Born in London, England, the son of music hall entertainers, his mother had a nervous breakdown and his father died when he was five. He became a street urchin with his half brother dancing of pennies in the street. After a time in an orphanage he joined a theater troupe and by the age of 17 he came of the United States on a tour, where in 1912 he joined the Keystone company. Chaplin made 35 films in one year with Keystone many of which he wrote and directed as well as creating the character of the "Tramp". He had the appearance of improvisation but he worked out every last detail of his films. In 1915 he joined Essanay making his masterpiece "The Tramp". In 1919 he became one of the founders along with, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and D.W.Griffith to find United Artist. Still under contract with First National he made the film that made him an international star, "The Kid". He went on to make "City Lights"(1928),"Modern Times"(1936), "The Great Dictator"(1940), "Limelight"(1952). Over the years he had been criticized for his many romantic affairs with younger women. In 1952 on a ship to England he was informed that he m

On December 25 1977: Chaplin dies at his estate in Switzerland

There are two kinds of characters in literature of which the first is the type that exists to repeat the actions of others who have come before. The second is the symbol who reflects all kinds of ideas, fantasies and influences. The type wears itself out, self-destructs into an ineffectual cliche; the symbol extends itself until it replaces the ideas, fantasies, and influences it represents. Charlie the character appeared to be a type that soon became a symbol.

In "Modern Times" portrays the tramp coping with the problems of the 1930's---poverty, unemployment, strikes, and the tyranny of machines, it was Hollywood's last silent film and the farewell appearance of the Little Tramp. In 1940 Chaplin enters the sound era with a parody of Hitler and grosses more than any previous film by him. Due to public scandals and a call to question his political beliefs, his U.S. reentry permit was cancelled. In 1953 he purchases the estate Manior de Ban, in the village of Corsair, Switzerland. This will be his last home. April 10,1972 Chaplin is awarded a special honorary Oscar "for the incalculable effects he has had in making motion pictures the art form of the century."" March 4, 1975 Chaplin is knighted by Elizabeth II, Queen of England.

ight not be permitted back into the U.S. because of his alleged leftist views. He settled in Switzerland with his wife Oona with whom he had 8 children. He did not return to the U.S. until 1972 to accept a Special Academy Award. In 1975 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and regarded as one of the few individuals to be a true genius of motion pictures. During the 1970's Chaplin became older and frail bet the compultion to keep working remained. During the Academy Awards in 1995 a poll of movie critics was conducted to name the greatest actor of all. The winner was Charlie Chaplin. He died very peacefully early in the morning on Christmas day in 1977 at his home.

On June 17, 1917 Chaplin signed a contract to produces his own films for First National. The U.S. had just entered WWI and Chaplin made a comedy set on the Western front. His comedy is always the richest when poised on the edge of tragedy, transforming the horrors of war into a cause of laugher in "Shoulder of Arms" In the film "A Dogs Life" he draws parallels between the struggle of existence of man and animal. "The Kid" is one of Chaplins most famous films about the tramp becoming a surrogate father to a baby abandoned by his unwed mother remains as Chaplins masterpiece. In 1919 he joined his friends Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith to form the United Artists Film Corporation. Chaplin went on to make some of his most memorable films such as "The Gold Rush", The Circus"and "City Lights". He astonished the film industry and public by composing the en

Some common words found in the essay are:
England December, Charlie Chaplin, Charlie Charlie, London England, Charles Chaplin, Caught Rain, Gold Rush, Film Corp, Little Tramp, Essanay Tramp, little tramp, charlie chaplin, city lights, ideas fantasies influences, ideas fantasies, fantasies influences, gold rush, character emerge, mary pickford, douglas fairbanks, unwed mother,
Approximate Word count = 1923
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)