Charles Chaplin
(Charles Chaplin)
In his autobiography, Charles Chaplin, perhaps the best loved actor in the
history of cinema, describes a London childhood lived in direst poevrty,
abandoned by an alcoholic father. His mother Hannah, a music hall artist,
took care of him and brother Sydney, and Charlie's first stage appearance
was in tragic circumstances, when his mother was taken hoarse in the middle
of a performance. Following his mother's affliction, the two brothers were
sent to Lambeth workhouse. Charlie tasted his first success as Billy the
cute newspaper boy in a stage adaptation of the adventures of Sherlock
Holmes.This was followed by tours of Britain and later the United States
with Karno's Pantomime Troupe. After two U.S. tours, he was picked by an
agent, Adam Kessel, to act in silent movies, then in its infancy. After
initial disappointments, he almost accidentally picked up his tramp outfit
-- baggy pants, crushed bowler hat, outsize boots. As trampt, he bace the
world's darling. Record movie contracts -- first for over a thousand dollar
a week, going up and up, till he signed a million dollar one -- yielded
masterpieces such as 'The Kid,' 'Gold Rush,' 'Modern Times,' and 'The Great
Dictator.' Parallel to the film successes were marriages that ended on the
rocks. At the end of World War II, came a wave of anti-communist hysteria.
Chaplin fled the U.S. His story ends with living happily with his family in
Switzerland. This book has alll the ingredients of the best fiction -- an
Oliver Twist-like childhood, suspense, tragedy when mother goes insane,
unprecedented adulation and success, risk of censure by the Committee for
Unaemrican Activities, family happijness at the end. One of the finest
autobiographies ever written.
Resumos Relacionados
- Charles Chaplin (charles Chaplin)
- Where My Mother Came From
- East Of Eden
- One True Thing
- Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
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