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| Albert Austin is at far left. Henry Bergman is talking to Syd Chaplin (with mustache). Studio manager Alf Reeves is in the center (wearing a straw hat), Charlie is seated in front. Cameraman Rollie Totheroh, wearing a visor, is next to the camera. |
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| McCoy, center, referees a match between Charlie & Mack Swain, who is dressed in his costume for The Gold Rush. |
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| Autographed photo. Charlie's inscription reads: "To One X Champ From Another X Champ. Charlie Chaplin" |
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| Close-up |
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| Boston Globe, September 1st, 1931. Henri Cochet was a French tennis champion. |
We went to an airshow with several friends. Detroyat performed his famous loops and offered Chaplin a short acrobatic flight. Since several young women had already flown with the intrepid aviator, any hesitation on Charlie's part would have been misinterpreted as cowardice. But when the plane flew over us upside down, I was a little afraid, and when Detroyat returned with his passenger, they both looked pale as a shroud. "We narrowly missed having an accident," Detroyat confessed. "The straps which held me broke while we were flying upside down. If I had not grabbed the control stick at the last moment..."1*This wasn't Charlie's first time loop-the-looping. When he took his first flight around 1919, the trip included, among other harrowing stunts, a loop-the-loop. Before the flight, his main worry was about the padded clothing required for the journey which he considered indicative of a likelihood to crash. He survived but did not wish to repeat the experience.
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| Charlie with Emery Rogers, vice president of the Syd Chaplin Aircraft Corporation, c.1919. |
"We went to a most unusual party It had been arranged by Kono, his Japanese valet. He had prepared a most sumptuous feast and show...all Japanese...in the Japanese part of town. Many notables of movieland were invited."Other familiar faces in the photo include King Vidor, second row, second from right, Irving Thalberg (I think), on Charlie's right, and Harry Crocker, whom Georgia remembered being at the party, same row, second from left.
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| Source: Limelight: Chaplin Project N. 1 |
When Chaplin stepped out on the A deck of the Olympic in front of a battery of moving picture machines he gave an affected start and said to an official of the company: "Gracious, what are these?" When told they were moving picture machines and they would not harm him, the film star appeared relieved and said, "Oh, thanks, so much; I am not afraid."1Due to his recent divorce from Mildred Harris, Charlie was naturally asked about his marital plans.*
"Do you intend to marry again," he was asked.
"No, never," he replied. "I am through with that business."_________________________________________________________________________________
Wiring him at the Hotel Bonta in New York City, July 31, while he would have been filming The Count, Charlie pleaded: "Have you any suggestions for scenes? Have dining room and ballroom. I am playing a count but an imposter to win an heiress but cannot get story straight. Wire me some gags if possible. Playing in Chaplin make-up in fancy dress ball." Charlie's problems with this story continued, however, causing him to film the mostly one-man-show One A.M. in the meantime. By August, the situation was so dire that Charlie's butler and Man Friday, Tom Harrington, wired Sydney again:
"Charlie is very depressed condition for past two weeks. Doesn't seem able to get mind around to his story. He wishes nearly every other day that you were here...Think it very important for his future success for you to drop everything in New York and come here immediately at least three or four weeks. Charlie hasn't been sick but whenever he gets into difficult situation, which doesn't work out satisfactorily, he always wishes Syd were here."
Five days later Charlie wired his brother himself: "The last two pictures have given me great worry and I need you here to help me. Drop everything and arrange to be in Los Angeles by August 12 to help me in directing next picture. Wire answer immediately."Why was Sydney tormenting his brother this way? It seems Sydney felt "used" by Mutual and that they weren't paying him what he thought he was worth. A settlement seems to have been reached because Sydney eventually returned to California.2
