With Victoria (left) and Josephine, c.1966

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 

Charlie, Oona, and Victoria in Italy, 1967

Oona, Victoria, and Charlie, French Riviera, 1956

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)

Color photos by Edward Quinn, 1956

Original caption:

"Charlie Chaplin pictured with his daughter Victoria at the Villa Lo Scoglietto. Chaplin had brought his family to the Riviera with the intention of buying a house there. He wanted to escape the noise of a shooting range near his home in Vevey, after the authorities had refused to close it down.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, 1956."

www.edwardquinn.com

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.

With Josephine and Victoria, 1957

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”.

Charlie with daughter Vicky, c 1956

Charlie and Oona with Michael, Victoria (in her father's lap) and Josephine on vacation in the French Riviera, 1956.