#Fact1Four years after Chaplin's death, Ukrainian astronomer Lyudmila Karachkina named an asteroid after him. Ms. Karachkina, discoverer of 131 asteroids, named one of them 3623 Chaplin. It resides in the asteroid "belt" between Mars and Jupiter and appears as a magnitude 12.1 object, making it visible in a moderately strong telescope.2When he was 13 years old in London, he went into the Crown Public House in Borough, and asked the landlord for a glass of water. The landlord, it turned out, was the serial killer George Chapman, who poisoned his three wives. Obviously Chaplin didn't know it nor did he know that Chapman's victim Maud was upstairs in the throes of death while Chaplin was downstairs. He didn't drink the water. Chapman--also known as Seweryn Antonowicz Klosowski, his original Polish name--was also a suspect in the murders committed by the serial killer known as Jack the Ripper. He was known as the "Borough poisoner".3In the Serbian capital of Belgrade there is a street called Charles Chaplin (ser. "Carlija Caplina").4He died the day before director Howard Hawks.5He was nominated for writing, acting, directing, and producing The Circus (1928), in the first Academy Awards. However, they removed him from the competition and gave him a special award for "acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus." And they wrote a letter to Chaplin stating that he merited a placement "in a class" by himself.6Although Chaplin was naturally unable to compose synchronized musical scores to his films until the advent of sound films (beginning with City Lights (1931), he is said to have provided several prominent film theaters with sheets of self-composed music to be played by orchestras to his films at least as far back as 1921, beginning with The Kid (1921).7His favorite composer is reported to have been Richard Wagner (1813-83).8In 2011 his family found a letter from a man in England named Jack Hill, in a locked drawer of a bureau left behind after Chaplin's death. It claimed Chaplin had been born in a caravan that belonged to the Gypsy Queen, who was Hill's aunt, in a Roma community near Birmingham in central England.9He died only 29 days before his The Great Dictator (1940) co-star Jack Oakie.10Pictured as his Little Tramp character on a Vatican City commemorative postage stamp celebrating the 125th anniversary of his birth (1889), issued 8 May 2014. Price on the day of issue was EUR0.70.11Although they both came to the US with Fred Karno's troupe and shared a room together while with the show, Chaplin does not mention Stan Laurel even once in his autobiography.12Was aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht when producer/director Thomas H. Ince died under mysterious circumstances. The incident was the subject of The Cat's Meow (2001). The story given the most credence--although never proven--is that Hearst discovered Chaplin and Marion Davies, who was Hearst's mistress, having sex in a cabin. Hearst pulled out a gun and chased Chaplin onto the deck. He fired at Chaplin but hit and killed Ince instead.13He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6751 Hollywood Blvd. on April 10, 1972.14As of 2011 he is the only person to receive a 12-minute standing ovation at the Academy Awards when he appeared to accept an honorary award "for the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century". It is the longest in the history of the Academy Awards.15Spent some of his spare time in the tiny village of Waterville on the southern tip of Ireland. There is a life-sized statue of Chaplin on the edge of a waterfront park in the village.16His salary quickly rose during the Teens from $150 per week in 1913 for Keystone to $1250 per week at Essanay to $10,000 per week with a $150,000 bonus at Mutual to $150,000 per film in 1918 at First National.17He was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1975 Queen's New Year's Honours List.18While visiting Winston Churchill in England in 1937, Chaplin found him studying newspapers and looking worried. When Chaplin asked what was disturbing him, Churchill replied, "Germany". Chaplin made some airy remark to try to dismiss the subject, but Churchill replied, "No, no, it's quite serious".19Once played Sherlock Holmes in a one-act play.20He directed and starred in four of the American Film Institute's 100 Funniest Movies: The Gold Rush (1925) at #25, Modern Times (1936) at #33, The Great Dictator (1940) at #37 and City Lights (1931) at #38.21Cinematic genius that he was, he never won an Academy Award in an acting category, his only Oscar victory being in the capacity of composer.22He remained in remarkably good physical and mental shape for most of his life, still playing tennis regularly well into his 70s and working constantly. However, after the completion of what turned out to be his last film, A Countess from Hong Kong (1967), his health began to visibly deteriorate.23One of the last movies he saw (and very much enjoyed) was Rocky (1976).24He was born four days before Adolf Hitler.25In 1934 he was scheduled to serve as best man at broadcaster Alistair Cooke's marriage to Ruth Emerson (Ruth Emerson Cooke), but never showed. Reputedly, he and wife-to-be Paulette Goddard were having such a good time at Southern California's Lake Arrowhead, they decided to stay.26According to his daughter Geraldine Chaplin, in the last years of his life Chaplin began to worry that he might not be remembered after his death. This was a major reason why he allowed his trademark character The Little Tramp to appear on several commercial products in the 1970s.27The fact that neither City Lights (1931) nor Modern Times (1936), two of Chaplin's most beloved and acclaimed movies, were nominated for a single Academy Award has puzzled many. One explanation could be that Chaplin expressed disdain for the Academy Awards early on; according to his son Charles Chaplin Jr., for a time Chaplin even used the Honorary Award he won in 1929 as a doorstop. However, apparently, his view on the Awards changed with time, as he accepted and seemed touched by his second Honorary Award in 1972.28His father, with whom he lived for only a brief period of time in his childhood while his mother was committed to a mental asylum, died as the result of alcohol abuse at 37, when Charlie was 12.29Was an agnostic who believed in some sort of "Supreme Force", according to his son Charles Chaplin Jr.'s autobiography, "My Father, Charlie Chaplin".30First actor to be nominated for a single Academy Award (Best Actor) for a film in which he was credited as portraying two different characters. In The Great Dictator (1940), he played a Jewish barber--a variation of his Little Tramp character--and Adenoid Hynkel, his version of Adolf Hitler.31When Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle was unable to find work after his infamous trial, Chaplin supported him out of his own pocket.32His mother was so poor, she was once forced to pawn her son's spare clothes. She was also in and out of mental hospitals throughout her life.33Once worked as a butler in England, a job he enjoyed. He was fired after he was caught playing a trumpet he had found in his employer's attic.34His film The Great Dictator (1940) was banned in Germany.35Marlon Brando played the starring role in Chaplin's last movie A Countess from Hong Kong (1967) in 1966. While Brando had always greatly admired Chaplin's work and looked upon him as "probably the most talented man the [movie] medium has ever produced", the two superstars did not get along during the shooting. In his autobiography, Brando described Chaplin as "probably the most sadistic man I'd ever met." Chaplin, on his side, said that working with Brando simply was "impossible".36He loved to play tennis, but described golf as "a game I can't stand".37His trademark character The Tramp appeared in about 70 movies, shorts and features, during a period of 26 years, from the one-reeler Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914) to his triumphant feature The Great Dictator (1940).38After finishing his last film A Countess from Hong Kong (1967) in 1966, he composed the music to many of his silent movies, among them The Circus (1928) in 1968, The Kid (1921) in 1971 and A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923) in 1976.39Up until his last few movies, he never shot with a working script. He would start with a story in his mind and constantly retool it, often shooting hours of scenes that wouldn't make the final cut until he was satisfied. He spent his nights during filming, critiquing the rushes with his assistant directors. Consequently compared to the major studio's films, he spent months/years and excessive amounts of money on his productions. He often said though he would not release any of his films until he was 100% satisfied with the result.40Composed about 500 melodies, including "Smile" and "This Is My Song".41His performance as The Little Tramp in City Lights (1931) and a slew of other pictures is ranked #24 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.42Is portrayed in Sesame Street (1969) skits by Linda Bove (Linda) and Sonia Manzano (Maria).43His performance as The Tramp in City Lights (1931) is ranked #44 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).44Profiled in in J.A. Aberdeen's "Hollywood Renegades: The Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers". Palos Verdes Estates, CA: Cobblestone Entertainment.45Founder of United Artists along with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith.46Uncle of Spencer Dryden, drummer for the 1960s rock band Jefferson Airplane.47In all his years of living and working in the US, he never became a citizen.48Named the #10 Greatest Actor on The 50 Greatest Screen Legends list by the American Film Institute.49At the Golden Camera Awards 2005 in Berlin, Geraldine Chaplin told in a moving speech honoring Jerry Lewis about the last time she saw her father alive. He watched a movie of Lewis on television screaming "He's funny, that bastard!".50He and Buster Keaton had an interesting relationship. Long considered rivals but always having avoided commenting about each other in the press, Chaplin hired Keaton for a part in Limelight (1952). Keaton, who was flat broke at the time, went into a career decline after having been signed by MGM in 1928, as the studio would not let him improvise in any of his films nor allow him any writing or directorial input, and he was eventually reduced to writing gags--often uncredited--for other comedians' films. Chaplin, at this point, felt sorry for Keaton due to his hard luck, but Keaton recognized that, despite Charlie's better fortune and far greater wealth, he was (strangely) the more depressed of the two. In one scene in "Limelight", Chaplin's character was dying. While the camera was fading away, Keaton was muttering to Chaplin without moving his lips, "That's it, good, wait, don't move, wait, good, we're through." In his autobiography Keaton called Chaplin "the greatest silent comedian of all time".51Received an Honorary Oscar at The 44th Annual Academy Awards (1972). He appeared on stage blowing kisses to the Hollywood audience with tears running down his face while he received a long standing ovation. Ironically, he won another Oscar the following year.52Was 73 years old when his youngest son, Christopher Chaplin, was born.53Is mentioned in the song called "Facts of Life" from 2004.54He was voted the 9th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.55Called Battleship Potemkin (1925) his favorite movie.56Did not receive screen credit on the many comedies he made for Keystone in 1914-15, as it was studio policy not to credit its actors (any Keystone film that credits Chaplin is a reissue print). His first screen credit appeared on His New Job (1915), his first film for Essanay.57Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 115-124. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.58When Chaplin arrived in the US with the Fred Karno troupe on October 2, 1912, in his second trip to America, according to Ellis Island immigration records, he had $45 in his pocket. He listed his half brother Syd Chaplin, as his next of kin. Though his mother was still alive, she was in a mental hospital. Sailing with him was fellow Karno troupe member Arthur Stanley Jefferson--later to be known as Stan Laurel.59As a child, he was confined to a bed for weeks due to a serious illness. At night, his mother would sit at the window and act out what was going on outside. This was a major reason Chaplin became a comedian.60Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. Pg. 99-102. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 081602338761Although Adolf Hitler was not at all a huge fan--in fact, he had been misinformed that Charlie was Jewish, and therefore despised him--he was also well aware of how beloved Charlie was throughout the world at that time, and that was the reason he grew the Chaplin mustache: he thought it would endear him to the people.62His paternal grandparents were Spencer Chaplin, a butcher from St. Nicholas, Ipswich, Suffolk, and Ellen Elizabeth Smith, from Trimley St. Martin, Suffolk. His maternal grandparents were Charles Frederick Hill and Mary Ann Terry, of Newington, Surrey. His heritage was English and Irish.63His handprints, footprints and signature were immortalized in cement at Grauman's (now Mann's) Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, but after his fall from grace with the Americans because of his political views, the section of cement was removed from public view. It cannot be located and is now feared lost.64Was an accomplished musician who, in his later years, often reissued his silent films with scores he had composed himself.65Most people (now and during his lifetime) believe that Chaplin had brown eyes because they had only seen him in black and white with black eye makeup on. It fact they were very blue. Chaplin remarked in his autobiography that people meeting him for the first time were always struck by his blue eyes. And his future wife Oona Chaplin wrote "Just met Charlie Chaplin. What blue eyes he has!" to a girlhood friend in 1942.66Son-in-law of Eugene O'Neill.67Father-in-law of Jean-Baptiste Thiérrée.68In Spain he had a different dubbing actor in each of his sound films. They were: Ricard Solans for The Great Dictator (1940), Félix Acaso for Limelight (1952) and Joaquín Díaz for A King in New York (1957). The dubbing actor of Monsieur Verdoux (1947) is, at this time, unknown.69Pictured on one of 15 32¢ US commemorative postage stamps in the "Celebrate the Century" series, issued 3 February 1998, celebrating the 1910s.70Pictured (as Charlie Chaplin) on one of ten 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps celebrating stars of the silent screen, issued 27 April 1994. Designed by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld, this set of stamps also honored Rudolph Valentino, Clara Bow, Lon Chaney, John Gilbert, Zasu Pitts, Harold Lloyd, Theda Bara, Buster Keaton and the Keystone Kops.71After his body was recovered from grave robbers, it was reburied in a vault surrounded by cement.72He was also the first actor to have a comic strip about him; Ed Carey's 1916 strip, "Pa's Imported Son-in-Law", detailed the adventures of Chaplin.73On July 6, 1925, he became the first actor to appear on the cover of Time magazine.74His bowler and cane was sold for $150,000 in 1987.75Invented his tramp costume with the help of Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle's pants. Arbuckle's father-in-law's derby, Chester Conklin's cutaway, Ford Sterling's size-14 shoes, the diminutive Charles Avery's jacket, and some crepe paper belonging to Mack Swain (which became the tramp's mustache). The only item that actually belonged to Chaplin was the whangee cane.76Cooking was not allowed in the boarding house where Stan Laurel and Chaplin stayed, so he would play the violin to cover up the sound of Laurel frying up food on a hot plate.77When both Stan Laurel and Chaplin moved to America they shared a room in a boarding house.78Stan Laurel was his understudy on the English stage.79A much-repeated story claims that he once entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest and finished third! In some versions of the story, he came in second.80Following his death, he was interred at Corsier-Sur-Vevey Cemetery in Corsier-Sur-Vevey, Switzerland.81In her book, "Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin", Joyce Milton asserts that Vladimir Nabokov's controversial classic, "Lolita", was inspired by Chaplin's relationship with Lita Grey. On the 100th anniversary of Chaplin's birth, celebrations were held in Corsier and Vevey, Switzerland, where he last lived. For the occasion, 100 children from the region performed a choreography dressed up as little tramps.82He was subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Council (HUAC) in September 1947, but his appearance was postponed three times, and he never appeared. He sent HUAC a telegram stating "I am not a Communist, neither have I ever joined any political party or organization in my life." HUAC determined that it was no longer needed for him to appear.83Father, with Oona Chaplin, of Geraldine Chaplin (born August 1, 1944), Michael Chaplin (born March 7, 1946) Josephine Chaplin (born March 28, 1949), Victoria Chaplin (born May 19, 1951), Eugene Chaplin (born August 23, 1953), Jane Chaplin (born May 23, 1957), Annette Emily Chaplin (born December 3, 1959) and Christopher Chaplin (born July 8, 1962).84First wife, Mildred Harris was the mother of his first child, a son named Norman Spencer (born July 7, 1919). The baby, who was nicknamed "The Little Mouse", was born with severe disabilities and lived only three days.85Father of Charles Chaplin Jr. and Sydney Chaplin with Lita Grey.86Half-brother of Syd Chaplin and Wheeler Dryden.87His Beverly Hills residence was known as "Breakaway House". Designed by Chaplin himself and built by studio carpenters, it began falling to bits over the years, much to the amusement of visitors. Built on Summit Drive in the Pickfair neighborhood, the house boasted a pipe organ Chaplin continually used to entertain his guests in the great hall; he also screened his films there. His tennis court was a hive of activity; even the elusive Greta Garbo was a frequent player. He seems to have been an inspiring host; many of his guests joined in with his antics, and reflected that they had never been so funny before or since--it was the influence of Chaplin.88On March 3, 1978, his dead body was stolen from the Corsier-Sur-Vevey cemetery. It took until May 18 when the police found it.89He was 54 years old when he wed Oona O'Neill (Oona Chaplin); Oona was 17.90He was 47 years old when he wed Paulette Goddard; Paulette was 26.91He was 35 years old when he wed Lita Grey; Lita was 16.92He was 29 years old when he wed Mildred Harris; she was 17.93In October 1997 he was ranked #79 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.94He thought his period with Mutual was the most consistently pleasant period in his career, although he felt that the plots of the films were too formualic for his taste.95Long after becoming a millionaire, he continued to live in a shabby hotel room, and kept his studio checks in a trunk for months.96Grandfather of Dolores Chaplin, Carmen Chaplin, Kiera Chaplin, Oona Chaplin, Aurélia Thiérrée and James Thierrée. Great-uncle of Drunkfux.97Destroyed the original negative of "The Sea Gull (1933)" before a number of witnesses. The film never saw release, possibly because he was dismayed by the poor performance of his lead actress Edna Purviance.