Happy Leap Day

Photoplay, June 1929

With Swedish photographer Karl Gullers following a midnight photo shoot at Chaplin's Beverly Hills home, 1946

Chaplin's Academy Award for The Circus is on the bookcase behind him (far left), next to some Napoleon figurines.

100 years ago this weekend

L-R: Mutual president, John Freuler, Syd Chaplin (then serving as his brother's business manager),
and CC at the contract signing. 

On Saturday, February 26th, 1916 at the Hotel Astor in New York City, Chaplin signed a contract with the Mutual Film Corporation for the unheard of amount of $10,000 a week plus a $150,000 bonus. The deal made him the highest paid filmmaker in history up to that time.

Shortly after the signing, Chaplin made a statement about his salary and what it meant to him:

"A great many people are inclined to make wide eyes at what is called my salary.  Honestly, it is a matter I do not spend much time thinking about. Money and business are very serious matters and I have to keep my mind off of them. In fact I do not worry about money at all. It would get in the way of my work. I do not want people to think that life is all a joke to me, but I do enjoy working on the sunny side of it. What this contract means is simply that I am in business with the worry left out and with the dividends guaranteed. It means that I am left free to be just as funny as I dare, to do the best work that is in me and to spend my energies on the thing that the people want. I have felt for a long-time that this would be my big year and this contract gives me my opportunity. There is inspiration in it. I am like an author with a big publisher to give him circulation." (Motography, March 11, 1916)

Chaplin looking serious on the day be became the richest man in Hollywood.
"It's got to be earned, you know," he said of the money.

Day By Day: 1936

Wednesday, February 26th: The Coolidge arrives in Honolulu; Chaplin lunches with George Bernard Shaw. 

According to ship manifests for the SS Coolidge, only one day was spent in Honolulu before the ship (including the Chaplin party) continued on to Yokohama. This was Chaplin's second visit to Hawaii. He vacationed here with Edna Purviance in 1917.

CC waves from the ship. Valet Frank Yonemori is on his left.

Between Charlie and Paulette is her mother (& chaperone), Alta Goddard.

The couple are welcomed by Hawaiian swimmer, Duke Kahanamoku.

At 12:30 that afternoon, Chaplin had arranged to meet George Bernard Shaw for lunch at Lau Yee Chai, a Chinese restaurant in Waikiki. Shaw had arrived at Honolulu a couple of days earlier aboard the SS Arandora Star. They had arranged to meet at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and then go to the cafe together. Shaw arrived at the hotel by car. Not finding Chaplin waiting for him, he walked up and down the floor impatiently. Finally, he hailed a taxi and left word that he would meet Chaplin at the cafe. Unbeknownst to Shaw, Chaplin had been at the hotel all along. He had been strolling with Paulette and her mother in the hotel garden when Shaw arrived.

Here's the rest of the story from the San Bernardino Sun:

Charlie eventually strolled out of the hotel, his white hair crisply unruffled, and entirely at ease. After inquiring his way to the cafe, he leisurely made his way there, and sat down with Shaw without offering any apology for his tardiness. 

"Where's your family?" inquired Shaw, referring to Paulette Goddard and her mother, accompanying Chaplin on a South Pacific cruise.

"Oh, they decided to visit the beach," Chaplin answered.

After the luncheon Chaplin left to join Miss Goddard on the beach. ¹

Reporters who later talked to Shaw agreed that his usual cold-steel wit and sarcasm had come off second best against Charlie's nonchalant treatment. ...

Earlier today the English and American funnymen met aboard the steamer Arandora Star in Honolulu harbor, where Chaplin arrived today on the President Coolidge. 

Shaw was going through his daily exercises. Chaplin, passing by, waved at him and shouted greetings. Then he said to those about him: 

"Isn't he cute?"

The venerable wit interrupted his "daily dozen" to wave cordially back at Chaplin. ²

Chaplin and Shaw in Honolulu.

Stay tuned for more in my Day By Day: 1936 series.

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¹They must have spent time with Duke Kahanamoku since a photo exists of the three in a boat on Waikiki Beach. 
²San Bernardino Sun, Feb. 28, 1936

Other sources:
Ship manifests for SS President Coolidge via Ancestry.com
"Second Visit of GBS To Hawaii" by Edwin North McClellan, 1954

Rare images from the set of SUNNYSIDE (1919)

These photos show Chaplin with the "wood nymphs" and some of the cast and crew.
The nymphs were played by Olive Burton, Willie Mae Carson, Olive Ann Alcorn, and Helen Kohn.

Chaplin's friend, Rob Wagner, is at far left. Rollie Totheroh is behind the camera.

In bowler hat is Tom Wilson, who plays Charlie's boss in the film.

Day By Day: 1936

Friday, February 21st -Wed. February 26: The SS President Coolidge sails for Honolulu.

The ship, with Charlie, Paulette, her mother, and valet Frank Yonemori on board, departed San Francisco on the 21st. It will arrive at its destination on the 26th.

It is interesting to note that none of their names appear on the passenger list for the ship. Of course, it would not have been unusual for Chaplin to have traveled under an alias.

Here are some shots of the gang aboard the Coolidge. Since valet Frank appears in very few photos from this trip, he must have served double duty as photographer.

Playing ping-pong

Paulette's mother, Alta.

Below: Paulette and Charlie with the captain of the SS Coolidge, Karl Ahlin:

Photos: www.charliechaplinarchive.org

Coming up on the 26th: Chaplin and entourage arrive in Honolulu. Chaplin lunches with George Bernard Shaw. Catch up on my "Day By Day: 1936" series here. 

Chaplin directing the Circle Theater players in Caligula, 1949

According to the theater group's founder, Jerry Epstein, the pillar in the background in the top photo was a prop from The Great Dictator. See another photo here.

Many thanks to Eduardo Orenstein for sharing these rare photos with me.

With Ambassador Moore on the lawn of the Summit Drive house, 1929

Alexander Moore (or "Alex" as Charlie called him) served as Ambassador to both Spain and Peru.

More photos here:
www.photo.charliechaplin.com

Chaplin conducted the John Philip Sousa band before a record audience at New York's Hippodrome, February 20th, 1916

A crowd of 6500, breaking a record held by tenor John McCormack, showed up to witness this rare public appearance by Chaplin. "All 5200 seats were filled, people were standing in all parts of the house; 200 persons were seated in extra chairs in the pit usually occupied by the house orchestra, and 65 sat on the stage." Hundreds had to be turned away because there was no place else to put them. ¹

Chaplin didn't appear until the end of Sousa's program. He had battled stage fright for years and was extremely nervous before going on.

"It's several years since I've been on the stage, and I don't know how to act," he said backstage.

"Be funny," someone suggested.

"No, I don't want to be funny." ²

Chaplin, Sousa, & aviator Clifford Harmon

He was introduced by comedian Tom Wise, who forgot his name and someone in the wings had to yell it to him. Without this introduction, however, it's likely that many in the audience would not have known it was Chaplin.

Charlie didn't wear his baggy clothes, big shoes, funny little hat or that trick mustache. In his hand was something that looked like his famous cane, but it turned out to be a conductor's baton. He wore evening clothes and appeared to be a good-natured, good-looking young man in the late twenties. He is short and dark and very muscular. As film fans know, he has a very amiable smile. After shaking hands with Sousa, he asked, "Shall I say something?" in a voice that shook a little.

He was received with great applause and then led the band--he is a left-handed conductor--as it played "Poet and Peasant" and a composition of his own, "The Peace Patrol." It did not suggest a comic film at all. There was much laughter at the activity of his conducting.

"I thank you for your kind applause," he said in his speech. "Can you hear me up there?" he yelled to the gallery and got an affirmed answer. "I am only too pleased to be here."³

He then confided: "If I could talk like Tom Wise I'd give up motion pictures at once, but I can't, and I'm scared to death at this very minute with stage fright."⁴

The audience applauded until a second curtain call. Chaplin came out, waved to the audience, and thanked them again. Still more applause. Then, on the third curtain call, "he shuffled off the stage with that funny little walk of his, known to movie fans all over the country."

If there was ever pandemonium in a New York theater it broke loose then and there. Handclapping, shrill whistles, and stamping of feet, cries of "Do it again, Charlie!" from the gallery and all sorts of enthusiastic noises came from the largest crowd ever in the Hippodrome. Just four or five queer steps across the stage--and it almost tore the house down.

There was a loose electric fixture in the dome of the house before the applause stopped. Charlie wanted to be coaxed, and it was not for five minutes that he came out and stopped the tumult. He then had a heavy ulster [overcoat] on, carried his hat in his hand and made gestures signifying that was all. He walked off--naturally this time--and the audience began to leave. ⁵

Chaplin split his $2,000 share of the receipts evenly between the Actor's Fund and the British Actor's Association.

_________________________________________________________________________________

¹St. Louis Dispatch, Feb. 21, 1916
²Logansport Pharos-Tribune, Feb, 23, 1916
³ibid
⁴New York Sun, Feb. 21, 1916
⁵Logansport Pharos-Tribune, Feb, 23, 1916

During filming of MONSIEUR VERDOUX

On the tennis court at Marion Davies' beach house, c. late 1920s

Familiar faces include Marion Davies, Bebe Daniels, Harry Crocker, Ralph Barton, Harry D'Arrast, and (of course) Charlie, among others.

Day By Day: 1936

Tuesday, February 18th: The SS Coolidge stops in San Francisco en route to Honolulu.

We embarked Los Angeles and arrived in San Francisco in pouring rain. However, nothing dampened our spirits; we had time for a little shopping, then returned to the boat.¹ 

When Chaplin and his party were spotted by the press aboard the ship, they appeared to be in the middle of a spat, with Paulette speaking to Charlie and her mother in an "agitated manner." But by the time reporters got close enough to hear what it was all about, Paulette and her mother had stepped away.²

With Paulette on the Coolidge in San Francisco.
©Roy Export Co. Est.

Charlie, "bundled in a huge brown overcoat relieved by a brilliant blue shirt," dodged questions about his marital status.  When asked if he and Paulette we already married, he replied, "Ask her." Paulette, who was seated nearby, merely grinned. When asked if they planned to be married, Charlie only said: "She is going to be the greatest comedienne in the world."³

Next came questions about his latest picture, Modern Times, and the rumor that he was retiring his Tramp character. He said he would resurrect the Tramp only when a suitable plot presented itself, and when that occurs, the tramp still will remain mute.

"He is altogether too precious to be wasted on trivia. He is not supposed to be a conscious satirist. The tramp was created solely for pantomime." 

He said he would write, produce, and direct his next picture but would not appear in it. It would star Paulette and would be "a talkie, a psychological sort of thing."⁴

"But no more five year intervals between pictures," he announced. "I'm going to make two a year now."⁵

As for his current travel plans, he said only that they would be gone about two months and would spend most of the time "wandering through the Orient."⁶

In his 1964 autobiography, Chaplin wrote that they idea of going to China came to him on whim in San Francisco.

Passing by warehouses, I saw stamped on some of the freight the word "China." "Let's go there!"

"Where," said Paulette. 

"China."

"Are you kidding?"

"Let's do it now or we never will," I said. 

"But I haven't any clothes."

"You can buy all you want in Honolulu," I said. 

The decision made, Chaplin wired his manager Alf Reeves: "PLANNING TO BE ON "COOLIDGE" TO HONG KONG - WILL BE AWAY THREE MONTHS."⁷

It should be noted that, like the 1921 European trip and the world tour of 1931-32, this trip would be not only a leisure cruise (or "honeymoon" cruise) but also a publicity tour for his new film.⁸

Coming up: Scenes from the Coolidge en route to Hawaii.  Catch up on my "Day by Day: 1936" series here.

_________________________________________________________________________________

¹Chaplin, My Autobiography, 1964
²San Bernardino County Sun, Feb. 19th, 1936
³Wilkes-Barre Record, Feb. 19th, 1936
⁴Oakland Tribune, Feb. 19th, 1936
⁵San Bernardino County Sun, Feb. 19th, 1936
⁶Oakland Tribune, Feb. 19th, 1936
⁷Robinson, Chaplin: His Life & Art, 1985
⁸Chaplin, A Comedian Sees The World, 2014. In the notes, editor Lisa Stein Haven points out that the "Charles Chaplin Film Corporation Minutes of 9 December 1936, suggests that Chaplin's "honeymoon" tour to the Orient, following Modern Times, was also conducted for publicity purposes."

Day By Day: 1936

Monday, February 17th: Charlie & Paulette set sail for Honolulu.

Chaplin, Alta, and Paulette 

Embarking from Los Angeles Harbor aboard the SS President Coolidge, the couple are accompanied by Paulette's mother, Alta, and Chaplin's valet, Frank Yonamori.

Chaplin told reporters that the voyage was "for a rest."

"We'll stop at Honolulu," he said. "Maybe we'll take a boat there to the South Seas, perhaps Tahiti. I want to do some fishing." He said that he would be gone for six weeks.¹

Charlie and Paulette waving from the ship. ©Roy Export Co. Est.

Before Chaplin left Hollywood, he was informed that the Nazi government in Germany had banned his recent film, Modern Times, because of "communistic tendencies." But he had anticipated this kind of objection:

"A lot of highbrow critics and many professional sympathizers with radical politics have seen in my pictures a significance that is not there. They think the gags about the parade and the strike indicate an antipathy to capital and a desire to present subtle propaganda.”

Chaplin said he disliked to disagree with persons so undoubtedly sincere and so intelligent and sympathetic toward him personally as his self-appointed highbrow interpreters who see his comedy as a solemn effort to carry out a mission but feels he has to set himself right.

“Maybe I’m wrong in trying to be funny,” Charlie said, “but all I was thinking of and trying to bring about was something that would induce people to laugh. I have my serious moments, but my movie was only trying to amuse. I want people to laugh at me, not to think big thoughts."²

The SS Coolidge will make a stop in San Francisco before heading to Hawaii. More on that in tomorrow's "Day By Day."

©Roy Export Co. Est.

¹Oakland Tribune, Feb. 18th, 1936. In reality, the trip would last 4 months. They do not visit Tahiti.
²Chicago Tribune, Feb. 20th, 1936

Autographed photo, 1915

The photo is inscribed:

"To my friend Guy Price,
Sincerely yours, Charlie Chaplin
Aug 9th, 1915"

Price was a film critic for the Los Angeles Herald

(Photo by Albert Witzel, 1914)

Source: www.20thstudio.com

Chaplin in 1916

Probably taken 100 years ago this month by the Underwood & Underwood studios in New York, when Chaplin was there to sign his Mutual contract.

Day By Day: 1936

Saturday, February 15th: Charlie and Paulette watch the Derby Day races at Santa Anita. (Los Angeles Times, February 16th, 1936)

Charlie & Oona in Paris, 1952

With journalist Grace Kingsley & cartoonist Ted Gale at the Chaplin Studios, January 1918.

This is a newly-found (on ebay), alternate version of the photos I posted a couple of weeks ago. This one was new to me.

Day By Day: 1936

Wednesday, February 12th: Charlie and Paulette attend the Hollywood premiere of Modern Times at Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Grauman's Chinese on opening night

After three days of torrential downpours, the skies cleared over Hollywood just in time for the gala premiere of Chaplin's long-awaited new film.

"The red carpet was stretched for famous feet (some are already imprinted in concrete in the forecourt) all the regalia of cameras, flashlights, sun arcs, microphone announcers functioned out front for the benefit of the sidewalk spectators too long deprived of "premeer" glamour. Despite the rainy season, at its height, the boulevard for blocks was jammed with cheering throngs in slickers and under umbrellas." ¹ 

Cover of Grauman's program

Chaplin, attired in tails, looked "radiant," his "gray hair sparkling in the spotlight," while Paulette Goddard, at the opening of her first major film, "caused gasps of admiration with her gown done entirely in bands of white fringe over heavy white crepe and the latest thing in white fox capes." ²

Unprecedented for him, Chaplin gave a short speech before the film was shown. On stage, he nervously touched the microphone and said: "This thing confuses me." He then introduced Paulette and asked for the then-newcomer "your sympathetic interest." Chaplin admitted to the audience that he was more nervous than ever in his career and while he felt Modern Times was his best picture, he never knew what the public would say. Nevertheless, he felt he had reached a "milestone."³ 

Chaplin then explained that he was encouraged to attend the premiere and make an uncharacteristic speech by Greek theater owner Charles Skouras who had told him that for the $5.50 admission price he should give the people what they want and make a personal appearance. He then spoke with a Greek accent and impersonated Skouras talking to him. Paulette climaxed the story by stepping into the footlights and announcing "It's all Greek to me."⁴

A slew of celebrities attended the opening, including Chaplin's guests: Constance Collier, King Vidor, and his girlfriend, Betty Hill.

L-R: Constance Collier, Paulette, her mother Alta, CC

Also in attendance were: Norma Shearer and Irving Thalberg, Marlene Dietrich, Ruby Keeler and Al Jolson, Ernst Lubitsch, Douglas Fairbanks & Mary Pickford (though not together), Lupe Velez, Bette Davis, Warren William, Harold Lloyd, Amelia Earhart, Cecil B. DeMille, and Groucho Marx, who humorously remarked: "I came here to see another comedian who doesn't talk."⁵

Douglas Fairbanks

¹Mayme Ober Peak, Boston Globe, Feb. 20, 1936
²Washington Post, Feb. 17, 1936; Los Angeles Times, Feb. 16th, 1936
³Washington Post, Feb. 17, 1936; Boston Globe, February 20, 1936
⁴Motion Picture Daily, February 14, 1936
⁵Washington Post, Feb. 17, 1936

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For past installments of my "Day By Day: 1936" series, where I document one year of Chaplin's life, click here. Coming soon, Charlie and Paulette embark on their 4-month trip to the Far East.

Day By Day: 1936

Tuesday, February 11th: Modern Times premiered at the Tivoli in London.

Workmen outside the Tivoli put the finishing touches on a neon sign before the premiere. 

 From The New York Times:

After five years, London film critics found Charlie Chaplin as 'funny as ever" today when 'Modern Times received its premiere at the Adelphi Theater [sic]. Fifty policemen controlled the crowd rushing for seats at $5 apiece.

Hannon Swaffer in the Daily Herald writes:

Countless millions will thank Chaplin again for making them laugh. Many millions of those will also thank him for making some of the others think.

The Evening News says:

There never has been a Chaplin film so full of notions and each done as only a great artist of pantomime like Chaplin could do it. (NYT, Feb. 12, 1936)

Tennis champion Fred Perry and actress Helen Vinson at the London premiere.

In the news 80 years ago this week:

Macon Telegraph, Feb. 9, 1936

Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Feb. 12, 1936
 (Paulette must have attended a critics' preview)

Salt Lake Tribune, feb. 9, 1936

Sydney Morning Herald, Feb. 10, 1936

New York Times, Feb. 13, 1936

Altoona Tribune, Feb. 10, 1936

In tomorrow's installment of "Day By Day: 1936": Charlie & Paulette attend the Hollywood premiere of Modern Times.