Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin

He was born on April 16th, 1889, in London, England. His parents were both in show business. His father was a vocalist, and his mother an actress and singer. When he was ten, his father died and his mother was getting ill. Charlie and his brother, Sydney, were on their own. Charlie quickly won popular favor as an outstanding tap dancer. As time went on he became as famous as Hitler. Later, Charlie Chaplin was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974, and became Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin.

How and at what age did your acting career really start?
Once when I was five, I had to fill in for my mum when she was ill. I was fourteen, when I appeared as “Billy” the page boy in “Sherlock Holmes.” I started my career as a comedian in Vaudville. In 1910, I was offered to be a featured player in the Fred Karno Repertoire Company. I took the offer. My chums and I were a big hit with American audiences in the Fred Karno troupe. When my troupe returned to America to do a repeat tour, I was offered a motion picture contract.
What about your wives?
When I was twenty-nine, I wed Mildred Harris who was sixteen at the time. Mildred and I had Norman, who was born deformed and live for only three days. We divorced afterwards. When I was thirty-five I wed Lita Grey when she was sixteen. We had two children; Charles Chaplin Jr. and Sydney. Later, we had a very nasty divorce. I couldn’t write about it in one of my books. When I was forty-seven I married Paulette Goddard when she was twenty-five. Our marriage didn’t work out so we got divorced. The love of my life, Oona O’Niell and I wed after that. She was the perfect wife. We had eight children; Geraldine, Eugene, Victoria, Annette, Josephine, Michael, Jane and Christopher. I’ve had eleven children. Sadly, two of them have died.
When did you become an individual producer?
Well, in 1917, I decided to become an individual producer, because I desired more freedom and having more fun in making my own movies. In early 1918, I entered an agreement with First National Exhibitors’ Circuit. The First National Exibitors’ Circuit was basically an organization that exploited my pictures. My first film under the new deal was “A Dog’s Life”.
Why was “A Woman of Paris” (1923) a hard and courageous step for you?
After seventy films in which I’ve appeared in every scene, I had to direct this picture where I had to merely walk on as an unrecognizable extra. It was also hard, because Edna Purviance my partner for more than 35 films was getting more mature and needed to be a dramatic actress for a career. I let Edna be the star of this romantic drama to help her launch her new career.
What is your favorite type of motion picture?
A good old comedy, of course! “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
You’ve written four books at least, have you not?
Yes, indeed I have. I’ve written My Trip Abroad, A Comedian Sees The World, My Autobiography, and My Life In Pictures. I’ve published some of my scripts too.
Thank you for taking some of your time to answer some questions.
Your welcome. Remember, “We think too much and feel too little.”

Sources:
http://www.charliechaplin.com/
http://www.brainyquote.com/
http://www.ednapurviance.org/chaplininfo/chaplinwives.html