From his first appearance on stage, Charlie Chaplin was destined to have a great career. Both Charlie's mother and father acted or sang, so it was not at all surprising that Chaplin went into the field of acting and being a comedian. From his early films to his later ones and through every film company, Charlie Chaplin was always a star. Most people thought that Chaplin was a professional at making people laugh, although he thought differently. "That's all any of us are - amateurs. We don't live long enough to be anything else. What a sad business this is - being funny" ( Maland 331 ).
Even at age eleven or twelve, while touring with William Jackson's Lancashire Lads, Charlie Chaplin had an ambition to be a star. "I would have liked to be a boy comedian - but that would have taken nerve to stand on the stage alone," ( Robinson 43 ) said Chaplin.
Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan in The Kid
Chaplin (Right) in his film debut Making a Living ...
Cropped screenshot of Charlie Chaplin and Paulette...Charlie's chance came when at the age of fourteen Chaplin registered with one of the theatrical agencies on Bradford Street. Chaplin already had the looks, vivacity and charm of a later age.
Within a short time of registering, the Blackmore agency sent a postcard asking Charlie to come in about a job. Mr. Saintsbury, a play writer for Blackmore, clearly took to Charlie on sight and gave Charlie a part in his play. Charlie could not read the words from the script so his step-brother Sydney read the part to him and Charlie new the part word perfect in three days. Although the play was not a success, Charlie earned his first press notice. The critics said that Charlie showed promise in his work, " a bright and vigorous actor" (Robinson 53).
Charlie Chaplin came to work for the Keystone company at the...