Expert Tuesday (Charlie Chaplin) by Jill Esterly
Charlie Chaplin, in my opinion, is one of the most talented and funny actors of all time. When you hear the name, you probably immediately have an image of his "Little Tramp" character in your head--small black mustache, derby hat, jacket that is obviously too small, baggy pants, huge shoes, and a cane. He was born in London and both of his parents were entertainers. He started out as a vaudeville entertainer and eventually moved to Hollywood to start his acting career. It was there that he invented and perfected his "Little Tramp" character. He also founded United Artists (sound familiar?) with several other people. Some of his most famous films include "Modern Times," "Gold Rush," "The Kid," (which starred a very young Jackie Koogan a.k.a. Uncle Fester from "The Addams Family" series) "City Lights," and "The Great Dictator," a satire on Nazisim and fascism in general, and Adolph Hitler in particular. In it, Charlie Chaplin plays "Adenoid Hynkel" (Chaplin's hilarious and exaggerated version of Adolph Hitler). This is a classic (and one of my faves), with the famous "dance with the globe" scene where Hynkel dances with a big inflated globe and fantasizes about conquering the world. Chaplin was a cinematic genius and made a total of 81 films (most of which he wrote, directed, produced, scored the music for and performed in) during his more than 50 years in the movie business. He was very much a ladies man, being married 4 times. (believe it or not, but he was actually a pretty nice looking man) In the 1940's and early 1950's, some people criticized his personal life as being immoral and accused him of supporting Communism. In the 50's, Chaplin traveled to Europe and while he was there, the U.S. government announced that he couldn't reenter the U.S. unless hearings were held on his personal life and political views. (Although Charlie Chaplin lived in the U.S. for around 40 years, he never became a U.S. citizen.) Chaplin decided not to return, and he and his family settled in Switzerland. He returned to the U.S. in 1972 for the Academy Awards to receive his Lifetime Achievement Award. He died 5 years later at the age of 89.
Comments
Charlie Chaplin is awesome. I so want to have a collection of his movies. This, I declare, to be the greatest of expert Tuesdays. Well this one and Javann's "how to sound smart" tuesday...I think that was a tuesday, or perhaps I made it up. Either way, Chaplin=rock.
Posted by: Jon Houser | February 15, 2005 10:24 AM
Chaplin is indeed the man. And this is a well written and incredibly informative piece. Thank you, Ms. Esterly, for enlightening all of us so thoroughly.
Posted by: What, You're Expecting My Name Here? | February 15, 2005 11:05 AM
Nobody dare match their skill and cunnning..............Their names are know both far and wide.....Some have challenged, some have attempted, but all have utterly failed............Of whom do I speak you may ask?........None other than the the 8 lords of The CFU and their squires..............There is Lord Passimus Accuritas..........Lord Receivus Supremus.....Lord Receivus Strongus......Lord Runnus Maximus.....Lord Runnus Uncontrolus........Lord Linus Powerus...............Lord Tightus Supremus.......................... Lord Passimus Intercepterus....... Squire Hittimus Hardimus..... Squire Speedimus Maximus..... Squire Catchimus Someimus....
Yes, these 8 chosen ones and their pupils have the strength, agility, intelligence, speed, power, and talent to be recognized has Football Titans(not the nashville team)..............None can even bare to stand on the same field as these 11.................Nor will ever there be a foe to match their supreme gameplay.................I CALL FORTH ANY WHO DARE TO CHALLENGE THESE ALMIGHTY BEINGS!!!!!!! IS THERE NOT A SIMPLETON ANYWHERE TO EVEN HAVE THE COURAGE TO SPEAK!!!!!!!!!!!! NAY, NOWHERE IS THERE FOUND ANY WHO DARE..............
Posted by: mongo strong | February 15, 2005 11:11 AM
I never knew Chaplin played football.
Hmph.
You learn something every day.
D.A.
Posted by: D.A. | February 15, 2005 11:15 AM
Chaplin was a football ref in his early days......Probaly should have thrown that "little nug" in there...... oops'
Posted by: mongo | February 15, 2005 11:33 AM
Yeah, this is the best expert Tuesday yet just because it is. Very well written indeed. I remember watching Charlie Chaplin movies when I was like 6. Fun fun fun.
Posted by: Captian Jonathan!!! | February 15, 2005 11:36 AM
his name was refimus blindimus....
Posted by: king zog | February 15, 2005 11:36 AM
what did you learn yesterday DA?
Posted by: mallory | February 15, 2005 11:48 AM
Well I'm glad everyone liked this. I was afraid it may have been a little long and drawn out.You probably noticed that my links are a little out of whack (Jeremy had some technical difficulties getting them up last night). Here was another link I wanted to show up because it's so cute and hilarious and characteristic of Charlie Chaplin.
www.reelclassics.com/Audio_Video/Videos4o/chaplin_therink_hattrick.avi
Posted by: Jill | February 15, 2005 12:35 PM
Mongo, seriously, you need another hobby.
Posted by: What, You're Expecting My Name Here? | February 15, 2005 02:24 PM
Mongo has other hobby... crushing puny halfling skulls in dodgeball... it good practice for crushing puny halfling bodies in football...
Posted by: king zog | February 15, 2005 02:57 PM
Maybe something intellectual. . .how about reading? It is FUN-damental. . .or maybe you could design fashion? Photography? Computer programming? Or get your associates in accounting. . .
Posted by: What, You're Expecting My Name Here? | February 15, 2005 04:15 PM
zog already smart... hims like reading much... hims now reading "Liberty" for 5th time... mongo likes playing with dolly's... hims think that FUN-damental... it teach him how to hurt people on football field... hims newest Barbie already missing both legs...
Posted by: king zog | February 15, 2005 04:22 PM
Mongo smart too........Him like reading stories in library books.....Mongo go in to library and go to books with lots of colors and pictures and sit down in pooh bear chair and read.....Mongo best friend at library...His name is freddy....Freddy is 4 yrs old and reads with Mongo.....When mongo get to hard word like "cat" freddy help mongo sound it out so he can read it.....How Mongo have developed skill of typing though is indeed odd, mongo no can explain it.....But with help from freddy anything is possible!!
Posted by: mongo | February 15, 2005 04:56 PM
mongo play a mean french horn too
Posted by: king zog | February 15, 2005 04:58 PM
Ahhh Mongo...my sweet Mongo. And Zog? What can I say about Zog that hasn't already been said better by some poor weeping peasant whose village The Mighy One has just razed to the ground.
You two make me chuckle in the morning...like smacking the Jello mold in the fridge, just to watch it jiggle.
By the way, good article Jill. I enjoyed reading it. I didn't visit the links, but are there any pics of the older Chaplin, like when he was receiving his award?
And Mallory, since I read your post today instead of yesterday, I could just cop out and say that yesterday I learned what I posted, but no, for you I will make the effort to transport my long-winded self back to that distant, dark time known only as, "Sunday". Here we go:
On Sunday I learned a valuable lesson: Mating pit bulls make noises that mimic ice cream trucks. This is a defense mechanism and part of their progress up the evolutionary ladder because it protects them from predators and animal control workers who would seek to harm or ensnare them during their most vulnerable moments. The sounds the copulating canines produce envoke memory stimulation of good times during childhood (or unleashed walks in the park for non-homosapiens) thus diverting attention from their efforts to reproduce.
Most people are content simply to have a pleasant moment of reflection onto their yesteryears, but I on the other hand, being a child a heart, immediatly screamed, "ROCKET POP'S!!!" and ran with much haste towards the tinkling tintinnabulations. As I leapt over the fence, not once wondering why a purveyor of Push Pop pleasures would be enclosed in a someones back yard, I realized in mid-air and to my own obvious horror that I had been duped by natures trixter, the Pit Bull, and landed directly on top of the quadruped couple. Needless to say, there was a moments tense silence as they disengaged, the soniancies ceased, and we all looked each other tenderly in the eyes.
My mind began to race as I ran through my options. The tenderness in their eyes subsiding, I knew then that I must act quickly, lest I become a post coital snack.
Suddenly, light as bright as the gates to the heavens shone upon my fear addled brain, and I beheld a vision of such soulful grandeur that to this day (Tuesday) thoughts of it dim all else in existance, and I knew what I must do.
I began to sing.
Softly...slowly...sweetly...gently
..."My darling I...can't get enough'a yo love baaaaaaabe"
Seeing their doting doggy eyes drifting away from mine and back towards each other, my confidence grew along with my voices bravado and then my stature as I rose to my feet and backed towards the gate of the pen. Once more:
"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know why...I can't get enough'a yo love baaaaaabe"
And as I lifted the latch and they drifted back to each other, my chorus and their's reached a cacophonous crescendo and school yard memories of chilly summer treats mingled with the sound of sweet sweet love. Soul caused soul to once again meet soul and I realised that I had been saved by the baratone of the late great baron of bombast, Barry White.
I will never be able to look at a creamsicle in the same way ever again.
And that's what I learned.
D.A.
Posted by: D.A. | February 16, 2005 09:53 AM
Great expert post here!
I read again when I got back from Minneapolis, and it was still great! :-)
Posted by: Ben Williams | February 16, 2005 09:12 PM