5 Surprising Facts About Charlie Chaplin

Surprising Facts About Charlie Chaplin That Will Amaze You!

We think we all knew Charlie Chaplin inside out. Right? Be it his first stage appearance as a child to his rise as a silent film legend, these surprising facts will show a side of him you’ve never seen before.

Charlie Chaplin as a tot

At just five, Chaplin replaced his mother on stage after her voice failed mid-performance before a rowdy crowd. Singing “Jack Jones,” he charmed the audience, who tossed coins that he cheekily collected before continuing. His playful imitation of his mother’s strained voice earned huge laughs. Soon, he joined a clog-dancing troupe, acted in theatre, and toured with vaudeville shows.

Chaplin played the same character

Before his second movie, Chaplin put together a quirky costume; baggy pants, tight coat, small bowler hat, cane, and a tiny mustache and began strutting around the set. The studio boss loved it, telling him to use that look in his next film. Thus was born the “Little Tramp,” a character that quickly became world-famous.

Chaplin loathed his first film

In 1913, Keystone Studios hired Chaplin for $150 a week, leading to his debut in Making a Living (1914). Playing a slick con artist with a top hat and monocle, he managed a few laughs but was disappointed by his own work. He later said he looked “stiff” and ruined scenes by anticipating his movements. Chaplin blamed the director for jealousy and for cutting his best bits.

Chaplin partly grew up in an orphanage

When Chaplin’s mother fell ill and money ran out, he and his half-brother were sent to a public boarding school for “orphans and destitute children.” He stayed there about 18 months, the longest education he ever had, where he learned to read and write but endured strict discipline, including caning and a head shave due to ringworm.

Chaplin quickly became a millionaire

By 1914, Chaplin’s fame soared. He moved to Essanay Studios for $1,250 a week plus a $10,000 bonus, then signed with Mutual Film Corporation for $670,000 a year, one of Hollywood’s biggest salaries. Soon after, he inked a $1 million deal with First National and co-founded United Artists in 1919 alongside Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and D.W. Griffith. Chaplin once admitted, “I went into the business for money, and the art grew out of it.”