Charlie Chaplin

Date

1889–1977

Description

City of birth: London
Country of birth: United Kingdom
Field of activity: Culture — film, performance

More detail coming ...

Quotes

‘Initially, I wasn't intimidated playing him, but the more I went on, the more I kind of started fumbling and feeling, `Oh my God. I don't have any business playing this guy. … I think Chaplin was so popular because his Little Tramp character was so universal. There really wasn't a personality trait he didn't exhibit. He was bratty, thoughtless, helpful, a thief, a do-gooder. I think he represented Everyman.’

Author

Robert Downey Jr.

Speaker

Robert Downey Jr.

Title of the publication

'Becoming Chaplin'

Other contributors

Clifford Terry, interviewer

Publisher (or journal name with vol. and number)

Chicago Tribune

City of publication

Chicago

Country of publication (modern nation-state equivalent)

United States of America

Publication date

3 January 1993

Location [pp. or web]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-01-03-9303150284-story.html

Original language

English

Genre

Interview

Context

Robert Downey Jr played the lead role in the movie Chaplin directed by Richard Attenborough.

‘Chaplin had this incredible beginning, [explained Sir Richard afterward]. Having to commit his mother, living in the poorhouse, his father dying of drink, then living alone because his half-brother was in the navy. His early life was Dickensian, and it had a major, major impact on his outlook, his concerns, his appreciations, his fears. He could be phenomenally generous. But he was also very tough with money. He was ruthless in his determination never to be placed in those circumstances again. … He was a very sweet, gentle old man, [Sir Richard says]. "My abiding memory is of him sitting in a wheelchair, and Oona going out of the room, and his eyes scarcely leaving the door until she returned. I have never seen a couple so devoted”.’

Author

Richard Attenborough

Speaker

Richard Attenborough

Title of the publication

‘The Melancholy that Forged A Comic Genius’

Other contributors

Benedict Nightingale, interviewer

Publisher (or journal name with vol. and number)

New York Times

City of publication

New York

Country of publication (modern nation-state equivalent)

United States of America

Publication date

22 March 1992

Location [pp. or web]

Section 2, p.11

Other location

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/22/movies/film-the-melancholy-that-forged-a-comic-genius.html

Original language

English

Genre

Interview

Context

In 1992, Richard Attenborough directed the feature film Chaplin, with Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role. It also features Chaplin’s own daughter, Geraldine Chaplin in the role of her grandmother, Hannah Chaplin. The film was adapted from the books My Autobiography by Charlie Chaplin and Chaplin: His Life and Art by David Robinson.

‘Schopenhauer said happiness is a negative state — but I disagree. For the last twenty years I have known what happiness means. I have the good fortune to be married to a wonderful wife. I wish I could write more about this, but it involves love, and perfect love is the most beautiful of all frustrations because it is more than one can express. As I live with Oona, the depth and beauty of her character are a continual revelation to me. Even as she walks ahead of me along the narrow sidewalks of Vevey with simple dignity, her neat little figure straight, her dark hair smoothed back showing a few silver threads, a sudden wave of love and admiration comes over me for all that she is — and a lump comes into my throat.’

Author

Charlie Chaplin

Speaker

Charlie Chaplin

Title of the publication

‘My Autobiography’

Other contributors

n/a

Publisher (or journal name with vol. and number)

Simon & Schuster

City of publication

New York

Country of publication (modern nation-state equivalent)

United States of America

Publication date

September 1964

Other location

https://www.charliechaplin.com/en/quotes

Original language

English

Genre

Book

Context

Charlie Chaplin was married to Oona O’Neil from 16 June 1943 until his death on 25 December 1977. They were married in a civil service one month after O’Neil turned 18. They had eight children together.