With Victoria (left) and Josephine, c.1966

Happy Father's Day

The Chaplins arrive at Cherbourg en route to London, September 1952

L-R: Geraldine, Josephine, CC, Victoria, Michael, and Oona

The Chaplins at the Knie Circus in Vevey, 1964

Attending this circus each October became a Chaplin family tradition beginning in 1953.  In fact, going to this show was one of Charlie's last outings before he died in December 1977.

L-R: Oona, Annette, Jane, CC, Victoria, and Josephine 

Sir Charles Chaplin

After twenty years of being denied knighthood because of his political views and scandalous sex life, Chaplin was finally given the honor in an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on March 4th, 1975.

Sir Charles, wearing the insignia of the K.B.E., surrounded by his family in his suite at the Savoy Hotel
 following the ceremony.  L-R: son-in-law Nicholas Sistovaris (Josephine's husband), Annette, Josephine,
 CC, Oona, Christopher, Geraldine, and Jane. 

The following description of the investiture is from The Washington Post, March 5th, 1975:

The 85-year-old maestro of films had been anxious to kneel before Queen Elizabeth II for his investiture and to follow her command afterward to "arise, Sir Charles Chaplin." He was not physically able to do either. He sat in a wheelchair in the ballroom of Buckingham Palace and merely bowed his head in acknowledgement of the taps of her ceremonial sword.

It was the queen who made the comedian smile. She complimented him and squeezed his hand, but Sir Charles, as he told reporters later, was "too dumbfoundcd to talk" to her. He said she had thanked him for his work and told him that she had seen many of his films.

After the tension of the ceremony, at which 172 people received royal honors, Sir Charles was able to stand up again and even to wave his cane in triumph at the gathered crowds outside. He also gave Lady Chaplin, the former Oona O'Neill, hearty kisses on both cheeks.

Then he was asked what he had planned for the rest of the memorable day. “Getting drunk,” said Sir Charles.

The hardships he had encountered as a London slum child, and the hatreds he had inspired as a Hollywood star for his sex life and his politics, seemed to have been formally stilled by the tap of the sword.

But Sir Charles bristled when it was suggested that his knighthood was the culmination of his long career. “l’ve got one more film to do," he declared. "lt will be entitled 'The Freak,' he said.

Click here to see (silent) footage of Charlie outside Buckingham Palace following the investiture. A brief video clip of Charlie being interviewed be seen here.

The Chaplins, Christmas 1952

Charlie and his family spent the holidays that year at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Lausanne. They had just moved there from the Savoy Hotel in London where they had been living since Chaplin was refused reentry to the U.S. in September. In January 1953, he will purchase the Manoir de Ban in Corsier-Sur-Vevey. His final home.

At this time, the Chaplins had four children: Geraldine, Michael, Josephine, and Victoria. Oona is probably pregnant here with Eugene who will be born in August 1953.

With Josephine and Victoria, French Riviera, c. 1956

Family photo, c. 1952

L-R: Geraldine, Oona (holding Victoria), Josephine, CC, & Michael, who is mimicked by his father.

Photo by W. Eugene Smith for Life magazine ("Chaplin At Work," March 17, 1952)

Colorized photos from ILLUSTRATED magazine, September 20th, 1952

The photographer, Antony Beauchamp (son-in-law of Winston Churchill), recalled that Chaplin's secretary tried to cancel this sitting the day before. Beauchamp replied with a telegram stating that he was going to show up at the scheduled time anyway "whether the drawbridge is up or down." So the next day he "stormed" the Chaplin house. "After half an hour Charlie came down and surrendered. Fortified by Moscow Mules, a favourite Hollywood cocktail, we took pictures for an hour and a half before the star sank into an armchair, begging for respite. Then my assistant rushed in to tell me that my camera had not been working properly, the session had been wasted. So another round of Moscow Mules was quickly ordered and handed round. Chaplin drank, lifted himself from his armchair, and began to pose for me once again." (Illustrated, 9/20/52)

I'm sure some of you are wondering about the color of his eyes which are definitely blue here, although I think these photos have been enhanced or colorized. 

Color photos of the Chaplin family in Cap Ferrat, 1956

                

All the best to you and yours this Christmas,
Love,
Jess

Christmas With Charlie, Vol. 14

Photo from Chaplin family Christmas card, 1973.
L-R: Oona, Jane, Christopher, CC, Annette

• Annette Chaplin: Christmas was the best time. My mother's gardener decorated the house. It was never overdone. You couldn't see the tree in the foyer, there were so many ornaments on it. On Christmas Eve the local optician from the village came in dressed as Santa Claus. He sang old carols in French in the most amazing voice, especially in the hall, which had an echo. My father used to stand there with his mouth open. 

• Geraldine Chaplin: On Christmas Day, the Rossiers, friends of my parents' from Vevey, would come for Christmas dinner, as would Clara Haskil [the well-known Romanian concert pianist]. After dinner Clara would play the piano and Daddy would show his movies. There were always masses of presents. I cannot tell you the number of children and the number of presents, five or six, from each child to each child. Mummy bought them all. We never knew what we were giving anyone until we were quite old and had to buy our own presents. 

• Michael Chaplin: My father always said he hated Christmas. Whether he actually did, I don't know, because he loved having Clara Haskil there. I think he hated the present part and the Christmas tree and all that. 

• Geraldine Chaplin: Christmas depressed him. It brought back memories that he wasn't fond of. When he was little and poor, he told us over and over, all he got for Christmas was an orange. He used to try to spoil the day for everyone, and he finally did. He died on Christmas morning. 

(Interview magazine, September 1989)

Christmas, 1955
L-R: Oona, Geraldine, Victoria, Josephine, CC, Michael

Chaplin family Christmas card, c. 1972

The greeting is in Oona's handwriting. Back row L-R : Josephine holding her son Charly, Jane, Nick Sistovaris (Josephine’s then-husband), Eugene, Sydney with his son, Stephan, in front of him, Noelle Adam (Sydney's then-wife), Victoria holding her daughter Aurelia, Jean-Baptiste Thiérrée (Victoria’s husband). Front row L-R: Annette, CC, Oona & Christopher. Geraldine & Michael are absent. Charlie, Jr. died in 1968.

Geraldine & Josephine with their sister-in-law, Noelle Adam (Sydney's wife). In the background, Charlie is choking Oona.

Charlie with daughters Josephine (in his lap) & Geraldine at the Knie Circus in Switzerland, c. 1953

Chaplin family friend, Jerry Epstein, is at far left.

With Josephine and Victoria, 1957

Charlie & Oona, Christmas 1962

Josephine Chaplin:

He always got very depressed at Christmas because we made it the big fiesta of the year. There were a lot of children and a big Christmas tree, and loads and loads of presents. He'd come down in the morning and see them, get pretty depressed and go into the library and say, "All I had was an orange when I was your age." Then we'd come in and show him our presents and say, "You bought me this lovely dress!" And he'd say, "Oh!" and brighten up and be OK.

Geraldine Chaplin:

Then he managed to die on Christmas Day. He was never able to spoil Christmas for us because there were always so many presents. Finally he died on Christmas Day! All the presents were under the tree and someone came down and said, "Grandfather died." The grandchildren said to Michael, "Does that mean we can't open the presents?" So Michael took all the presents into the garage and they had a party there.

--Variety (Special Supplement), April 2003

Chaplin family Christmas card, 1966

From the book Charles Chaplin In Japan by Ono Hiroyuki

The message, written by Oona Chaplin, reads: “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Oona and Charlie, Josy and Vicky and all the other Chaplins”.

Cutting his daughter Josephine’s hair, c. 1960s

In the last photo, he is holding up the cut hair like it’s a mustache.

Charlie was notorious for cutting other people's hair, sometimes with less than perfect results. Among those who were at the receiving end of Charlie's scissors were May Collins, May Reeves (who claimed Charlie cut with such fury that she had to beg him to stop), Oona, King Vidor & Sid Grauman (Charlie cut off so much of his thick, curly hair, Sid didn't speak to him for weeks afterward). Charlie often cut his own hair because he didn't like going to barbershops (something he once called his "pet aversion". He went to barbershops more often later in life). He also liked to style the hair of his leading ladies and even trimmed Mack Swain's beard for The Gold Rush.

With daughter Josephine, Waterville, Ireland, 1960s