4
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1952.
THE CHAPLIN STORÝ 4. Tragedy
The
Little · ·Mouse”
A FATHER'S GRIEF-&
"THE KID'
By COLIN FRAME
F
EW of the years in the life of Charles
Chaplin
equal.
1921 as his year of triumph,
Many people thought then that he reached the apex of his career.
The first rumours began- they have been repeated
gularly ever since that he was about to relire or at least that the old Charlie was to disappear to give place to more serious roles.
the
Intended to
wash, brush his "I've seen nothing, done hair, curl an imaginary mou- nothing," he said with a typical stache, cat and then go to sleep. change of mood. "I've simply been led by the ear, this was and that by anyone and every-
Incidentally it was that mbu stadho or lack of it—that saved hini, more than once from tho crowed. Many people could not picture Him without it.
not
on
the
one."
In Berlin he again visited the poorer quarters of the city and said: "I love 'em all."
This was no mere affectation. For all his money and success he was beginning to identify himself with the world's poor
tic dignity of the poon
Jones But the lack of it did keeping-up-with-the- attitude and the spitit that in save him when he revisited
continental Journey alsts upon using anger-powia after a meal from the dustbins, unington of his youth. "I felt like the Pied Piper of We
need not regret the Hamelin," he said afterwards. and to make their cause his, shadows that fell over his early As he walked rur
Brom Chester Already it was being whisper- life," wrote Mr Churchill Without them his gifts might Street to Kennington Road--he ed that he had Red sympathies, was supposed to have been born a suggestion that has trailed have shone less brightly and the at 287, Kennington Road but he him increasingly. In the last world beed
poorer.
has never confrmed thishe few years. in America. Kid" reduced audiences
was recognised and followed.
The
to tears as well as laughter, Al the immense pathos of lost love lay within his walk, his gestures-
his and eyes as he sought the child he had lost for ever.
He saw the barber's shop where he had once been lather- boy (there was later an echo of those days in "The Great. Diet- ator") and the magic lantern Hardly noticed in this most hall which now showed Chaplin brillant of
of early Chaplin Aims films,
the
that
He
What happened in 19217 had, he is reported to have admitted, £000,000 In property and cash, His mother went from
Englund to join him in Californian luxury for the rest of her days,
His Best Film?
&
His film "The Kid" was
hu "And resounding sucechy, returned to London to scenes of the wildest enthusiasmL
"The Kid" was released in the spring. It was his longest film to date. Some still con- sider it is best.
Christmas Circuses AreComing
Charlie made six-year-old Jackie Coogan a star over- night in **The Kid" - "the film which reduced audiences to tears as well as laughter."
A Humanist
But his words and actions truly suggest that he is more
a humanist and un Inter- nationalist who sees the under-
pushed
was an extra called Lita Grey. He watched a little sadly the She was thirteen. In a few more trams at Kennington Park os Blog on a world figure, on Inter- years she was to be the second expecting to see his golden- national Little Man Mrs Charles Chaplin end the haired Hetty step off one into about from pillar to post by mother of his two sons.
his arms again; he felt again powers he does not understand Chaplin of course
dirouted the intimacy of London's streets but tries cheerfully to conquer "The Kid" as well as ovelving and heard the cheery voices of or accept.
bis youth
"Hallo story and acting in it.
shouting
Just as Clapiin himself had It is a sidelight on his genius Charlie "Good luck, Charlie." nised instantly with
Charlie, "God bler: You become a world Agure, recop- joy on never again was Jackie Coogan to demonstrate the
screens in Japan as in Britain, depth of talent he showed in
so his philosophic horizon had widened from Lambeth to em- this fim.
brace the world. By the middle of October he was back In
humble friends in South Lon-
films
which broke don that I feel visiting Landon through all the barriers of race Is worth while," he said.
and and language
planning others in which the entertainer the would be mingled with economist and the funny little man with the missionary.
With immense patience. and affection
Chaplin taught the child and won bis confidence.
Fairy Tales
Attic Room
"It is when I think of my Hood at work aga
Years later when his home town felt the weight of Hitler's tld bombs, he broadcast from America about the same South London:-"The streets were hard and not paved with gold but the people, I remember, were mode of pretty good metal."
.
Serious Work
"Nothing could serious for work," he said.
be more me than my comie
his
Contrary 10 rumour, career was by no means over; nor had it reached its peak.
From all parts of the world, and Hindus, from Hottentots Germans and Japanese, came letters written in sulted and amusing English which proved the size of his audience.
"When I seed you," - wrote one, "I had unintentionally hand,"
There are storles of whole film being held up while Chaplin set on the floor with him and told fairy tales which he made up on the spur of the moment-There is a Big Brown Bear who lives at the bottom of a deep pool and you know Late one night he went back those circles on top of the to the home he remembered water? well, that is the, Big best in Pownell Terrors, Lem Brown Bear
snoring in bi beth, sleep.
He climbed again the stone Sympathy between boy and steps town which as a boy he man was complete. At more had
practised tumbling and moving moments in the making somersaulting and he went into of the film people sometimes the attle room where a bad- saw Chaplin break away, hand ridden woman ley, the child
father and. to his stamp away in tears.
He spent a long time there This
is not an isolated in talking to her about the old days understanding and there was a £5 note on the Stance made. Edna Purviance,
faultless posture on the - sixteen Back at the hotel his phone I feel comfortable joke," wrote early aim heroine, never again. LREADY the posters up in a chair looking out on the achieved alardon after they rang two hundred times a day another clearly from the Land
and cach day brought 1,000 of the Rising Sun, A have gone up all over world through big, solemn cyes had parted company
and she Chaplin had recently lost his
telegrams and 3,000 letters. He, Yes, he had his audience. And London-hoardings announc-boy, the Little Mouse, as he died-poor and forgotten w
talked long into the night with he began to consider how the Mildred Harris, his Arst wife, his friends. It appeared that, clown could become the conduc- ing the tentative dates of sailed him, who lived only
feree days.
later tried a come-back with no his friends too, Imagined that tor through whom that audience the big Christmas CircuBES
Something about this child success. Llta Grey never starred Chaplin had reached the height might learn some of the ideas that will soon
Virginia of his fame. hit town.
tugged at his heart. He made after their marriage.
surging through his mind, dead- Cherrlil When the previous shows inquiries and signed
never recaptured the him up.
and On men greatness of her role in "City One night they talked about it ly serious ideas The Kid" six-year- packed up last late February And In
manners made more vividi be- at the Ritz and Tom Geraghty cause they were told against the the lesser acts were dis-old Jackie Coogan became
the American film technician bursed into smaller circuses star overnight.
who worked for Douglas Fair- banks, told Chaplin that the best thing that could happen was for him to be killed in zime drama- the way to end a cateer that had reached its climax.
By J.W. Taylor®
Now the new captures and the pick of the Provincial touring teams are converging on the Metropolis for rehearsals for the coming festive scuson shows.
A
Walking
carlier, year through tre lobby “of on-hotel, he had seen a small boy curled
ཐ
This was not the only auto-
of the
between him and theipfa, he bad when he had done tik the clay your charming and
Lights," D
Nightly Turn
Only Paulette Goddard among the stars he set twinkling continued to twinkle away from his direction.
The "Angel"
During a thunderstorm some ime later with everyone but Geraghty in the low Chaplin shricked, stiffened and dropped to the door.
which took to the road and blographical touch about the toured the Provinces, whilst nim. There were others, pages circus proprietors and scouts from his early life, lifted out- left the country by nir and of the sordid and ugly by the
comic genkis of Chaplin, sen to search for new and
Coogan-reznember that mane all sensational talent in
Exactly 31 years ago Chaplin, of hair peoping from beneath parts of the world.
MA oversize cloth cup,
the then 32, returned to the Lordon Chaplinesque trousers, the round he had left with high hopes and
the few regrets ten years earlier. wondering eyes?-played tro part of foundling whom He left unwaved and un Chapili, after several ridiculous known in a cattle boat. He re attempts to lose him, adopted turned in the liner Olymple to and reared as a slum walf-be a shrieking, cheering mob- Geraghty thought he had been shared Chaplin's meals and "the best known and best-liked struck by lightning. He drop- mannerisms and broke windows figure in the world"
"My to quote ped his whisky, shouted for him to mend as an odd job the sober minded Manchester God, it's happened," and dashed
Guardian,
for help. He returned to fint It was as much as the police Chaplin, dressed in theets to re- do to get him through present an angel, dancing round could London to his hotel in safety. the roar. The Ritz where he stayed, was
Although he intended staying longer besieged night and day.
and travelling round And the crowds left Inte In Britain Chaplin shook the thust the evening only when Chaplin of home from his feet in made appearance on the week and it was ten years be
their fore he went back again. balcony and
He gave them goodnight turn.
exchanged "Hello Charlie" for
BERTRAM MILLS There will, of course, be the Mills Circus famous Bertram whose opening performance will! be in aid of charity and patronis- ed by famous people in all walks of life, headed by Royalty and members of the Government.
Oddly enough the founder of the Bertram Mills Circus was not a elreus man trade nt all; he was.coach-builder who built re- plicas of famous English coaches for sale to the Americans. To- wards the
ond of 1914-18 war
لانا
Mr Mills went to see a circus at Olympia. Always a tra
frank cort
man.
All Chaplin's memories of the allic and alleys in Lambeth must have gone to the making of that film. And not only the inanimate objects out of which he got so much fun-the YO meter that was also a generous money box, the counterpane hole in the middle with though which he put his head to make a startling kimono.
ü
He took from his memory,
an
-
DL
In perfect mime - ind with "Bonjour Charlot" and went
on to Ber a hush on the hordes of well- to Paris and then
of man he replied with some too, all the gameness and pathe- wishers he showed that he lin.
warmth when asked his opinion
of the show, indicating that he would cat his hat if he couldn't. put on a better show. He was promptly challenged to prove his boast for the following year's Olymple Cireus.
Bertram got busy. He contact- ed the Ringling Circus America for a number of their Dets.
All I had been signed on the the dotted line when a shipping strike cropped up to spoil his plans twelve weeks before Mills was to open at Olympla. Noth- ing daunted; Bertram, with the help of the Lord Georgo Sanger Circus and the quick signing of some Continuntal acts, soon got his company into rehearsals, and his 1970 circus duly opened." It- was a brilliant success.
ON THE ROAD:
real Bertram Bina The Circus as we kitow. it today wont on the road in 1930, and Mr Cyril Mills laid It dowb "Although we are travelling on the road, there is no need for us to live like gypsies". Ha went out to Ameries and studied
theoricap, techniq00• béj
Kreat
travelling Cir cttsen, which have to cover thousands of miles in' u 'venson,
the mere
ng ng DOWN
the
Since then the
Hundreds
of
Cireur 10 376 201
'möved
by rail Three special trains, with 59 rallway vehiclos, take this circustom town to 'town, year in süd your farm
TORY DOG SHOW
FOR THE
WORLD'S STUPENDOUS COLOSSAL ATOMIC MIRACULOUS CHAMPIONSHIP
PROMENESS:
SOOM DUE 75)
background of joke.
an enormous
NEXT SATURDAY
Pola Nogri Says "No"! To Marriage "Charlie Is Too Temperamental": A Moxico City wedding to Lita Gray.
...but
I've switched off!
Maybe, but that's when
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