1889–1913: Early years Charlie Chaplin

1 1889–1913: years

1.1 background , childhood hardship
1.2 young performer
1.3 stage comedy , vaudeville

1889–1913: years
background , childhood hardship

charles spencer chaplin born on 16 april 1889 hannah chaplin (born hannah harriet pedlingham hill) , charles chaplin sr. there no official record of birth, although chaplin believed born @ east street, walworth, in south london. mother , father had married 4 years previously, @ time charles sr. became legal carer of hannah s illegitimate son, sydney john hill. @ time of birth, chaplin s parents both music hall entertainers. hannah, daughter of shoemaker, had brief , unsuccessful career under stage name lily harley, while charles sr., butcher s son, popular singer. although never divorced, chaplin s parents estranged around 1891. following year, hannah gave birth third son – george wheeler dryden – fathered music hall entertainer leo dryden. child taken dryden @ 6 months old, , did not re-enter chaplin s life 30 years.

seven-year-old chaplin (lower centre) @ central london district school paupers, 1897

chaplin s childhood fraught poverty , hardship, making eventual trajectory dramatic of rags riches stories ever told according authorised biographer david robinson. chaplin s years spent mother , brother sydney in london district of kennington; hannah had no means of income, other occasional nursing , dressmaking, , chaplin sr. provided no financial support. situation deteriorated, chaplin sent lambeth workhouse when 7 years old. council housed him @ central london district school paupers, chaplin remembered forlorn existence . briefly reunited mother 18 months later, before hannah forced readmit family workhouse in july 1898. boys promptly sent norwood schools, institution destitute children.

– chaplin on childhood

in september 1898, hannah committed cane hill mental asylum – had developed psychosis seemingly brought on infection of syphilis , malnutrition. 2 months there, chaplin , brother sydney sent live father, whom young boys scarcely knew. charles sr. severe alcoholic, , life there bad enough provoke visit national society prevention of cruelty children. chaplin s father died 2 years later, @ 38 years old, cirrhosis of liver.

hannah entered period of remission but, in may 1903, became ill again. chaplin, 14, had task of taking mother infirmary, sent cane hill. lived alone several days, searching food , sleeping rough, until sydney – had enrolled in navy 2 years earlier – returned. hannah released asylum 8 months later, in march 1905, illness returned, time permanently. there nothing accept poor mother s fate , chaplin later wrote, , remained in care until death in 1928.

young performer

a teenage chaplin in play sherlock holmes, in appeared between 1903 , 1906

between time in poor schools , mother succumbing mental illness, chaplin began perform on stage. later recalled making first amateur appearance @ age of 5 years, when took on hannah 1 night in aldershot. isolated occurrence, time 9 chaplin had, mother s encouragement, grown interested in performing. later wrote: [she] imbued me feeling had sort of talent . through father s connections, chaplin became member of 8 lancashire lads clog-dancing troupe, whom toured english music halls throughout 1899 , 1900. chaplin worked hard, , act popular audiences, not satisfied dancing , wished form comedy act.

in years chaplin touring 8 lancashire lads, mother ensured still attended school but, age 13, had abandoned education. supported himself range of jobs, while nursing ambition become actor. @ 14, shortly after mother s relapse, registered theatrical agency in london s west end. manager sensed potential in chaplin, promptly given first role newsboy in harry arthur saintsbury s jim, romance of cockayne. opened in july 1903, show unsuccessful , closed after 2 weeks. chaplin s comic performance, however, singled out praise in many of reviews.

saintsbury secured role chaplin in charles frohman s production of sherlock holmes, played billy pageboy in 3 nationwide tours. performance received called london play role alongside william gillette, original holmes. tidings heaven , chaplin recalled. @ 16 years old, chaplin starred in play s west end production @ duke of york s theatre october december 1905. completed 1 final tour of sherlock holmes in 1906, before leaving play after more two-and-a-half years.

stage comedy , vaudeville

chaplin found work new company, , went on tour brother – pursuing acting career – in comedy sketch called repairs. in may 1906, chaplin joined juvenile act casey s circus, developed popular burlesque pieces , star of show. time act finished touring in july 1907, 18-year-old had become accomplished comedic performer. struggled find more work, however, , brief attempt @ solo act failure.

advertisement chaplin s american tour fred karno comedy company, 1913

meanwhile, sydney chaplin had joined fred karno s prestigious comedy company in 1906 and, 1908, 1 of key performers. in february, managed secure two-week trial younger brother. karno wary, , considered chaplin pale, puny, sullen-looking youngster looked shy in theatre. however, teenager made impact on first night @ london coliseum , signed contract. chaplin began playing series of minor parts, progressing starring roles in 1909. in april 1910, given lead in new sketch, jimmy fearless. big success, , chaplin received considerable press attention.

karno selected new star join section of company, 1 included stan laurel, toured north america s vaudeville circuit. young comedian headed show , impressed reviewers, being described 1 of best pantomime artists ever seen here . successful role drunk called inebriate swell , drew him significant recognition. tour lasted 21 months, , troupe returned england in june 1912. chaplin recalled had disquieting feeling of sinking depressing commonplaceness , was, therefore, delighted when new tour began in october.

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