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| Charlie plays a would-be actor in His New Job. |
This was Chaplin's first (and appropriately titled) film for Essanay and the only film he made at their Chicago studio. Although the film is considered by some today as one of the lesser Chaplin Essanays, it was received with enormous enthusiasm in 1915: "He is just as funny a Charlie Chaplin as he has ever been," wrote the Chicago Tribune."It is hard to conceive of him being any funnier."Moving Picture World declared it "the funniest comedy ever filmed. It is simply a riot of fun from start to finish." Chaplin himself was very proud of the film as well. Shortly after its release he is quoted as saying: "It is the very best comedy I ever produced. The new surroundings and the clever actors whom I had to work with, enabled me to make the greatest comedy of my life. I couldn't help laughing at it myself when I saw it on the screen."
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| The actress at the typewriter in the back is Gloria Swanson in an early uncredited film appearance. The film also stars Ben Turpin, Leo White (right) and Charlotte Mineau (next to Chaplin). |
The Lodestone/Lockstone debate:
I'm not sure if this is still an actual "debate" but at one time a few historians were convinced that the sign on the door read "Lodestone" Motion Picture Co. It even made it into the intertitles on the last set of restored Essanays in 1999 (released by Image Entertainment)
I have to admit that at times I thought it said Lodestone too but upon further inspection, it clearly says "Lockstone." (a play on "Keystone" which makes more sense than "Lodestone.")
Below is a closeup of the door with the image flipped horizontally. That's definitely a "CK" in the middle.
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Chicago Tribune, Feb. 2, 1915
Moving Picture World, Feb. 9th & 20th, 1915