During the first days of filming, Martha had such hero worship for Chaplin that she found it difficult to do her work, so she decided to calm her fears by calling him “Chuck” and being a good sport, Charlie in turn called her “Maggie” (her real name was Margaret). The two became fast friends. She would also yell “lunch!” if she felt Charlie was keeping everyone past lunchtime--something nobody else on the set would have had the nerve to do. According to others in the cast, it was sometimes difficult for “Chuck” & “Maggie” to get much accomplished when they had a scene together because they were too busy laughing and joking around. Raye said many years later that she learned more from Chaplin than anyone else she had ever worked with and that working with him was like “working with God."
November 8, 2013
Martha Raye cracks up Charlie in an outtake from Monsieur Verdoux
During the first days of filming, Martha had such hero worship for Chaplin that she found it difficult to do her work, so she decided to calm her fears by calling him “Chuck” and being a good sport, Charlie in turn called her “Maggie” (her real name was Margaret). The two became fast friends. She would also yell “lunch!” if she felt Charlie was keeping everyone past lunchtime--something nobody else on the set would have had the nerve to do. According to others in the cast, it was sometimes difficult for “Chuck” & “Maggie” to get much accomplished when they had a scene together because they were too busy laughing and joking around. Raye said many years later that she learned more from Chaplin than anyone else she had ever worked with and that working with him was like “working with God."
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one of the few regrets i have about chaplin: that he dodn't discover martha any time earlier. every single one of their scenes was an absolute hoot.
ReplyDeleteI could watch days and days of Chaplin outtakes...
ReplyDeleteI love all those videos that you share !
ReplyDeleteWas there a video? Oww I couldn't watch it :(
ReplyDeleteIt's adorable to see him breaking up like that! Imagine Martha Raye's pride at being able to do that. I love the way she appears to be staying in character even after he loses it.
ReplyDeleteI have an interview with Marilyn Nash (who played the girl) and she said that Charlie and Martha (Chuck and Maggie) were like "two peas in a pod" and always laughing. She said it took them a long time to shoot their scenes because they were always cracking each other up.
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