Today marks what would have been Elvis Presley's 80th birthday. What does this have to do with Charlie Chaplin? Well, I have always felt that Charlie and Elvis had very similar stories. Besides the fact that they died the same year, both were brought up very poor, found worldwide fame, suffered from depression, were deep thinkers, and very shy. Elvis' story is much more tragic, of course. Both Charlie and Elvis had to deal with mass adoration but Elvis seemed to need more of an escape from it. Thus he died too young and too soon. But I digress...
In the early 1950s, a friend brought Chaplin a copy of Elvis' first record. Jerry Epstein recalls Charlie's reaction:
Charlie was always aware of the public. While at the Manoir in 1954, a friend visited him and brought him a record of a new singer called Elvis Presley. Charlie hadn't heard of him. "This man has made a sensation in the States," his friend said. "I can't understand it. He wiggles his hips and sings and people go mad.""If he's made such an impact," Charlie replied, "he must have something. You can't fool the public." --Remembering Charlie by Jerry Epstein