From his film “Shanghaied” 1915
The tramp as always thumbing his nose at authority. He did this a lot - in “City Lights” using the statue as a proxy :)
What we may call a 5 finger salute or thumbing your nose in America, in the U.K. was referred to “cocking a snook”, showing complete and utter contempt. Charlie sometimes did a version where he would do it backwards putting his pinky to his nose.
Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard at Max Reinhardt’s production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Hollywood Bowl, 1934
Charlie on board “The Lark”, it was here in April 1925 the last scene in The Gold Rush was filmed.
On board was also the crew, Mack Swain & Georgia Hale. The scenes were done while the boat went its regular route between San Diego, Los Angeles & San Francisco.
Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill just hanging out.
What I love about this picture is, Churchill is widely considered to be the best Prime minister this country has ever known and was in office during the hardest period of conflict in the 20th century, and here Charlie is just in his every day dancing attire just showing the guy around!
Released 98 years ago today April 29th 1915
“By The Sea” Essanay Film
Here is the beautiful Pacific Ocean churning in the background on a very windy day.
Charlie Chaplin in many of his films seemed to have a preoccupation with fleas, here he is looking through his tormentors (Billy Gilbert) head. I find funny that he could be in the middle of complete melee than stop for further investigation
He would incorporate the fleas jumping from one hand to the next 37 years in the future in Limelight.
Released 98 years ago today ”By The Sea” April 29th 1915
His last one reel film (15 minutes) shot - at Crystal Pier in Los Angeles with the beautiful Pacific ocean as a back drop on a really windy day .
He tosses the banana to his right and tries to back kick it with his left foot:) When ever I see this the first thing that pops into my head is:
“Serves your dumb ass right for littering”
If you look closely at the window’s reflection you can see people watching him film this scene.
!He is just so damn cute!
Charlie Chaplin and the footage he shot for a feature film he wanted to do called “Life” in 1915. When he left the Essanay film company at the end of 1915, they took this footage, part of his other Essanay films and additional scenes shot by another director and threw them all together into a horrible film called “Triple Trouble” released in 1918.
Charlie Chaplin & his leading lady Edna Purviance in “The Fireman” his second Mutual short film. June 12th 1916
The film makes use of reversing the film several times for comic effect: sliding up the fireman’s pole, reversing the horses, hurrying back to station (in reverse) when he forgets the crew etc. The huge water tank in the station also comically has a second function as the coffee machine. A lot of the kicking in the film is clearly unfaked and fairly violent
The Pawnshop - 1916
This one of his best Mutual short films and one of his best overall films. He does so many funny bits from the beginning to the end of the film. There are no pathos in this - just pure slapstick/
Caught in a Cabaret - Released 99 years ago today
April 27th 1914 Keystone
One of the first films where he impersonates some one of nobility, in this one a Baron. First time out with a dog (a little dachshund) though he is used more as a prop (bottom left photo)
Within 2 weeks of the completion of this film both he & Mabel Normand would be shooting “Tillie’s Punctured Romance” with Marie Dressler. it would take 2 months to complete while he would also be doing his regular Keystone films
