Do Go On - 86 - Charlie Chaplin

Episode Date: June 14, 2017

On this week's episode, Jess tells us the story of one of the most famous and successful comedians of all time, Charlie Chaplin! And what a rags to riches story it is.Twitter: @DoGoOnPodInstagram: @DoGoOnPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoGoOnPod/Email us: [e-mail] the show and get rewards like bonus episodes:www.patreon.com/DoGoOnPod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melbourne and Canada, we got exciting news for you. And we should also say this is 2026. Jess, what year is it? 2026. Thank God you're here. Right now, I'm in Melbourne doing my show with Serengy Amarna 630 each night at the Cooper's Inn Hotel, having so much fun. We'd love to see you there. Canada, we are visiting you in September this year.

If you've somehow missed the news, we are heading up Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto for shows. That's going to be so much fun. Tickets for all this stuff, I believe, are online. And I'm here too. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. And welcome to another episode of Do Go On. My name is Dave Warnocky, and I'm here with the best people in the entire world.

It's Matt Stewart and Jess Perkins. Hey, the best people of the entire world. I thought he was going to, like, it sounded like he was going to fuck us there. But he didn't. I thought it was going to be the best people in this room. And I still would have been pretty happy with that. I thought he was going to say the best people in the world, the St. Kilda Football Club or something like that.

Sure. They are the best people in the world. Hey, when it comes to complimenting my buddies, I do not muck around. Oh, I love that, Dave. Thank you. I reckon you're one of the best people in the world too. Oh, sorry, that was not as good as the best people, one of the best.

Yeah, because the three of us are the best people in the world. Fair enough, but arrogant on your behalf. Great to be here with you guys. Are you both well? I ate a large piece of cake before I met you here. Really? You didn't talk about that before. What kind of cake?

Okay, so I was meeting my friend Lewis, Lewis Dow. Oh, right. Fellow comedian. Fellow and cake eater? No, because Lewis got a burger because he was hung over and they just got out of bed. And I had had lunch today, but I felt like something a little bit sweet. So I got a coffee, third coffee of the day, so I'm feeling pretty good. And then I thought, oh, I'm going to have, oh, what's that you got there?

Oh, a strawberry sponge cake. That looks delightful. I'll have a piece of that. The piece that came out was almost as big as my head, and it was amazing. Wow, and you don't have a tiny head. I got a big head. You're quite a large head. Yeah.

And also, some gall on you as well for bringing up this big piece of cake and coming here empty-handed, you motherfucker. Did you eat it all? Yeah, I did. I let Lewis have a bite, but I hate the rest. Yeah. So I'm feeling pretty good. I'm going to have a sugar crash soon. I'm not going to be able to think about anything about cake.

Yeah. Ask me how I am. Are you? Pissed off you didn't give us some fucking cake. Well, what if I, like, after we do this podcast, we're going to grab some dinner. Shout us some dinner. I'll get you some cake. Can we, we can, we, we'll only go to places where they have cake on the menu. Okay.

I'm in. All right, I'll buy you. I'll buy you. I'll buy you a cake. For something that wasn't really your fault. Oh, thank you. No worries. Matt, how are you?

I'm good. You're wearing yellow pants, aren't you? Sure am. Sorry to pull back the curtain there. Jeez, you, you do. mention my pants every time I see you. Yeah. It's a weird habit.

What's with that? I don't know. You got good pants. Oh, okay. No, it's always just that one pair of jeans that I comment on. But you're in yellow pants because you're a little ray of sunshine and you look great. These are Levi's jeans. Are we sponsored by them now?

No, but I think he invented jeans. Do we talk about that in an episode? Levi-Strauss. Invented jeans. Yeah. Didn't jeans just. sort of appear one day? Yeah, when he invented him.

Yeah. When he planted the denim tree and they grew in a size small, convenient for me. It wasn't until the jeans had offspring that we got the denim vest and the denim hat. That was a mistake. I'm wearing a denim jacket right now. I don't see it. She's lying to your listeners. I don't see denim.

It's corduroy. Yeah, I'm cool enough to wear cordueroid. Are there denim hats? That was a bad instinct. Instinct. Surely in that photo of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, is he wearing a denim hat? Oh no. They're wearing so much denim in that, that awful, awful photo.

Yeah. That was like for Halloween or something. And how he's still allowed to be one of the coolest men on the planet, I will never know. And so is she. One of the coolest men on the planet, yes. She's allowed to be. Yeah. Anyone can be cool.

Yeah. It's just about believing in yourself. Yeah. That's the least cool thing you can do. Believe in yourself. That's what Jess's mom always said to her. Yeah. And me.

And I appreciate that, Annie. She's a good lady. She's a good lady. She wants us to believe in ourselves. She fills me with self-belief. Yeah, she's great. Even when I really shouldn't have any. Which is most of the time.

She's a good lady. Now, before we hit record, Jess did say that this is her longest report ever so she would get straight to it. So so far we've ticked off cake talk, denim talk and cool talk. We're done. I think we're ready to go. We're good. Because this is like a Dave Warnackie-length report. But it's an interesting story and I just sort of got carried away and everything that I found, I was like, well, that has to go in. Well, that has to go in.

And you wrote this before today as well. I did actually, but even before yesterday. Isn't that amazing? I don't remember ever doing that myself. Did you have a, did you miscalculate the calendar and you thought we had to record earlier? No, I had plans and knew I wouldn't have time. Oh, that's really smart. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Because if I have plans, it doesn't change anything. No, so I was busy from about, actually, no, I had breakfast with mum yesterday and then was busy from that. Oh, you did have plans. From one o'clock onwards then, I wasn't home. I was not home. There's always time for a bit of cake. No, I was home, but anyway, yeah. There's always time for cake.

Imagine having your report written and then beforehand is eating cake. Yeah. What I like to do is panically right until you guys tell me we don't have any more time. We have to start recording. Yeah, we know, mate. Oh, you know. We've noticed. I don't know if the people at home know.

I think they could probably tell. Oh, I think, I've been, people have been saying that my reports have been getting better. Who's been saying that? Andy Matthews? Yes. But he's one of our best listeners. He is one of our best listeners. I'm one of our best friends. Most trusted listeners.

I trust him. Because he gives me positive feedback. And I trust people who give me positive affirmation. But he gives me realistic feedback. I remember recently I said something a bit fucked on the podcast and you told him that I'd said something fucked and he said, really? I don't believe that for a second. It was being sarcastic.

And I was like, oh, I'm a terrible person. Andy Matthews confirms. But that's okay. All right. This is my report. Let's get stuck in. And as per usual, a few minutes before we started the podcast, I went, fuck, I haven't written a question. So you really shouldn't have had that fucking cake.

I shouldn't have that cake. Can you work cake another question? Yes. Great. I hope it's about Mary Antoinette. Me too. I was really having for that. That would be so good if it was, but it's not.

Which Austrian cake lover? Was she Austrian? When you, yeah. I didn't know. I didn't know that either. Well, even when I'm not reporting, you're learning from me. Yeah, we're always learning from you, mate. What not to do.

Got in. Got him. Got him. Nostrian. Okay. That's someone who lives in a nose. That's terrible. Oh, I was here thinking that was really good.

Thanks, Dave. You're a regular bloody Andy Matthews. I'm teaching you so many things about it. Marie Antoinette about comedy. Well, speaking of comedy, my question relates to it. Oh, my goodness. Who is the most famous comedian of all time? Oh, interesting.

Joe Seinfeld. No. Billy Connolly? No. I wonder if it's modern or old. Because if it's old, I'm kind of thinking it's Charlie Chaplin. Boom, Maddie. Really?

Yeah. Or if it's not him. Yeah, who else you're thinking? Sophocles? Yeah, I was thinking more modern times, I probably would have said Jerry Seinfeld, Billy Connolly. Is that what Dave said?

Yeah, those are the exact two examples. Eddie Murphy's a big comedian, Steve Martin. Yep. But yeah, Charlie Chapman's sort of the... Charlie Chapman's the topic that I'm doing, yeah. Yeah, I'm going to... Look, if I'm going to have to...

Are you going to make me go with one? Yeah, I'm going to have to ask you to choose one. All right. I'm going to say... Uh, who's that guy, um, who smashes fruit and then headbutts it. Con the fruit, right? That's me. I'm Dave.

Dave Warnocky. You're going to go with Dave Warnocky. Yeah, he smashes watermelons. The most famous comedian and then headbutts them. It's the copyrighted move, the hump and headbutt. What is that guy's name? Gonzo. What?

The guy smashes watermelons on stage? I think you think he did it in the Simpsons once. He's like kind of. the butt of jokes. He's a bit of a weird guy. Starts with G. Godfrey. Gallagher. Oh, Gallagher.

That's right. Actually, it is Gallagher. Important. Important we got to the bottom of that. Thanks, Jess, for humoring me there. But I'm actually going to do the report in Charlie Chaplin. Great. That's very exciting.

Oh, Charlie Chaplin. He was a comedian. It's really interesting. Do you guys know much about Charlie Chaplin? I know everything. Great. I don't. I don't really know much at all.

Yeah, I guess I didn't really know all that much myself. Born in Austria, I believe. I know that Iron Man played him. Robert Daniel Jr. played him in the 1992 film Chaplin. Yes. Correct. And actually, in my opinion...

I've seen it before. In my opinion, did a very good job. Oh. Yeah. But, I mean, Robert Daniel Jr. He's very good. So, yeah, this was suggested by a couple of people. It's been suggested by Michael Gledson via Facebook.

And also Angel Rivers at Riversaw, who tweets to us. What a great name. Yeah, so good. Now, Angel said... Their suggestion was Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator. So it's quite a specific part of Charlie Chaplin, which I will talk about. But I'll also just sort of, I will talk about... There's a great porn title ready to be taken right there.

Ah, there is too. There's a very good porn title. But I only do those on Patreon-only episodes, so... Oh, come on, Dave. Give us a little taste of. The Great Dick Taker. You are good at. it.

You are bloody good. Is that a real one? No, that would be. That's got to be. A silent porn movie. You know what? In black and white. Maybe that would be for the best.

With the little tramp. Little tramp. Anyway. Given. So you ignored his advice of going specific on The Great Dictator and instead you've found a topic that's too big for yourself. Good point. But I think it was interesting to talk about...

I'm excited to hear. So a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a backstory here. Get your mind in the right space. Towards the end of the 19th century, which Matt, what you use with that? 19th century. That was kindergarten for me,

I think. That sounds that right. The conventions of Victorian England had created a society that appeared well-educated, well-dressed and well-mannered. But this society was on the verge of suffocating in its own prudishness. Well, Jess, you sound very clever.

I can't believe you wrote that. Thank you. The savior in part was due to a few square miles across the Thames, South... You said Thames right. I said it right. You didn't even bring attention to it. And I didn't hesitate or pause. I'm doing so well today.

South London was filled with more live entertainment, prostitution and drunkenness than anywhere else in England at the time. And it's still it. Hey! South... Despite class segregation, the rich and the poor came together in the music halls and the public houses. It was in this world that a gentleman called Charles Chaplin made his career as a singer. This is Charles Chaplin Sr. by the way.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Hannah Hill was also a singer who apparently did hilarious impressions of people she observed under the stage name Lily Harley. Such a good stage name. But Hannah Hill's a cracking name in itself. Hannah Hill's fucking great, isn't it? Yeah. Can't turn you back on that. I've always liked the name, Hannah. Hannah's a good name.

Hannah's a good name. It's one of those things, words that is backwards and problems. Parallelogram. That's right. Dave, what are they? They called parallelogram? Fuck. Fuck, it would look so good.

Parallelogram. H-A-N-A-H. Why didn't you believe me? Because they're not parallelograms. What are they? Parallelograms What are you guys They're the

Parallelograms are things that with equal sides Parallel You guys are definitely wrong on this Or am I being It's called a Parallelograms It's not as square as a parallelogram

It's anything with four sides If they're like parallel It's um Opposite sides of parallel Yeah What has that happened early? I had the same. Backwood.

They're cool. I'm going to, I'm going to fucking kill West. Glenelga's one? It is. It's really good. Palindrome. Palindrome.

No, I thought there was another word for it. It's not the word I was thinking of. Definitely palindrome. I thought you guys were fucking with me. I was not fucking with me. And then all of a sudden I started to be like, wait a, am I the one who is crazy? Palindrome. I thought, I'm thinking of a different word.

Yeah, you think you're a parallelogram. Yeah, what I'm thinking of. Oh, man. Anyway, Hannah's a good name. That was where we got. That's where we got that from. And I was so confident, wasn't I? But you were so confident I didn't even fucking question it.

I was like, yeah, that's what it is. I was so sure. Anyway, Hannah Hill, she is doing impressions under the stage name of Lily Harley. In 1885, Hannah gave birth to a son, Sydney. To this day, the identity of Sydney's father remains unknown. However, 14 weeks after he was born, Hannah married Charles Chaplin Senior. Four years later, on April 16, 1889, Hannah gave birth to Charles Spencer Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin.

There we go. So, is that the same baby or is that the second baby? Second baby. Right. What? What do you mean same baby? Like, sorry, but I was just thinking that maybe... Don't worry, it's all good.

I couldn't tell if they got married while she was 14 weeks pregnant. No, they got married... 14 weeks after. Sorry, that's where I got. After Sydney was already existed. So Charlie's a little bit younger. Charlie's four years younger. Gotcha.

A few years later, Charles Sr. was traveling around the US for about a year. And when he returned home, he found that he had a newborn son that he had not expected. What? Yeah, it was going back. and I had a new baby and he's like, a year later. Wow.

Wow. That's a, that's a, yeah. It's a medical miracle, yes. It's a long pregnancy. He's pregnant for over a year. It's hard to let people know, I guess, back then. Could have sent him a parallelogram. But they take a while to get over the seas.

He left the family. He was like, this is us. This ain't my baby. That's not my baby. He lived a family and correctly claimed that he only had one son, so he paid very little child support. Because obviously they had Sydney, who wasn't Charles' child, and then Charlie was his son.

So very messy. The third son, his name was George Wheeler Dryden, was fathered by the musical entertainer Leo Dryden, and George was taken by his father, Leo, at six months old, and didn't re-enter the chaplain's life for about that. 30 years. So he had no relationship with his younger brother. Right. Yeah. So Chaplin's early years were spent with his mother and brother

Sydney in the London district of Kennington. Hannah had no means of income other than occasional nursing and dressmaking jobs. As the situation deteriorated, Chaplin was sent to Lambeth Workhouse when he was seven years old. And the workhouses, from what I could sort of figure out, they were like places where people were. people with no money or, like, out of prison and stuff like that, that's where they would go. Like, they were kind of just housing for, like, lots of kids were sent there.

And it's not a nice place. Because from the phrase workhouse, I imagine something quite nice. No. It sounds horrible. The council housed him at the Central London District School for Porpers. What a weird name. which Chaplin remembered as a forlorn existence, which I guess makes sense for a school for paupers. He was briefly reunited with his mother 18 months later before Hannah was forced to readmit her family to the Workhouse in July of 1898.

And the boys were sent to Norwood School, which was another institution for destitute children. So he had a pretty rough childhood. In September of 1898, Hannah was committed to Cain Hill Mental Asylum. She developed a psychosis seemingly brought on by an infection of syphilis or malnutrition. But she was committed, so. I mean, dedication, I think, is one of the first things you need to do. It's the first signs of mental illness, yeah. Yeah.

Over dedication. Over dedication. That's why I kept it loose. Loose and free. You're aloof. Yeah. So aloof. For the two months that she was in the Kane Hill asylum,

Charlie and his brother Sydney was sent to live with their father but they barely knew him because he'd obviously left the family when they were quite young. Charles Senior was by then a severe alcoholic and life there was bad enough to provoke a visit from the National Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

So we can assume from that that it wasn't a nice place living with their dad either. His father, so Charles Sr. died two years later at 38 years old from cirrhosis of the liver. so alcohol.

Boo's hound. Yeah. But at least he was committed to his drinking. And that takes guts. Speaking of guts. Takes guts and it ruins your guts. He'd fuck him up. No good.

Thanks for stepping on my joke there. Fuck head. Nah, no, good on you. Oh. I thought this is a team game, Jess. Hold my hand. Dave, stop resisting. We set him up and Dave steals the jokes.

You know how the team. Matt, make Dave hold my hand. He won't hold it. He's holding. He's holding it. He's holding it. He just got to some... He's doing a minimum hold there.

There we go. That's nice. We're all okay. Hannah entered a period of remission, but in 1903, she became ill again. Charlie, who was then 14, had the task of taking his mother to the infirmary. And from there, she was sent back to Kane Hill, the asylum. And he lived alone for several days, searching for food and occasionally sleeping rough, until Sydney, who had enrolled in the native. maybe two years earlier, uh, returned. So his brother's four years older than him and came back to,

and I stay with him because their mom was not well. Um, Hannah was in and out of care for a long time until she eventually passed away in 1928. Fuck. So. How old was she there approximately? Uh, I'm not, I'm not actually sure. 1928.

I'm not sure how old she was. Um. Assuming she was born in 1900, she was 28. But I mean, that is a big assumption. Well, okay, hang on, we can figure this out. So she was roughly 20. Okay, hang on, we can do this. Sorry.

No, I want to figure this out. I want to know how sad this is. And I base my sadness on someone's death by their age. But help me with the maths, because you know that's not my strength. So 20, she was, it says she was 20 and she gave birth to Sydney in 1885. So let's say she was 20 in 1885. So she was born in 65 and she died in 28. So that's 35 plus 28, Dave.

63. 63. So in the olden days, that's... Good eatings. Yeah. But not a great life. Yeah. So, Matt, how sad are you?

How bad are you? I'm still pretty sad about it. Yeah? Yeah, that does. That sounds like a sad story. Yeah, just like I had no idea of such a rough upbringing. Between his time in the pauper schools and his mother, becoming quite ill, Charlie began to perform on stage.

He later recalled making his first amateur appearance at the age of five when he took over from Hannah one night in Aldershot. I don't really know the context of how he took over, but he was performing at about five. By the time he was nine... Mum, I've got this. Yeah, don't worry, I'll do the impressions tonight, Mum. Hey, hey, everybody.

I don't know why I'm American and I'm young, but I'm here. When I'm here. You're an impressionist, that's why. That's right. That's right. And that is my impression of a young American. Next. By the time he was nine, Charlie had, with his mother's encouragement,

grown interested in performing. And through his father's connections, Charlie became a member of the eight Lancashire lads, clog dancing troupe. That sounds sick. Go on in. Well, thank God he's dad had a connection to that. Big break.

You've got to get into the clog dance. What if they're still going? If our English listeners, they can let me know. I don't think they are. Are there any English people are listening? No, it's none of them. Do you reckon your dad would have any connections, Matt, to get you into the clogs? If he's been holding out on me this long, this whole time.

I'd be furious. See a clock dancer. I would genuinely be pissed off. If he's off clogging and holding that back from me, I'd be furious. I can't see that being the case. He would definitely... He knows that that's something you would want to do. He couldn't hold that back from me.

If he could claim ignorance, then you could maybe understand. But in this case, I mean, you talk about clog dancing. I live to clog. I clog to live. Which is hard because I don't have clogs or access to a clog lad crew. Well, unfortunately. Well, if your dad's been clogging, and he's not been telling you, he deserves a flogging. So I'm saying.

He's clogging for a floggin. He is clogging. And it is really hard to become a top line. clogger, without clogs and without clogmates. Yeah. Are you confusing jogging with clogging? Which one's which? Jogging's much cheaper because you don't need any specific footwear.

You kind of do. Joggers? You need joggers. You need access to joggers. Can't really do that in flip-flops, can you? I do. I know you do. You're a bloody runigate.

I've got really sore feet all the time. So anyway, with this clogged dancing troupe, he toured English music halls throughout 1899 and 1900. He had to beat off the women because he's just... He's a child. But he's also a clogger. Why would he be beating them off? Oh. Oh, good.

Charlie worked hard. Come here, I've got a clock. Charlie worked hard and the act was very popular with audiences, but he was not... Including women. He was not satisfied with dancing and wished to form a comedy act. In the years... As if clogging isn't funny enough. In the years that Charlie was touring with the eight Lancashire lads,

his mother ensured that he still attended school, but by age 13, he'd abandoned his education. He supported himself with a range of jobs, while nursing his ambition to become an actor. At 14, shortly after his mother's relapse, he registered with a theatrical agency in London's West End. The manager sensed potential in Chaplin. And it was like, hmm, you're going to be a star kid.

It's the early 1900s. Anyway, this person was ahead of their time and spoke like it was the 40s. And Charlie was promptly given his first role as a newsboy in Jim, a romance of cocaine, which sounds fantastic. Also lends its name to a porn title quite well. Yep. But once again, I only do those on the Patreon episodes. Dave, come on, mate. A romance of cocaine.

Come on, mate. What are you got for us? I can't see any obvious ins here, so good luck. Belomance of cocaine. I mean, he's bloody good. Blomance. Of cocaine. Of cocaine.

So the play opened in July of 1903. And he's newsboy. His newsboy. What a role. The show was unsuccessful and it closed after two weeks. Chaplin's comic performance, however, was singled out for praise in many of the reviews. So even though it was a dud, he was still a star. Newsboy was a star.

boy stole the show. The director of that play, secured a role. I've got your paper here. Oh, he's very good. Have now got your paper. And your cocaine. Is that, yes,

so in your porn spin-off, I guess the paper boy comes around, he knocks on the door. Is that I got news for you? Like, Um, Zipsy's pants. Well, we don't have a subscription to the news, but I do have a pool you could clean.

Why are you doing that with your shoulders while you? Because I'm a single young woman left all alone. In a big empty house. You want a cross trainer at the time? I've got a big empty pool out back. Well, I've just cocked a cell of paper. Big empty pool out of the back.

That's not a euphemism, is it? Dave. Matt, it's the 1900s. I hate this. So much. Stop doing that with your shoulders. Dave, you're too sexy. I know.

Stop it. So, the director of, uh, Jim, a romance of cocaine, secured a role for Charlie in Charles Froman's production of Sherlock Holmes, where he played Billy the Page Boy in three nationwide tours. He's touring, he's acted. At 16 years old, Chaplin starred in the play's Western production at the Duke of York's Theatre from October to December of 1905. He completed one final tour of Sherlock Holmes in early 1906 before leaving the play after more than two and a half years. touring playing this character

and Sherlock Holmes No longer a page boy by the end of his tour He's a page man There's a bit of a link back To a previous episode there We did one about Sherlock's home Sherlock Holmes

Yeah And in that we talked about One of the Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan movies I think And at the end of one of those movies Uh one of the guys like He saw this

He saw a sign He's like oh would you mind If I use this as my character As for Sherlock Holmes It was like a clock or something And then at the very end, a little boy like stows away as they're going to America, and he gets a little bit of dust on his lip, a Charlie Chaplin stole mustache. And he's been Charles Chaplin the whole movie, and that's the big reveal at the end.

It's so good. It's really great. Spoilers. It's like, it's an origin movie for both Charlie Chaplin and William Shakespeare. Wow. William Shakespeare. Have I been saying that all? all time?

No. No. What's the other girl? Sherlock Holmes. Fucking out. I love that we've told that story twice on the podcast. That's how much we want to ruin that movie for you. Just in case he managed to avoid that episode, we just ruined.

He was Charles Chaplin the whole time, just in case he didn't think, well, that's a bit of a weird thing. But it doesn't make any sense. What? No, it does. And I get it. And I'm, I think last time I told the story, I'd seen it recently. Now it's just a very vague memory from the past. Now you're redelling just a story.

Why had you watched that movie recently? Why? No further questions. Fair enough. So after he left the Sherlock Holmes tour, he soon found work with a new company and went on tour with his brother, who was also pursuing an acting career by this time.

Oh. In a comedy sketch called Repairs. In May 1906, Charlie joined an act at Casey's Circus where he developed popular burlesque pieces and was soon the star of the show. By the time the act finished touring in July of 1907, the 18-year-old had become an accomplished comedic performer.

He struggled to find more work, however, and a brief attempt at a solo act was a failure. So at this stage, he's still sort of working in, like, groups. Yeah, that's the opposite of solo, so that makes sense. Variety shows in the line. Yeah, exactly right. Meanwhile, Sydney Chaplin had joined Fred Kano's prestigious, comedy company in 1906 and by 1908 he was one of their key performers.

In Feb he managed to secure a two-week trial for his younger brother. Kano was initially initially, initially, initially, initially, wary and considered Chaplin a pale, puny, sullen-looking youngster who looked much too shy to do any good in the theatre. I relate to this character. Puney, pale, sullen-looking. Hmm. Hmm.

He sounds hot. Too shy to do any good in the theatre. Mm-hmm. I've said that about you. Preach it. However, the teenager made an impact on his first night at the London Coliseum. Yes, I did. And was quickly signed to a contract.

He began playing a series of minor parts, eventually progressing to starring roles by the following year in 1909. In April of 1910, he was given the lead in a new sketch, Jimmy the Feelers. It was a big success. Jimmy the Feelers. Feelers. and Charlie received considerable press attention. He's sounding a bit of a name for himself. Kano then selected this new star

to join the section of the company that toured North America's vaudeville circuit and Charlie headed the show and impressed reviewers being described as one of the best pantomime artists ever seen here. His most successful role was a drunk called the inebriate swell, which drew him significant recognition. mission. Their titles are incredible. So good. The tour lasted 21 months and the trip returned to England in June of 1912 and by October they were heading off on another tour. They're hitting the road. So he's like he's kind of making it as an actor and not like

making the big bucks but he's you know, it's his living. Should be doing it right? Yeah. Six months into the second American tour, Chapplin was invited to join the New York Motion Picture Company. This is where he's starting to get his foot in the door and film. Ever heard of it, boys? You heard of film, Matthew? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I know it. A representative who had seen his performance thought he could replace Fred Mace, who was a star of their Keystone Studios, who intended to leave.

Oh, Fred, where are you going? Fred, what are you doing, Mace? Well, you'd know where he, Fred, obviously he'd know his name from the next project he did. Fred Mace. Yeah. Yeah, what'd he do? He invented a new kind of horse. He's a horse breeder?

Yep. He invented a new kind of horse? Yeah. How do you invent a horse? Bits and pieces. Pop them together? Yeah, stuff you found around. A bit of trial and error.

Yeah. It revolutionized. You know, you guys that know the Red Mace horse. But he sewed dead horses together? Yeah. Like Frankenstein? Look, I'm... Are you guys fucking with me?

I'm very confused. You're very confusing. This is a very long report, Matt. Just let me get through it. See. See. So they wanted him to join Keystone Studios. Now, Charlie wasn't a fan of Keystone's comedies,

but he rationalised that it was an opportunity to get into film and start a new life. So he met with the company, and he signed a $150 per week contract, which in equivalent now would be about $3,600 a week. Which is a pretty good contract. John Drake. It's good money.

And that was in September of 1913. So he's making $150 per week. So he's gone from like having nothing as a child and then touring with these acting groups. And now he's making some good money. So he arrived in L.A., home of the Keystone Studios in early December of 1913. And his boss was Mack Senate, great name, who initially expressed... What's it? Mac?

Mac. Mac Senate. Senate. Senate. Who initially expressed concern. The 24-year-old looked too young. I'm relating. Yeah, you get it.

I'm relating. Have I ever told you about this? I got cast in an ad where the... All right, mate. We've all got stuff going on. Well, I did until I got kicked off the ad because the character was 18 to 24. This was last year when I was 25. And then the people who, like, I was casting or whatever.

And then the people who were doing, paying for the ad to be made, the company looked at my photo and went, he's way too young to pass us 18 to 24. And I was older than 18 to 24. I mean, I know that that's annoying, but also, like, won't you be grateful for that when you're, like, 50? Yeah. That's what people say. Yeah, they fucking say it. Is that true, Dave?

I'm not 50. Okay. But I'll let you know. We'll check in. Matt, you'll get to 50 first, obviously. Obviously. Soon. Unless you catch me.

Catch me if you can. Which will only happen if you die. Which I don't. I don't want that to happen. Oh, that's. very sweet Jess. Hey Dave, just to get paid for that ad. I didn't get paid.

So that's why I was sad. That's bullshit. So you understand. You understand. I'm relating to this guy. He's great. So Charlie wasn't used in a picture until late January. And during that time, he's just kind of trying to learn the processes of filmmaking

and trying to sort of pick up on how they make. He's trying to learn how to direct. He's just doing impressions of directors. Cut! Is that right? Am I saying that right? Look, mate. Just get off the film.

film said. We're trying to film here. Action. Look, seriously, you've got to leave. Are you directing me? I'm the director. And that's how the student became the teacher. So Charlie made his film acting debut in the one realer Making a Living and it was released on the second of February 1914. He hated the picture. He hated it, but one review picked him

out as a comedian of the first water. I'm not sure what that means. First order? I would put that quote all over my comedy festival. Comedian of the first water. I'm guessing just like, you know when you're, I don't know. You know when you're giving out water and the best water goes to the best people. First water for you, but you get the shit water for the losers.

For the losers. So he's first water. Right. Speaking of which, I'm going to have a sip of my first water right now. Oh, you got best water. Yeah, I've got third water in my cup. I just got slops. Just, you know, it's sub-water.

But that's why I'm a comedian of the first water kind. You are. For his second appearance on camera, Charlie created a costume that he would go on to be identified with for the rest of his life. The character, who became known as The Tramp, debuted to audiences in Kid Auto Races at Venice. Some of the movie titles are so good.

This is so funny. and this is what Chaplin said about the tramp. So he said, I wanted everything to be a contradiction. The pants baggy, the coat tight, the hat small and the shoes large. I added a small mustache, which I reasoned would add age without hiding my expression. Which is a good point. I had no idea of the character. But the moment I was dressed, the clothes and the makeup made me feel the person he was.

I began to know him. And by the time I walked on stage, he was fully born. What an actor. What an actor. I can relate to a lot of that as an actor myself. How so? Please do tell you. Because you've been on a few commercials and not being kicked off because of your young looks.

Yeah. I know. And all the acting work I do, I often wear small hats and big shoes. You demand it. I demand it. They say, but Matt, this is a scene said in a swimming pool. Yeah, I say, too bad. Give me big pants.

Small shirt, please. And once I get them on, and I'm in there in the pool, drowning, under the weight of the clothes, I'm like, yeah, I think I know who this guy is, he's about to die. He's dying. Yeah, he's dying now. He's being resuscitated. He's splurting water back out of his lungs.

He's in an ambulance. Like, I know who he is. And at the end, the decal comes on and says, shop at Target. Yeah. Bang, nailed it. Another commercial well done. Put it in the can.

I'll send you an invoice. Yeah. A AAA grade. Also, a bill for the hospital. You've made a significant loss on the job. And it will not succeed at all. Great. Yeah, so it's so wonderful to have two prestigious actors here.

Yeah, we can pick apart, Charlie's early work. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you. If you want to get inside the mind of an actor, only too willing to oblige. Thank you so much. That's very good. Very good.

Inside the actors podcast studio. I can't do it like you can. I can't get deep enough, I think. Do it? Is it? No, it's just one, mm. So low. It's just the noise he makes when he's going along with my bullshit.

I love it. Okay, so he's just, he's making movies. He's churning him out. He's making the films. During the filming of his 11th picture, Mabel at the wheel. Who's Mabel? Well, why's he at the wheel? He clashed with director Mabel Norman

and was almost released from his contract. Senate kept him on, however, when he received orders from exhibitors for more Chaplin films. Senate also allowed Charlie to direct his next film himself after Charlie promised to pay $1,500, equivalent of 36 grand now, if the film was unsuccessful. He backed himself, he's like, I'll give you 36 grand. He's gone for, he's made a bet.

Yeah, he's like, I want to direct, and they probably went, no, mate, you can't direct. He goes, if it's, okay, let me direct and if it's bad. I'm going to give you $1,500, which is a lot of money. And caught in the rain, which was issued 4th of May 1914, was Chaplin's directorial debut. Court in the rain. Court in the rain. Needs more, Mabel. And it was...

Yeah, we need a place and a name. Everything else is Gary doing the dishes or something. The place is caught. Okay, okay, sure. And the activity is the rain. Surely in the rain is the place Yep Yep

Mm Hmm Mm Mm I can see that So that was his His directing debut And he made a big bet

He put a lot of money behind it He really backed himself Matt Juggins is going to go well Yes Dave I'm also in the yes Camp

You're both correct It was highly successful He made it Mabel Go fuck yourself He did it Thereafter He directed

almost every short film in which he appeared for Keystone at a rate of approximately one per week. What? They're making movies. They're making a movie a week. Mabel at the wheel, Greg in the castle, Johnny does something. Johnny does something.

That's not Dave blanking. That's what one of them was called. Oh, I've got the list of his filmography in front of me. I'm reading him out. Johnny does something. Just to save money, they actually started doing Mabel at the wheel. Mabel was something under the seat.

Mabel ducks into the back. Maybe it's a look in the boot. Maybe it fills up petrol. Yeah, maybe we'll get some groceries. Maybe have some Mabel time. Oh no. No porn titles there, though. That's moving into your industry there.

My industry. That's right. I am a porn entrepreneur. Charlie's films... Entraporn news. Sorry. I had to. I'm so sorry.

No, no, no. Never apologize. That was great. Charlie's films introduced a slower form. of comedy than the typical Keystone Farse that they were used to, and he developed quite a large fan base because of this. In November of 1914, he had a supporting role in the first feature-length comedy film, Tilly's Punctured Romance, directed by Senate and starring Marie Dressler,

it was a commercial success and increased his popularity. When Charlie's contract came up for renewal at the end of the year, he asked for $1,000 a week, which would have been equivalent. of 24 grand. A week. A week. That would make you a millionaire. Yeah.

And Senate refused as it was too much money. So at this time, the SNA film manufacturing company of Chicago sent Chaplin an offer of 1,250 a week with a signing bonus of $10,000. Right. So even more than he wanted. Even more than he wanted. So, yeah. So he joined the studio in late December 1914.

So that signing bonus is about a quarter of a million. million dollars. Which would have made him a millionaire. That makes him a quarter of the way to a millionaire. Okay. Interesting. But have you worked for a year? Become a millionaire.

Okay. So this is where he started to begin forming a stock company of regular actors that he used quite a lot. So that included Leo White, Bud, Jammison, Patty McGuire, and Billy Armstrong. Such good names. He soon recruited a leading lady. Her name was Edna. Are you laughing at Edna? Yes.

Well, these people are old enough to be grandparents, and that's a great grandma name. Edna, Perviance, Pervience, Pervience. Edna, just good to call her Edna. He met her in a cafe and hired her on account of her beauty, so that's a good feeling. So acting ability, 100. 100.

She went on to appear in 35 films with Chaplin over eight years. And they dated for a little bit. Just for a little bit. During 1915, Charlie became a cultural phenomenon. Shops were stocked with chaplain merchandise. He featured in cartoons and comic strips. Several songs were written about him. In July, a journalist for Motion Picture Magazine wrote that chaplainitis had spread across America.

Oh, my God, what's the cure? More comedy. Oh, okay. That only makes it worse, Jess. Oh, no. It makes you feel like you want more comedy, but that's the last thing you need. That's the last thing you bloody need. You know what?

You need to get over it, just some fluids and rest. Right. The main thing, you know, just got to rest up. Darken room. Yeah. Lots of water. Tea, if you feel like it. Plain foods.

Plain foods. Twisties and Coke. Just time. Flat, coke if you can. Yeah. Plain food. Plain food. Wright Brothers were dishing it out, obviously.

Yeah, obviously. As his fame grew worldwide, he became the first. industry's first international star. He's a star, she is. Still too early. We'll get there. We'll get there. When the S&A contract ended in December of 1915,

Charlie, fully aware of his popularity, requested a $150,000 signing bonus from his next studio. So he just kind of put that out there, like, somebody wants me, you can have me, but I want 150 up front. Do you know what that's worth? Probably a fuck time. I think. If one was 36, that's 150 times 36.

Is that right? If one... 1000 was the equivalent of 36. 1,000 was 24. All right. And 15, what he guaranteed was 36, which is 15. Right? Don't worry.

All right. Oh, I saw what I mean. Yes. $1,500 was about $30,000. So Dave, it's a lot. You know maths. If he's asking for $150. I'm really keen to know, because that he is.

so... I mean, that's a lot of money. So, let's say a thousand was $24,000. And he's asking for $150. $3.6 million. Fuck and how.

That... I guess that's probably, like in today's language, that isn't... No, yeah, sometimes they'd make $25 million for a film. Yeah. So maybe he isn't being... But at the time, probably movies weren't seen a thing as serious.

Yeah, did anyone... Did anyone do it? Well, he received several offers, including Universal, Fox, the best of which came from the Mutual Film Corporation at $10,000 a week. On top of the bonus, like the signing bonus. He's making $10 grand a week. So that's a quarter of a million dollars a week. That was sort of there.

So here's what it was. So a contract was negotiated with Mutual that amounted to $670,000 a year, which Robinson says made Chaplin at 26 years old one of the highest paid people in the world. In the world. That's awesome. He's our age though. And back then he's making 670 grand a year.

Right. And their money. Jeez. It's insane. The high salary shocked the public and was widely reported in the press. That is incredible. Yeah. Apparently the studio president, a guy called John.

John R. Frula explained, We can afford to pay Mr. Chaplin this large sum annually because the public wants Chaplain and we'll pay for him. So it's like, well, he'll make the money so we can afford to give it to him. It's amazing. Mitchell gave Chaplain his own Los Angeles studio to work in, which opened in March of 1916. And in 1917, professional chaplain imitators were so widespread

that he took legal action. And it was reported that nine out of ten men who attended costume parties were dressed as a tramp. That's a car. Right. Nine out of ten. You look around and you're like, what the fuck. But also it says it was reported.

So it's like, who does that research? The tenth person's come as the king. And they're like, what the fuck are you wearing? This is a Charlie Chaplin party, man. That's insane. So Charlie was sort of, he was working on stuff, but he wasn't churning at like he's a movie a week. Not a movie a week.

Because he sort of, he wanted to make his own. He wanted to make his art He wanted to do it right Yeah So eventually the The contract with mutual Ended but it ended quite nicely They were very patient with his

Slower rate of putting out content But yeah Did he put out any bangers with them? I think so I don't have them listed here But yeah Kate drinks a hot chocolate Yeah because I'm wondering

When he gets to the movies that we've heard of Which aren't, there's not heaps of them, but there's... Yeah, what have you heard of? The Great dictator is the most famous one. Great dictator. Yep. Charlie Chaplin goes to the doctors. Tramp, tramp.

Tramp stamp. Tramp a tramp. Tramp stamp two, back in the habit. Tramp formers. More than meets the eye. Yeah. Anyway, so Charlie's primary concern in finding a new distributor was independence. Sydney Chaplin, then his business manager, so Sydney's just taken over his business.

murder now. He told the press, Charlie must be allowed all the time he needs and all the money for producing films the way he wants. It is quality, not quantity. We're after. Very good, Sidney, very good. Oh, Sydney, very good. In June of 1917, Charlie signed to complete eight films for the first national exhibitors circuit in return for one million dollars. That would make him a millionaire. That would make him a millionaire. That would make him a millionaire. Even by their terms. Even by their terms, he is now a millionaire. He chose to build his own studio situated on five acres of land of sunset Boulevard

with production facilities of the highest order, only the best. So this was completed in 1918 and Charlie was given freedom over the making of his pictures. So now he can make whatever he wants to make. So he joined forces with Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D.W Griffith, D.W. D-dubs. To form a new distribution. company. United Artists. There you go, I just knew that.

How did you know? Klaus knew that he was the founder of the United Artists. How did you know? Trivia, I think. Dave's a real trivia buff. You know that, Jess, don't you know that? I did not know that about Dave. How does that not be mentioned in this...

It's weird. It hasn't come up. In this podcast, which is largely trivia-based, to be honest, yeah. Feels like it might have almost been the first thing we mentioned. Trivia's the reason for this whole show. No idea. You learn something new every day I think they were also involved in the Academy Awards being set up

Ah There you go Episode 3 4 Fuck The arrangement was revolutionary In the film industry As it enabled the four partners

All creative artists To personally fund their pictures and have complete control Chaplin was eager to start with the new company And offered to buy out his contract with First National but they declined this and insisted that he complete the final six films he owed them. So he agreed to eight and did two and was like, can I just buy you out?

And they're like, no. Can I give you that $30 million back? Make six films. He's like, ugh. Like that's so many. Like he drops his arm out of it. Oh, Mom! Okay.

I'll make six films. Just grabs a pen and paper. Here, I'm writing it now. Guy goes to the shop Next It sounds brilliant My goodness That's exactly what we wanted

We really thought he'd throw it in If he was forced to do it Yeah but he's such a professional This is good stuff Guy goes to the shops Why didn't I think of that Next film Johnny does a poo poo

My goodness Pushing the boundaries I love it I love it This is fantastic Who is this Johnny? What else have you got Can we have a sequel to Johnny Does A Poooooo Johnny sticks a fork in a electric socket

Oh my God So much about society. So much about comedy, too. Oh my goodness. I think of the death scene. It would be hilarious. Hilarious. The slapstick.

Oh my goodness. Johnny mails it in. Hmm. Johnny, so he survived. It's a cliffhanger episode. My goodness. He gets stuck inside a letterbox. Oh, you've done it again.

Give that man more money. Johnny shoots his boss. Oh. Bracket. Johnny. Johnny is a is an allegory. No, he's not. Is he?

Yeah, that's right. For me, Charlie Chaplin, the boss is the boss bracket. It's a long title. Yeah, lengthy, but I don't hate it. But for you, we'll do it. The kids all love it. This is exactly how the entire conversation went. Space Man from Pluto.

It'll never work. That's where I draw the line, Charlie. That's where I know you're making fun of us now. A little bit of a little bit of, His personal life, he is personal life. Oh. Before the creation of United Ars.

That's how I knew it. United Ars is the name of my porn production company. That's not good. You've got a United Arse. That means you're going to hit Strath. Yeah, that's not okay. Before the creation of United Artists, Chaplin married for the first time.

The 17-year-old actress Mildred Harris had revealed that she was pregnant with his child and at September of 1918, he married her quietly in Los Angeles to avoid controversy. Oh, he's a silence film guy. That's how he does it. He does everything quietly. He's one of those people that just, like, accidentally sneaks up on you. You know, he's always startling you because he's so quiet.

Getting you're pregnant. Yeah, he's always getting you pregnant. Stardling you? Oh, no. Soon after, the pregnancy was found to be a false alarm. Chaplin was unhappy with the union, and feeling that marriage stunted his creativity, he struggled over the production of his film Sunnyside.

Harris was by then legitimately pregnant and on the 7th of July 1919 she gave birth to a son. Norman Spencer Chaplin was born but unfortunately died three days later. He was quite ill. The marriage eventually ended in April of 1920 with Chaplin explaining in his autobiography that they were irreconcilably. Irreconcilably. There's a sentence, a word missing from that sentence. irreconcilably

mismatched. I just couldn't get the word irreconcilably. Oh, sorry. I didn't even notice. Oh, really? I couldn't say it. Well, I think you're saying

that they were inrecisarable. Oh, no. I can't even say in, it's irreconcilably mismatched. Isn't that what you were saying? No, I was putting an in in there. I don't know.

I'm sorry. While making the gold rush, is that a movie title that you recognize? Chaplain married for the second time. Bridget Fonda. No? No.

Who are you thinking of? Bridget Fonda. Sorry, yes. That's the other thing he was. Mirroring the circumstances of his first union. Uh-oh. Lita Gray was a teenage actress. Oh my goodness.

Originally set to star in the film, whose surprise announcement of pregnancy forced Chaplin into marriage. How old is he this time? He was 35. She was 16. Oh, no. Why isn't that known? It meant that he could have been charged with statutory rape under California law.

I bet he wasn't. He therefore arranged a discreet marriage in Mexico, and their first son, Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr., was born on the 5th of May, 1925, followed by Sydney Earl Chaplain, a few years later on the 3rd of March 26th or the next year. 16 to 35. Like, what would you talk about, you know?

He just don't have the same interests. Well, they're both actors. What are you doing at school? That's fucked. That's fucked. I know. It was an unhappy marriage, and Chaplin spent long hours at the studio

to avoid seeing his wife. Oh, it just hurts to read. It's not nice. In November of 26, Gray took the children and left their family home. A bit of divorce followed, in which Gray's application, accusing Chaplin of infidelity abuse

and of harboring perverted sex, sexual desires was leaked to the press. Chaplin was reported to be in a state of nervous breakdown as the stories became headline news and groups formed across America calling for his films to be banned. Eager to end the case without further scandal, Charlie's lawyers agreed to a cash settlement of $600,000, the largest awarded by American courts at that time. His fan base was strong enough to survive the incident, which is good, isn't it?

And it was soon forgotten. Oh my God. This is sort of forgotten and brushed over. But obviously Charlie was deeply affected by it, apparently. Before the divorce suit was filed, Chaplin had begun working on his new film, The Circus. He built a story around the idea of walking a tightrope while besieged by monkeys and turned the tramp into the accidental star of a circus.

Filming was suspended for 10 months, though, while he dealt with the divorce scandal, and it was generally a pretty trouble-ridden production. Like it was just a bit of a mess. It was finally completed in 1927, and the circus was released in 28 to a very positive reception. At the first Academy Awards, Chaplin was given a special trophy for versatility and genius in acting,

writing, directing, and producing the circus. Despite its success, he permanently associated the film with the stress of its production, and he omitted the circus from his autobiography, and he hated the film, He struggled to work on the, he had to do like the score, re-recording the score several years later,

and he really struggled with that as well. He just doesn't even count it. Wow. Very weird. By the time the circus was released, though, Hollywood had witnessed the introduction of sound films. No one goes out of. Or as lower known then, soundies.

Soundies. Very good. Chaplin was cynical about the new medium and technical shortcomings it presented, believing that talkies. Oh, interesting. That must be the American term. We call them soundies. Talkies liked the artistry of silent film.

They're just a fad. Don't worry about it, mate. Yeah, they won't last. They won't last. Oh, no. Like a 3D film. Yeah. Or the internet. He feared that giving the tramp a voice would limit his international appeal.

Therefore, he rejected the new Hollywood craze and began to work on a new silent film. Yeah, this guy gets it. Does he make this make sense? When filming began at the end of 1928, Chaplin had been working on the story for almost a year, and this one was called City Lights. And it followed the Tramp's love for a blind flower girl and his efforts to raise money for her site-saving operation.

It was a challenging production that lasted 21 months, with Chaplin later confessing that he had worked himself into a neurotic state of wanting perfection. Wow. For a guy that used to make a film a week, 21 months on one silent movie is a long time. It's because they used to be really, really short, and now they're sort of feature length, or they're longer. Yeah. It's amazing to think that there was a time where people thought, yeah,

these sound movies, talkies, as the Yanks call them. They won't last. They won't last. It's so funny. Yeah. It's like now there couldn't have been anything more obvious than it was the death of silent film. What was the silent film a couple of years ago that won awards? The Artist.

The Artist. It was about me. What was that about you? Yeah, yeah. I haven't seen it, I assume it is. Did you get any royalties from that? Still bloody waiting, mate. It's hard to talk to them.

They won't say a word. Yeah. You know what, those bloody. Yeah, they do not reply to my, my voicemail. Voice mails. You leave a voicemail. All right, guys, it's me again.

I'm wondering if I can have a bit of cash for that movie. Call me back. Love you. You know my number. Do you? Do you know it? I won't say it. Oh, yeah.

So, yeah. So this movie kind of, he worked himself into a real state, but it became his personal favourite of his films. And, yeah, all through his life, he sort of credited City Lights as his favourite. It was quite successful, but he was unsure if he could make another picture without dialogue. So he's alerted his last, and he's like,

okay, so the talkies have stuck around. He remained convinced that sound would not work in his films, but was always obsessed by a depressive. pressing fear of being old-fashioned, which I quite like. This is exactly the kind of thing that will make you old-fashioned. That fear needs to really kick in. Yeah. In this state of uncertainty, early in 1931, the comedian decided to take a holiday

and ended up travelling for around 16 months. He recalled that on his return to L.A., I was confused and without plan, restless and conscious of extreme loneliness. He briefly considered retiring and moving to China. I mean, I've had brief thoughts like that, but I don't know how brief. Think about that for about 10 seconds. Can I go, could I retire? No.

Could I retire and move to China? I can't retire now. No. I don't have any money. Yeah, I'm not sure I could pay rent. I probably can't retire yet. How good is the Chinese exchange rate? Yeah.

Am I a millionaire in China? Am I a millionaire? You're Googling, where am I a millionaire? This is my bank balance. Where am I a millionaire? That's a fun game. That is a fun game. Actually, yeah, let's do that later.

Anyway. Million yen. Yeah. How much is that? Oh, thousands. Yeah. Okay. I don't have that.

I don't have that. Oh, that's sad. Chaplin's loneliness was relieved when he met 21-year-old actress Paulette Goddard in July of 1932. So at least she's 21. So has he divorced the... Oh, the other one's left, sorry. She got the big payout. And they, like this.

The pair began a successful relationship. Oh, that's nice. After months of trying, it was finally a success. He wasn't quite ready to commit to a film, and he focused on writing a serial about his travels. This is so good. Published in Women's Home Companion, which I just like to imagine his new idea or, like, Women's Day.

He's like, oh. Women's Home Companion. Home companion. Dave, give us a porn. Give us a porn. Women's home companion. There we go. You're getting it.

Very good, Maddie. Is that kind of it, Dave? Women's home companion. Sex toy inside. There you go. So following the release of his film Modern Times, Chaplin left with Goddard for a trip to the Far East. The couple had refused to comment on the nature of their relationship,

and it was not known whether they were married. or not. Do they go so far east that they arrived back home again? Oh yeah, they just kept going. By 19, yeah, they went so far east that they ended up slightly west. Where did that all? Where did Western East start, Dave? Do you know about that?

Like where was seen as being the middle part? Yeah. Where they said east is that way and west is that way. Is that how it worked? Yeah, I imagine Europe, because that's where everything was based around for centuries. So the East, Asia's to the East. East of Europe? Yeah.

East. I wasn't going to say anything. And then the Middle East is between Europe and Asia. Right. And then the West is just Europe? Yeah, I guess that's West. But there's also East and Western Rome. That's going to be part of it.

Oh, that's right. Yeah, because when it really spread and then it split. Really spread all the way east and then split. Yeah. Maybe that's why. So, no, they've gone on a whirlwind adventure. They're on a trip. They haven't confirmed whether they're married or not.

Sometime later, Charlie Reber. that they had got married during this trip. But by 1938, the couple had drifted apart as both focused heavily on their work. Although Goddard was again his leading lady in his next feature film, The Great Dictator. She eventually divorced Chaplain in Mexico of 1942, citing incompatibility.

And, yeah, so... Citing, he's not a good person. He's done it again. It's always weird when you have to state a reason. I don't want to. Do I need one? Yeah, why do you need a reason? There's always, as you say, there's always irreconcilable differences.

That's what they always say now. That's a classic. Which makes sense. That's why people break up. We can't. Can't work out these differences we've got. Yeah, but it is funny you've got to put a word on. You got to put a word.

Yeah, I just don't want to. Yeah. I'm over it. I guess because it's a legal thing. I don't like him anymore. That should be enough. Yeah. No more love.

Yeah, we don't love each other. It's probably not healthy for us to be together anymore. Just pop that down. It's more concise. I just read some of it. newspapers and found out that he's basically a child molester predator. And that, I'll just sort of...

That upset me a little bit. Charlie Chapman, why is he still working? Or, and or married to me. Both of those don't sit well. Both big questions. Could sum that up in one word. Incompetible. There we are. See, it's more concise.

In brackets with a pedophile. Incompatible with a pedophile. The 1940s, the 1940s. The 1940s, we're finally there. Oh, thank God. I already lived long enough for this. The year was the 1940s, see? And Chaplin faced a series of controversies,

both in his work and in his personal life, which changed his fortunes and severely affected his popularity in the United States. The first of these was a new boldness in expressing his political beliefs. Deeply disturbed by the surge of militaristic nationalism in the 1930s world politics, Chaplin found that he could not keep these issues out of his work. parallels between himself and Adolf Hitler had been widely noted. The pair were born four days apart, both had risen from poverty to world prominence, and Hitler wore the same toothbrush moustache as chaplain.

Hmm. By the way, they were never seen in the same room. Really? Oh, interesting. Is it interesting, Dave? Oh, God, I know I was just waiting for it. Now, let me just say, I know. We've made a lot of jokes on this on the show, but I've got a confession.

Dave, you're crying? Yes. Hey. I have to come out and say that I am not a Nazi sympathiser. What? What do you? I know we've been playing along with it. We made a joke very early on, and I've had to play this character that's been dictated to me.

Dave, don't fuck with me on this. We've been talking about this for 86 weeks. No, I'm sorry, I've got to come out. I'm coming out of the closet, the Nazi closet. I'm not a Nazi. You know, I always... I'm so confused. No, I always had my suspicions that he was going along with it for our benefit.

Why would you go along with it if you weren't just right into it? He's brave. And Dave, I just want you to know that, regardless of this new news, that you are not a Nazi sympathizer. Thank you. That's the truth. I just want you to know that I love and accept you. still respect me? Absolutely.

I'm still funny. If not. Without this little gimmick. I think I accept you and respect you more. For not being a Nazi? Yeah. No, to be honest, looking back, there were signs. There were signs when you would make, we would make the jokes and he would protest.

Was that the sign for you? No, there were just times where he definitely could have shown signs of upholding the Reich, and he didn't. He chose to be more. He did show love a lot of times when he could have shown hate And I should have probably thought then That maybe he isn't who we thought he was after all Yeah

So I mean this is exciting time So let's move forward then With our chaplain report And now Dave The fun part is If more Hitler references come up You get to bloody pile on with us Great, I fucking hate that guy

Yay! Nobody likes Hitler What a dick bag Am I right? I'm sorry? Do you see it? Do you see it now? Yeah, but I mean, was Hitler back? The man becomes the Nazi on the show. Please take this burden.

Was he, though? Yeah, let's share it around. We'll take a year, 86 episodes each of being the sympathizer. I love that. Anyway, guys, anyway, so the physical resemblance, obviously, between them, supplied the plot for Chaplin's next film The Great Dictator, which directly satirised Hitler and attacked fascism.

I mean, mate, you're a slapstick actor and you're really taken on the big issues. And I respect that. Also quite ironic, he's attacking fascism. Yeah. Good one. He spent two years developing the script and filming started in September of 1939,

six days after Britain declared war on Germany. He had finally given it into years, using spoken dialogue, partly out of acceptance that he had no other choice. But now he's going to speak German. Yeah, but also because he recognised it as a better method for delivering a political message. Is there anything but spoken dialogue? I guess there is, right? So the written stuff on the screen, that's the dialogue.

Of course. Spoken dialogue sounded really funny. Yeah. Yeah, duh. Yeah, the Academy Award for Best Script displayed on the screen. Well, yeah, because before there would have been. You know when it came up with the title screens? Yeah.

Yeah. That's still dialogue. And he thought for a little while that that was going to see off soundies. This is all we need. This is all we need. Amazing. I wonder what he thought about colour. Because there were people when colour came in, they said the same. They're like, it's a fad.

Yeah, probably right. Yeah. Genuinely. Yeah, they did. It's so funny. And making it easier to call people on the other side of the world. Bullshit, that'll never happen. Why would you want to do that?

People won't adopt to that. Cheaper phone bills. Good one, mate. We're happy paying $600 a month. Apparently, people thought mobile phones would never take off. Definitely. Well, they were just for business people. That's right.

Yeah. And then they had no idea that teenage kids... We're bloody, I'm on them all day, mate. I'm on it right now. Just tapping away. Tap it, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. I'm always on... I'm hacking the mainframe.

Some people still think that vaccines are a fad. That's true. They won't take off. All right, let's not get into Apple. own political opinions here. Dave's about to do another hot take. Here we go. My hot take is that you should definitely vaccinate your child

and if you don't, you're wrong. We've just lost 25% of our audience. I don't know why I picked a 25%. That's pretty high. It is. You guys seem reasonable. That's higher than standard. Anyway, making a comedy about Hitler was seen as highly controversial, but Chaplin's financial independence allowed him to take the risk.

He was like, whatever. He was determined to go ahead. This is so good. This is such a good quote. He goes, I was determined to go ahead. For Hitler must be laughed. at. Probably didn't say quite that

try and believe but I think that's pretty funny. And I agree. We should laugh at that name. Yes, we should. Yay! But not laugh at me. So Chaplin replaced the tramp

but wore similar attire with a Jewish barber who was a reference to the Nazi party's belief that he was Jewish. For some reason, the Nazis thought Charlie Chaplin was Jewish. So he created this character as a response to that.

In a dual performance, he also played the dictator Adenoid Heinkel Who parodied Hitler Sorry, I was laughing at Adenoid Yeah, Ad, first letters, Adolf Adanoid? Hitler Hinkle. Hinkle. Very good. It took me a while to crack the code.

But also, wasn't Hitler a fan of Charlie Chaplin Before this movie came out? I heard that he was hurt by it. Oh, really? Yeah, he was like, Oh, no, I just sympathized to be with him. Oh, no! I can see how easily you fall into the trail. I thought that was kind of cute.

I was like, oh, he was offended by it. That's how he gets you. Much like everyone else was offended by everything you did or stood for. So, okay. I'm just, aw, because I imagine, like, a little cartoon, like, kid Hitler. Like, g-g-law. Guys. Mine friend.

I can see the cogs ticking in your head, like, joke, joke. There's a joke here. I can't get it. There it is. Boom. The film generated a huge amount of publicity. A critic for the New York Times, calling it the most eagerly awaited picture of the year.

And it was one of the biggest money-making, money-makers of the era. Made a lot of cash. A lot of scrella. The ending was unpopular, though, and generated a lot of controversy itself as well. Chaplin ended the film with a five-minute speech in which he abandoned his barbac

character, look directly into the camera and pleaded against war and fascism. I don't know I find that funny. She's like breaking character and just barrel the camera. Just have a rant for a second. Have you seen it? It's quite a long rant as well. Five minutes? Yeah. That's a long rant.

That is a long rant. She says over an hour into the podcast. The Great Dictator received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor. In the mid-40s, Chaplin was involved in a series of trials that occupied most of time and significantly affected his public image. The trouble stemmed from his affair with an aspiring actress named Joan Barry, with whom who was involved intermittently between 1941 and the autumn of 42.

Barry, who displayed obsessive behaviour and was twice arrested after they separated, reappeared the following year and announced that she was pregnant with Chaplin's child. This just keeps up happening. He is a fertile little bugger, isn't he? How old was she? Um, I don't, I'm not 100% sure, but she was. not a teenager Coe.

Chaplin denied that the child was his and she filed a paternity suit against him. This is a bit strange. The director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, who'd long been suspicious of Chaplin's political leanings.

Oh, he was crazy, though. He suspected everyone. He used the opportunity to generate negative publicity about Charlie Chaplin. So he's like, aha. Ah, I've got to you.

I've got to you. Chaplin. I don't know why he has that. He's a super villain. He's a super villain voice. So Barry's child, Carol Ann, was born in October of 44, and the paternity suit went to court the following Feb. After two arduous trials,

Chaplin was declared to be the father. Evidence from blood tests, which indicated otherwise, were not admissible, and the judge ordered Chaplin to pay child support until Carol Ann turned 21. So they were still... Yeah. What are they doing it before DNA?

Yeah. Looks like you? It's a boy, so are you. Yeah. Who are you getting in there as witnesses and stuff? No, it was so, it was, there was, um, there were blood tests. But they weren't shown, so they weren't. That indicated he wasn't the dad.

Yeah, but they weren't, they were inadmissible. Yeah. Or whatever the word meaning. Yeah, isn't that weird? Yeah, so, I mean, what was the trial about if they weren't using science? I don't know. I don't know. I also love that Jay Edgar Hoover is suspicious of his leanings,

even though he's done a five-minute rant against fascism at the end of his film. Oh, yeah, maybe that's what he was suspicious. Maybe he thought he was a commie. Hmm. Media coverage of the paternity suit was influenced by the FBI, as information was fed to the prominent gossip columnist, Hedahopper, fucking good name, and Charlie was portrayed in an overwhelmingly critical light.

So this was really damaging for him. Oh, poor thing. The controversy surrounding Chaplin increased when two weeks after the paternity suit was filed, it was announced that he had married his newest protégé, 18-year-old Una O'Neill, daughter of the American playwright Eugene O'Neill. Oh, wow.

Chaplin, then 54, had been introduced to her by a film agent seven months earlier. In his autobiography... When she was 17. Charlie described meeting her as the happiest event of my life and claimed to have found perfect love, brutal to the four ex-wives. Chaplain's son, Charles Jr., reported that Una

worshipped his father. The couple remained married until Chaplin's death and had eight children over 18 years. Eight more children. So he was a fan also of her father. Yeah. Eugene O'Neill. I think so, yeah. Yeah. Wow. You know Eugene O'Neill? Yeah, he wrote a long day's journey into night, which I think is one of the best

plays I've ever read. Oh, cool. I think he's a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner. Dave, you watch plays, you don't read him, this guy. He's so embarrassing, isn't he? Chaplin claimed that the Barry trial had crippled his creativeness I mean he keeps blaming lack of creativity on anybody else

like mate just own it sometimes we all go through ruts Get in the House of Mirrors bud Yeah come on man And it was some time before he began working again In April of 46 he finally began He finally began filming a project That had been in development for a couple of years

It was called Monsieur Vaudot And it was a black comedy of the story of a French bank clerk who loses his job and begins marrying and murdering wealthy widows to support his family. It sounds hilarious. So funny.

Well, his inspiration for the project came from Orson Wells, who wanted him to star in a film about the French serial killer, Henri Desiree, Landreux, I'm sorry. Live. Olai. Desrye.

Oh, life. Live. Do, do, do, do. That's who it's about. Um, Chaplin decided that the concept would make a wonderful comedy and he paid Orson Welles $5,000 for the idea. There you go, awesome. Wow.

Isn't that kind of cool? I think that's the main reason I wanted to keep that video is because I like that. Yeah, that's cool. He just bought the idea of Orson Wells. I like that idea. He's five grand. Okay. All right.

Have fun. Um, because he mentioned, you should do a movie about this guy. That's a great idea. I'd be pitching him ideas all the time. All the time. Just think he picks one. Especially when he's in this rut of lack of creativity, he'd be taking anything. Yeah.

And he's like, here's a hundred grand. You're like, thank you. Thanks, deal. See you. Again, he used this film to vocalise his political views and he criticized capitalism and argued. That's right. Criticized capitalism after paying $5,000 for a one-sentence idea. Very good.

Fight the power. Part the power. Because of this, the film met with controversy when it was released in April of 1947 and he was booed at the premier and there were calls for a boycott. Who goes to the premier to boo? I don't know. It was the first

chaplain release that sort of failed both critically and commercially in the US. It was more successful abroad but it had definitely still affected his reputation in the States but the screenplay was still nominated at the Academy Awards. So it's like it was critically

and everyone was like this sucks but it still got nominated. In 72 Dave was saying that he helped set up the Academy Awards right I think that he was Well United Artists That group Like Douglas Fairbanks

Yeah people on the inside I skipped over a section Here where And don't Don't ask me For the exact details But basically he was denied re-entry Into the States at one point

And didn't go Back for like 20 years I'm afraid I'm going to need exact details. Ah, I said, don't. It was just like there was already so much information. I'd grabbed so much. I was like, this report is going to go for 17 years if I don't just sort of skip ahead. Right.

So he's kicked out. Yeah, he was kicked out of the States. 20 years. Yeah. How long does he live? Well, in 1972, the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences offered Chaplain an honorary award, which was sort of seen as America wanting to make amends because they, America kind of turned their back on him a little bit.

and that's why obviously he was denied re-entry and he just stayed away. So he was initially hesitant about accepting, but he decided to return to the US for the first time in 20 years. The visit attracted a large amount of press coverage, and at the Academy Awards gala, he was given a 12-minute standing ovation. That's too long. Man, I'd hate it. I'd want to sit down. Sounds awful.

12 minutes. That doesn't sound right. It's the longest in the Academy's history. 12 minutes. You know they play you up after 25 seconds. That should be the longest in... History. This is before they were

televising it, I'm guessing. Imagine just what... We're going to go to a break and we'll be back with more standing ovation in just a few minutes. There's footage of it. I saw it on... Jesus.

I saw it on YouTube. He was, like, visibly emotional. He makes an acceptance speech. He accepted his award for the incalculable effect he had... He has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century. That's the name of the award?

No, that's just sort of the reason they gave him the award. Don't be a fucking smarter. No, it's weird. Yeah, it's just, uh, when the award was just honorary award. Yeah. So I want to, I want to touch on a couple extra things and I'll talk a little bit about his legacy, but we're, the end is near, boys. By October of 1977, Chaplin's health had declined to the point that he needed constant care.

In the early morning of the 25th of December, 1977, Chaplin died at home after suffering a stroke in his sleep. He was 88 years old. Wow, it's a long time. He lived to 88. The funeral, which was a couple of days later on the 27th, was a small and private Anglican ceremony. This is, I just find this a little bit weird. On the 1st of March 78, so a year after he'd, not even actually,

a couple of months after he died, his coffin was dug up and stolen from its grove by two unemployed immigrants, Roman Wardus from Poland and Gansho Genev from Bulgaria. The body was held for ransom. in an attempt to extort money from Una Chaplin. The pair were caught in a large police operation in May and Chaplin's coffin was found buried in a field in the nearby village of Noville.

It was reinterred in the cemetery where it had been found and it was reinforced by concrete. People stole his coffin. That's weird. For ransom. But only a couple months after they'd buried him. It's weird. He was already dead.

He's not going to be able to pay that ransom. They have not thought this through. They're just knocking on. on the coffin. Ready to pay up yet? We'll put you back in the ground. We just need 10 million. No answer.

God, he's stubborn. God, he's played this game before. He is a silent man after all. He hates capitalism. He's a silent man. I'll talk a little bit about his legacy to end with. Fun legacy facts?

In 1998, the film critic Andrew Saris called Chaplin, arguably the single most important artist produced by the cinema. Certainly, it's most extraordinary performer and probably still its most universal icon. The image of the tramp has become a part of cultural history, so according to Simon LeVish, the character is recognisable to people who have never seen a chaplain film and in places

where his films were never shown. So the tramp is, obviously his most famous, most famous work. Memorabilia connected to the character still fetches large sums in auctions. In 2006, a bowler hat and bamboo cane that were part of the tramp's costume were bought for $140,000 in the Los Angeles auction. Wow, and he hated capitalism. In the 21st century, several of Chaplin's films are still regarded as classics and among the greatest ever made.

The 2012 site and sound poll, which compiles the top 10 ballots from film critics and directors to determine each group's most acclaimed films, saw City Lights rank amongst the critics' top 50, modern times inside the top 100, and the great dictator and the gold rush placed in the top 250. that's kind of cool in other tributes a minor planet was discovered in 1981

and named after him it's called 3623 Chaplin that's pretty cool why you got a planet named after him a planet named after him from the film industry

chaplain received a special golden lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1972 and a lifetime achievement award from the Lincoln Center Film Society the same year the latter has since been

presented annually to filmmakers as the Chaplin so it's now named after him He was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1972, having previously been excluded because of his political beliefs. But then they were like, we'll turn a blind eye. So the political beliefs were the anti-capitalism comedy stuff? He was some sort of a commie?

I guess so. Political beliefs. Or was it that he was anti-Hitler? It was that stance he took in the Great Dictator. They're like, not on. Come on, mate. This is not how Hollywood behaves. So that is the story of Charles Spencer Chaplin.

Well done, Jess. What a fascinating but also luckily controversial life. Yeah. Yeah, it was a real eyepener. Yeah, I didn't realize I hated him until tonight. Yeah, me either. But now I do. Yeah.

Yay. Yeah, I glad he's dead. The more you know. Now, of course, we'd like to thank everyone that listens to the show and anyone that's listened to this point. Also, we'd like to say a personal thank you to the people that support us at Patreon, patreon.com slash dogo on pod. People that keep the show running with their

monthly subscription. We appreciate that. You get bonus episodes. And we'd like to say a personal thank you now. Jess, you want to thank anyone? Anyone come to mind? Absolutely. Thank you so much for asking. One of my favorite listeners of ours is somebody that I would really like to thank this week. I'm glad that you're finally getting a chance to do this because I know this has been weighing on your mind and your heart.

Yeah, mostly my heart, to be honest. And I'm looking forward to the feeling of relief. And I would really like to send a very special thank you to the one, the only, Kevin Spradlin. That's a Spradlin. That's a Spradlin. You better believe. So thank you, Kevin.

for your undying support. You know where Kevin's from? Where? Louisville, Kentucky. Ooh. I don't know heaps about it, but it's a great name that I've heard a lot. I think it maybe is where the Kentucky Derby's from. Kevin can confirm or deny.

Maybe also where the herbs and spices are from. Yes, very good. What do you mean very good? How dare you? Oh my God, I can't win with you. Mike, do you want to... If I may, I mean, do we have time? Hurry up and do it.

Maybe one more. Okay, if we've got time for one more, that's great. Because I'd really like, only if we have enough time to give me a chance to thank this listener in the right manner. Oh. And that is with a big thank you to Eve Newton. She's a local Melbourneite. Eve. Which isn't what we're called.

What do we call? Melbourneians. What are we called? Eve, come on down. We'll get some pasta. What? Just an offer I'd like to extend. Okay.

Just for pasta? What if she doesn't want to get... What if she feels more like Mexican food? Well, she fucked it. Okay. Eve, the offer is for pastor and pastor only. What type of pasta? Are you going to dictate what type of pasta she gets to eat?

Penet only. Penet what type of sauce? No sauce. Just penh. I'm not rich. Eve, don't come. Are you calling that? Is that is Panay only your Newton's law?

Oh, that sucks. I'll stop it. That sucked. Isaac Newton's fourth law was that you have to have. Pen A. With no source. Pen A. Thanks, Dave.

Thanks for taking that in the right spirit. Jess. Yep. You can get fucked. Okay. Dave, you got anyone you want to thank? Well, to round out the episode, the best name of the week. No offense to Eve.

How dare you? Or Spradland, which is also two great names. But I would like to say, very on brand. I'd like to think that they changed the. their name via deed poll before they committed to being a Patreon supporter. And I would like to say very big thank you to Matt Keene in brackets for Paine. Is he really, is that how he spells his name? No, he does not.

But I imagine from now on, all these work buddies must call you Matt Keene for Paine. Because we appreciate... No, Dave, that's bullying. What about mustard keen? Oh, there we go. Mustard Keene for Paine? Oh, he's... That's a good compromise.

Matt, I think you'll agree that if you turn to Mastard, you'll be bullied a lot. place. Keene has mustard for pain. But thank you so much for being part of the Patreon, Matt. Appreciate that a lot. Matt, what a gun. Good, everyone. Thank you so much.

Matt Kane is a great name, Matthew Kane. Thanks everyone for listening. And we seem to be very, very, very close to this tattoo goal that we have on Patreon. If we get to 2,000 a month, we will get a tattoo on either Jess or Matt. You get to vote. Who gets a tattoo? And if Matt is the winner, you get to vote for what tattoo we get. I've been having second thoughts about this.

I imagine you have. As it creeps closer, it looked like it was a goal that was way out into the future. This is years off. You're an idiot. Nah. Hey, vote for Jess. Because I think she really wants this tattoo. I really want it.

So why not do something nice? They're not going to do something nice. They're going to put you in a fucked situation. No, I disagree. We're not there yet. We're not getting ahead of ourselves. We're not at the goal. But if you would like to contribute, we will be very, very close.

And of course, the ultimate goal of a US tour. Oh, man. Man, we'd love to do that. Ooh, baby. Louis. Louisville. Louisville. Every day.

Yeah, yeah. God, he always trumps us for that deep, deep voice. Well, as they sing you to sleep, ladies and gentlemen, I'll say thank you for listening. Matt will be back with a report next week. And until then, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. The links are in the description of the podcast, but it's at do go on pod for everything. And do go on pod at gmail.com. If you want to email us, Matthew.

Hey, Jess. Yes, Matt. When you start the music at the end, can you make it start now? Dum-dum-da-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum. That'd be really great if you could. No problem. Thanks, heaps. All right, guys, until next week, I will say goodbye.

Later. Bye. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit PlanetBcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. I mean, if you want. It's up to you. Don't forget to sign up to our tour mailing list so we know where in the world you are and we can come and tell you when we're coming there. Wherever we go, we always hear six months later, oh, you should come to Manchester.

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