Breve biografia di Charlie Chaplin

(Intermediate)

La cara figura del piccolo vagabondo ancora oggi è immediatamente riconoscibile ed ha fatto ridere e commuovere milioni di persone.

In un’indagine condotta nel 1995 tra i critici cinematografici di tutto il mondo, Chaplin è stato votato il più grande attore della storia del cinema.
Grande interprete della natura umana, dei suoi pregi e delle sue contraddizioni, Chaplin ha portato sullo schermo personaggi umili e coraggiosi, veri eroi della modernità.

10 Facts about Charlie Chaplin

(in honor of his birthday, April 16, 1889)

1) Charlie Spencer Chaplin was born 122 years ago in London, England.

2) He was one of the most famous actors, directors, and composers of the silent film generation.

3) He was married four times and had eleven children. His fourth and last wife, Oona O’Neill, was Eugene O’Neill’s daughter.

4) Sadly, Chaplin’s mother suffered from insanity and was committed to Cane Hill Asylum in May of 1903.

5) In April 1919, Chaplin, along with Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and D.W. Griffith, founded United Artists.

6) He is best known for his character The Tramp, who was a vagabond with the demeanor (comportamento) of an English gentleman and who wore a black derby (bombetta) hat, baggy pants (pantaloni ampi), a tight-fitting (attillato) coat, and large, clownish (buffo; da pagliaccio) shoes. He walked in a silly manner with a cane (bastone da passeggio).

7) Chaplin’s life was filled with controversy, particularly of a political nature. As a result of America’s Cold War paranoia, the US government considered him a threat (minaccia) to national security.

When he traveled to London in 1952 for the premier of his film Limelight, he was refused re-entry upon his return and denied (negato) the right to live in the United States. In 1972, despite objections by J. Edgar Hoover, Chaplin was allowed to return to the United States in order to receive a special award (premio) from the Academy of Motion Pictures.