↧
Catalina Island, c. 1930s
↧
Charlie with his half-brother and business manager, Sydney, and leading lady, Edna Purviance, during production of THE IMMIGRANT, 1917
Note the camera in the background, on the left, is fitted with a pendulum suspended beneath it to enhance the rocking effect of the boat. This technique was also used a couple of years later in A Day's Pleasure.
↧
↧
With daughter Geraldine, c. 1955
↧
Charlie poses next to a car advertising the Greater Movie Season campaign in Kansas City, July 31, 1925
The Greater Movie Season was a nationwide, mid-summer campaign to increase movie attendance during the hot summer months.
Chaplin was in Kansas City on his way to New York for the premiere of The Gold Rush.
![]()
Chaplin was in Kansas City on his way to New York for the premiere of The Gold Rush.
↧
Chaplin with actress Viola Dana, c. 1918
↧
↧
World Tour Revisited: Charlie takes advantange of kabuki season in Tokyo
 |
| Charlie and Sydney with kabuki actor, Nakamura Kichiemon I, May 1932 |
In an effort to divert Charlie's mind from the horrible events of his first couple of days in Tokyo, his longtime Japanese secretary, Toraichi Kono, reminded him how much he enjoyed the Kengeki sword fight dramas he saw in Los Angeles in 1929 and assured him he would be equally interested in a performance of the kabuki. Charlie didn't need much convincing and luckily for him, kabuki season was in full swing. He bought tickets for all of the performances.
The plays were held at Tokyo's prestigious Kabuki-za Theater which had a seating capacity of two thousand, and every seat was filled for each performance. Charlie recalled the experience in "A Comedian Sees The World":
Instead of the curtain rising, it is drawn aside to the sound of clicking wood which is a signal that the performance is commencing. The actors sometimes enter and exit from the runway that extends on out through the audience to the back of the theater. A revolving stage facilitates the rapid change of scenery. These devices they have used for hundreds of years.
The performance starts at three and ends at eleven, and the program is diversified. There is a long play consisting of six acts. In the middle of the play a one-act music posture drama is interposed. This is a story interpreted by dance. Female parts are acted by men who convey all the subtleties and nuances of a woman without giving any offense.
When a player makes his first entrance, instead of the customary European applause the audience shouts his name in a most fervent manner and the effect is stirring.1
 |
| Kono, Charlie (in glasses), and Sydney watch a performance at the Kabuki-za Theater. (Photo: Charlie Chaplin In Japan by Ono Hiroyuki) |
One of the plays Charlie saw was similar to Romeo and Juliet, a drama of two young lovers whose marriage is opposed by their parents.2 Charlie describes the performance: "The play opens in the bridal chamber showing the young couple just married. During the act, couriers intercede with the parents for the young lovers, who are hoping there may be a reconciliation. But the tradition is too strong. The parents are adamant. So the lovers decide to commit suicide in the traditional Japanese way, each one bestrewing a carpet of flower petals upon which to die--the bridegroom to kill his bride first, then to fall upon his sword. The comments of the lovers, as they scatter flower petals on the floor preparing for death, created laughter from the audience. My interpreter told me that the humor was ironic in such lines as 'To live after such a night of love would be anticlimax.' For ten minutes they continue such ironic banter. The bride kneels on her mat of flowers and bares her throat; as the bridegroom draws his sword and slowly walks toward her, the revolving stage begins to move, and before the point of the sword reaches his young wife's throat, the scene turns out of sight of the audience and shows the exterior of the house drenched in moonlight." After a long silence, "voices are heard approaching the house. They are friends of the dead couple come to bring them happy news that their parents have forgiven them. They argue about which of them should break the news. They commence to serenade them and, getting no response, they beat on the door. 'Don't disturb them, ' says one; 'they're either asleep or too busy.' So they go on their way, continuing their serenade, accompanied by a tick-tock, boxlike sound, signaling the end of the play, as the curtain draws slowly across the stage."3
A year before Chaplin's arrival in Japan, City Lights was adapted into a kabuki theater piece called Komori no Yasusan, with the lead actor in a Chaplin mustache and the boxing scene converted into a sumo match. Playwright Shikura Kinka had never seen the film (City Lights would not be shown in Japan until 1934) and based his play on a description of it he read in a cinema magazine. Read Chaplin historian Ono Hiroyuki's essay on the play here.
For Chaplin, the kabuki performances were a high point of his 3-week visit to Japan and "a pleasure that went beyond [his] expectations."4
In my next installment of WTR: More highlights of Charlie & Syd's Japanese holiday.
Coming up on June 2nd: Charlie begins his voyage home.
One year ago on "World Tour Revisited":
Charlie meets Napoleon biographer Emil Ludwig in the south of France
http://discoveringchaplin.blogspot.com/2013/05/world-tour-revisited-charlie-meets.html
_________________________________________________________________________________
1Chaplin, "A Comedian Sees The World, Part V,"A Woman's Home Companion, January 1934
2The play Charlie saw was probably "The Love Suicides at Amijima"
3Chaplin, My Autobiography, 1964
4ibid.
Additional resources:
Gerith Von Ulm, Charlie Chaplin: King Of Tragedy, 1940
Ono Hiroyuki, "From Chaplin To Kabuki"
↧
"Charley" Drops In on Doug & Mary
 |
| Photoplay, September 1917 |
Happy Birthday, Douglas Fairbanks!
↧
Charlie, Paulette, and Charlie, Jr. relaxing at Catalina Island, 1940
The caption (taped to the back of the photo) says that son Sydney had to stay home "to make up his studies." Poor Sydney.
↧
At the beach with Edna, c.1916
↧
↧
Article 7
Just a quick note.
I'm taking a mini hiatus until Tuesday while I do some work on my house. There are some lovely people out there who check the blog every day or multiple times a day so I wanted to save those folks a few extra keystrokes. When I return there will be some slight changes. The main thing is that I no longer will be posting every single day. I won't have a set schedule but you can always sign up for email updates (at right) if you don't want to miss anything. I don't plan on going for long stretches without a post but maybe a day or two here and there. I've been doing this for over three years and posting daily has become quite a responsibility. Even when I post just a picture, I put a of thought into it--although it may not seem like it! Going forward I'd rather focus on quality (well, as much as possible) instead of quantity. Anyway, that's all. As always, thanks for all the comments and feedback. Also, thanks to those who take the time to stop by every day. I hope you'll stick around.
See you in a couple of days.
Much love,
Jess
I'm taking a mini hiatus until Tuesday while I do some work on my house. There are some lovely people out there who check the blog every day or multiple times a day so I wanted to save those folks a few extra keystrokes. When I return there will be some slight changes. The main thing is that I no longer will be posting every single day. I won't have a set schedule but you can always sign up for email updates (at right) if you don't want to miss anything. I don't plan on going for long stretches without a post but maybe a day or two here and there. I've been doing this for over three years and posting daily has become quite a responsibility. Even when I post just a picture, I put a of thought into it--although it may not seem like it! Going forward I'd rather focus on quality (well, as much as possible) instead of quantity. Anyway, that's all. As always, thanks for all the comments and feedback. Also, thanks to those who take the time to stop by every day. I hope you'll stick around.
See you in a couple of days.
Much love,
Jess
↧
POLICE, released May 27, 1916
This was Chaplin's final film for Essanay (or the last one he personally supervised) and was released after Chaplin had already joined the Mutual Film Corporation.
There's also some mystery behind the film. Some scenes for Police had originally been intended for a never-made feature-length film called Life and that discarded footage from one or both were used to make Triple Trouble (or something like that). Then there are those who believe that Life (the film) never existed and was an Essanay publicity stunt. It's all very confusing. Nevertheless, Police, to me, was one of Chaplin's best and most mature films to date.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
There's also some mystery behind the film. Some scenes for Police had originally been intended for a never-made feature-length film called Life and that discarded footage from one or both were used to make Triple Trouble (or something like that). Then there are those who believe that Life (the film) never existed and was an Essanay publicity stunt. It's all very confusing. Nevertheless, Police, to me, was one of Chaplin's best and most mature films to date.
↧
Random Snippet
I wish the picture were better quality.
 |
| Fort Wayne Journal, July 1919 |
↧
Article 4
I received my copy of the "Footlights" book in the mail today--all the way from Amazon UK. I can't wait to delve into this one.
![]()
↧
↧
World Tour Revisited: The Chaplin brothers in Japan, May-June 1932
Charlie crammed as much as possible into his three-week stay in Japan. In addition to attending kabuki shows, sumo matches, and tea ceremonies, he played tennis, gorged on tempura (his favorite Japanese meal), and even visited a prison--something he liked to do on his travels.
As much as he enjoyed his visit (he would return in 1936 and 1961) he was disappointed by the westernization of the country:
Below are a few photos from the brothers' visit:
Chaplin visits Prime Minister Makoto Saito at his residence (note the torn couch). Saito was the successor to Tsuyoshi Inukai who was assassinated on Chaplin's second day in Japan while he was at a sumo match with his son, Ken:
![]()
![]()
A tea party, possibly at the home of Mrs. Horikoshi which Chaplin describes in "A Comedian Sees The World": "this charming lady has a school which she supports herself for the daughters of her friends where she teaches the gentle art of the tea ceremony." Syd is standing at right in the second photo.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Chaplin's autographed sketch of Mt. Fuji, May 29th, 1932:
![]()
Lastly, at the Hanacho restaurant. Ken Inukai, son of the assassinated prime minister, is seated between Charlie and Kono in the first photo and is posing between Charlie and Syd in the other photos. The last photo is signed by Sydney.
![]()
![]()
![]()
Coming up on June 2nd: the brothers go their separate ways. Syd returns to Nice and Charlie to Los Angeles.
_________________________________________________________________________________
1Charles Chaplin, "A Comedian Sees The World, Part 5," Jan. 1934
2Lisa K. Stein, Syd Chaplin: A Biography, McFarland, 2011
As much as he enjoyed his visit (he would return in 1936 and 1961) he was disappointed by the westernization of the country:
Should you ask me offhand my opinion of Japan, I should say it is a nation of inconsistancies. A simple illustration is a man attired in a kimono wearing a derby hat, also the adoption of western dress at the cost of their own silk industry. 1Little is known about what Syd thought of the place. Months later, in a letter to his friend R.J. Minney, he wrote: "I enjoyed the trip immensely. I always wanted to visit the Orient, so I am glad I got it out of my system. Of course, I haven't seen the half of it, dearie, I shall still look forward to seeing India, the interior of China, Indochina, etc., but the Orient should be taken in small doses and one should hold the nose while taking it." He claimed, though, that he was glad to get home, having developed gout on the trip from too much rich food. 2
Below are a few photos from the brothers' visit:
Chaplin visits Prime Minister Makoto Saito at his residence (note the torn couch). Saito was the successor to Tsuyoshi Inukai who was assassinated on Chaplin's second day in Japan while he was at a sumo match with his son, Ken:
A tea party, possibly at the home of Mrs. Horikoshi which Chaplin describes in "A Comedian Sees The World": "this charming lady has a school which she supports herself for the daughters of her friends where she teaches the gentle art of the tea ceremony." Syd is standing at right in the second photo.
Tennis at the Fujiya Hotel in Hakone:
Charlie tries on a Samurai Warrior's headgear. Syd is on the right.
Chaplin's autographed sketch of Mt. Fuji, May 29th, 1932:
Lastly, at the Hanacho restaurant. Ken Inukai, son of the assassinated prime minister, is seated between Charlie and Kono in the first photo and is posing between Charlie and Syd in the other photos. The last photo is signed by Sydney.
Coming up on June 2nd: the brothers go their separate ways. Syd returns to Nice and Charlie to Los Angeles.
_________________________________________________________________________________
1Charles Chaplin, "A Comedian Sees The World, Part 5," Jan. 1934
2Lisa K. Stein, Syd Chaplin: A Biography, McFarland, 2011
↧
A short vignette from the filming of PAY DAY
The following is an excerpt from "Speech Of Gold" by Harry Carr, Motion Picture, May 1922
Hanging over the edge of a scaffolding, midway between me and the blue California sky, were the two most famous feet in the world.
Charlie Chaplin was directing a new comedy, and his far-famed and eloquent extremities were expressive of his emotion.
Brother Syd, his fastidiousness smothered in plasterers' overalls with a broken Billycock hat on his head, was sitting curled up in an iron wheel-barrow looking up at Charlie with very much the same affectionate look that you see on the face of an admiring little dog squatting down to watch a Saint Bernard.
On another scaffold, perilously hugging the edge of a new brick building sat Mack Swain heavily engaged in being funny. If there is any forlorn, desolate, heart-rending picture of woe and agony, it is a scared fat man teetering on a dizzy roost and trying to be gay and joyous.
Mack was supposed to be eating a comic tin-pail dinner that kept mysteriously disappearing. Charlie kept telling him. it was funny, but Mack did not seem to be convinced. When he grabbed for the fugitive sausage, Charlie politely shrieked with glee and wiggled his feet over the edge of the platform in an ecstasy of merriment, but Mack only looked at him reproachfully and sighed heavily. Down in the wheel-barrow, Syd chortled loyally like an amiable echo.
Edna Purviance was sitting on the aerial plank next to Mack Swain. She was sitting on her feet; one of them had gone to sleep and she was afraid to budge. When the audience laughed and the illustrious feet wiggled by way of applause, Edna smiled a wan, scared smile.
Charlie was determined they were going to do it in the proper spirit of joy, but it was the distinguished feet and Syd who seemed to get most hilarity out of Mack and his disappearing lunch.
"Mack, you move around too much, you want to make it more subtle. You see, you don't know what on earth became of that hot dog and it bewilders you."
"Yeah, but Charlie," remonstrated Mack, looking with a shudder down over the edge of the scaffold, "when I get funny I have to do it with my hands and my face--everything."
Charlie's feet suddenly vanished. The next thing I saw he was sitting up on the scaffold with his hat cocked down over his eyes and his feet stuck out in front of him.
"This is how you want to do it, Mack," he said. "See, like this. It's lot funnier, Mack, if you just sit still and let it get over with your thoughts. Just try it, Mack; it'd be funny."
Mack had relaxed into gloom. Someone joggled the scaffold and he gave a wild look of alarm, then sank into fat despair again.
"Get him a new sausage," said Charlie with vivacious cordiality. But Mack declined to be moved to exuberance by a new sausage. Out of the depth of his dejection he said he would get along with the old sausage. And so the comedy went on with Charlie bubbling with gleeful encouragement and Syd echoing from the wheel-barrow ; and Mack Swain and his sorrow--fat and. forlorn on the scaffold. Presently the winter sunshine began to fade, and to his unspeakable relief they let Mack come hobbling stiffly down from the scaffold. One of his legs was asleep and he was bursting with "prop" sausage, but his soul was at peace.
↧
Charlie and Oona, c. 1950s
↧
Chaplin swimming off of William Randolph Hearst's yacht, c. 1920s
↧
↧
World Tour Revisited: Going back to Cali, June 2nd, 1932
After an 18th-month tour of the world, Chaplin, along with his secretary Toraichi Kono, boarded the SS Hikawa Maru at Yokohama and began his journey home. Before his departure, he had his favorite meal of tempura (deep fried prawns)* at the Hanacho restaurant in Tokyo. Charlie loved this meal so much that his last act before leaving Japan was to purchase a quantity of prawns to have sent aboard the ship.1
It was in Tokyo that morning that Charlie and his half-brother, Syd, parted ways. Syd had to remain in Japan for another couple of weeks before he could catch the Terukuni Maru to Europe. He eventually returned to his wife Minnie and their home at the Palais Rosa-Bonheur in Nice sometime at the beginning of July.
According to Kono (and as per Gerith Von Ulm's Charlie Chaplin: King Of Tragedy), the brothers' relationship was strained by the end of the tour. "Syd had been annoying Charlie with an unwarranted solicitation as to money spent on their travels. The money was Charlie's, but Syd disapproved of Kono's disposition of it."2 The brothers were not to see each other again for another five years, although Syd continued to handle Charlie's European business deals until the end of 1933.3
Coming up on June 13th: Charlie arrives in Vancouver.
_________________________________________________________________________________
*Reports vary but Charlie was said to have eaten as many as 30-50 prawns in one sitting.
1New York Times, June 3rd, 1932
2Gerith Von Ulm, Charlie Chaplin: King Of Tragedy, 1940
3Lisa K. Stein, Syd Chaplin: A Biography, 2011
 |
| Charlie waves to the crowd as he boards the Hikawa Maru, June 2nd, 1932 |
It was in Tokyo that morning that Charlie and his half-brother, Syd, parted ways. Syd had to remain in Japan for another couple of weeks before he could catch the Terukuni Maru to Europe. He eventually returned to his wife Minnie and their home at the Palais Rosa-Bonheur in Nice sometime at the beginning of July.
According to Kono (and as per Gerith Von Ulm's Charlie Chaplin: King Of Tragedy), the brothers' relationship was strained by the end of the tour. "Syd had been annoying Charlie with an unwarranted solicitation as to money spent on their travels. The money was Charlie's, but Syd disapproved of Kono's disposition of it."2 The brothers were not to see each other again for another five years, although Syd continued to handle Charlie's European business deals until the end of 1933.3
 |
| Charlie and Kono (second row, far left) pose with the crew of the Hikawa Maru. (Photo credit: Charles Chaplin In Japan by Ono Hiroyuki) |
 |
| A page from the passenger list of the Hikawa Maru, dated June 2nd, 1932. Charlie's name is at the top, Kono's at the bottom. (Click to enlarge) |
Coming up on June 13th: Charlie arrives in Vancouver.
_________________________________________________________________________________
*Reports vary but Charlie was said to have eaten as many as 30-50 prawns in one sitting.
1New York Times, June 3rd, 1932
2Gerith Von Ulm, Charlie Chaplin: King Of Tragedy, 1940
3Lisa K. Stein, Syd Chaplin: A Biography, 2011
↧
Paulette Goddard posing outside of her dressing room at the Chaplin Studios, c. 1935
"Peter" was Paulette's nickname although I don't know the origin of it. Chaplin biographer David Robinson believes it was Chaplin's pet name for her, while other sources claim it was a name she gave herself. Chaplin refers to her as "Peter" in early drafts of the "Stowaway"* script from the mid-1930s as well as a little known project from the same period about a male dancer named Tamerlain (Paulette was to play another dancer). She evidently had a vanity box with the name Peter spelled out in diamonds, as well as pieces of jewelry that bore the name. For instance, in Diego Rivera's Pan American Unity mural from 1940, Paulette is wearing a necklace with a charm that says "Peter."
Paulette "Peter" Goddard was born on this day in 1910.
![]()
![]()
*The Stowaway story eventually became Chaplin's last film, A Countess From Hong Kong (1967), but it was originally written as a vehicle for Paulette.
Paulette "Peter" Goddard was born on this day in 1910.
*The Stowaway story eventually became Chaplin's last film, A Countess From Hong Kong (1967), but it was originally written as a vehicle for Paulette.
↧
Charlie by his swimming pool on Summit Drive, c. 1930
↧