone his craft as he moved to the <a href="/en/Essanay_Studios" title="Essanay Studios" class="wl">Essanay</a>, <a href="/en/Mutual_Film" title="Mutual Film" class="wl">Mutual</a>, and <a href="/en/First_National_Pictures" title="First National Pictures" class="wl">First National</a> corporations. By 1918, he was one of the world's best-known figures.</p>

<p>In 1919, Chaplin co-founded distribution company <a href="/en/United_Artists" title="United Artists" class="wl">United Artists</a>, which gave him complete control over his films. His first feature-length film was <i><a href="/en/The_Kid_(1921_film)" title="The Kid (1921 film)" class="wl">The Kid</a></i> (1921), followed by <i><a href="/en/A_Woman_of_Paris" title="A Woman of Paris" class="wl">A Woman of Paris</a></i> (1923), <i><a href="/en/The_Gold_Rush" title="The Gold Rush" class="wl">The Gold Rush</a></i> (1925), and <i><a href="/en/The_Circus_(1928_film)" title="The Circus (1928 film)" class="wl">The Circus</a></i> (1928). He initially refused to move to sound films in the 1930s, instead producing <i><a href="/en/City_Lights" title="City Lights" class="wl">City Lights</a></i> (1931) and <i><a href="/en/Modern_Times_(film)" title="Modern Times (film)" class="wl">Modern Times</a></i> (1936) without dialogue. His first <a href="/en/Sound_film" title="Sound film" class="wl">sound film</a> was <i><a href="/en/The_Great_Dictator" title="The Great Dictator" class="wl">The Great Dictator</a></i> (1940), which satirised <a href="/en/Adolf_Hitler" title="Adolf Hitler" class="wl">Adolf Hitler</a>. The 1940s were marked with controversy for Chaplin, and his popularity declined rapidly. He was accused of <a href="/en/Fellow_traveller" title="Fellow traveller" class="wl">communist sympathies</a>, and some members of the press and public were scandalised by his involvement in a paternity suit and marriages to much younger women. An <a href="/en/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation" title="Federal Bureau of Investigation" class="wl">FBI</a> investigation was opened, and Chaplin was forced to leave the U.S. and settle in Switzerland. He abandoned the Tramp in his later films, which include <i><a href="/en/Monsieur_Verdoux" title="Monsieur Verdoux" class="wl">Monsieur Verdoux</a></i> (1947), <i><a href="/en/Limelight_(1952_film)" title="Limelight (1952 film)" class="wl">Limelight</a></i> (1952), <i><a href="/en/A_King_in_New_York" title="A King in New York" class="wl">A King in New York</a></i> (1957), and <i><a href="/en/A_Countess_from_Hong_Kong" title="A Countess from Hong Kong" class="wl">A Countess from Hong Kong</a></i> (1967).</p>

<p>Chaplin wrote, directed, produced, edited, starred in, and composed the music for most of his films. He was a perfectionist, and his financial independence enabled him to spend years on the development and production of a picture. His films are characterised by slapstick combined with <a href="/en/Pathos" title="Pathos" class="wl">pathos</a>, typified in the Tramp's struggles against adversity. Many contain social and political themes, as well as autobiographical elements. He received an Honorary Academy Award for "the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century" in 1972, as part of a renewed appreciation for his work. He continues to be held in high regard, with <i>The Gold Rush</i>, <i>City Lights</i>, <i>Modern Times</i>, and <i>The Great Dictator</i> often ranked on <a href="/en/List_of_films_considered_the_best" title="List of films considered the best" class="wl">lists of the greatest films</a>.</p>



Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin KBE was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered one of the film industry's most important figures. His career spanned more than 75 years, from childhood in the Victorian era until a year before his death in 1977, and encompassed both adulation and controversy. Chaplin's childhood in London was one of poverty and hardship. His father was absent and his mother struggled financially — he was sent to a workhouse twice before age nine. When he was 14, his mother was committed to a mental asylum. Chaplin began performing at an early age, touring music halls and later working as a stage actor and comedian. At 19, he was signed to the Fred Karno company, which took him to the United States. He was scouted for the film industry and began appearing in 1914 for Keystone Studios. He soon developed the Tramp persona and attracted a large fan base. He directed his own films and continued to hone his craft as he moved to the Essanay, Mutual, and First National corporations. By 1918, he was one of the world's best-known figures. 