Editing Charlie Chaplin (section)

===1914–1917: entering films===

====Keystone====
Six months into the second American tour, Chaplin was invited to join the New York Motion Picture Company. A representative who had seen his performances thought he could replace [[Fred Mace]], a star of their [[Keystone Studios]] who intended to leave.{{sfn|Robinson|p=102}} Chaplin thought the Keystone comedies "a crude mélange of rough and rumble", but liked the idea of working in films and rationalised: "Besides, it would mean a new life."{{sfn|Chaplin|pp=138–139}} He met with the company and signed a $150-per-week{{efn|${{Inflation|US|150|1913|fmt=c|r=-2}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{Inflation/fn|US}}}} contract in September 1913.{{sfnm|1a1=Robinson|1p=103|2a1=Chaplin|2p=139}} Chaplin arrived in Los Angeles in early December,{{sfn|Robinson|p=107}} and began working for the Keystone studio on 5{{spaces}}January 1914.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bengtson |first=John |title=Silent Traces: Discovering Early Hollywood Through the Films of Charlie Chaplin |publisher=Santa Monica Press |year=2006}}</ref>
{{multiple image
| align             = left
| direction         = vertical
| width             = 
| image1            = Chaplin Making a Living 2.jpg
| width1            = 220
| caption1          = Chaplin (left) in his first film appearance, ''[[Making a Living]]'', with [[Henry Lehrman]], who directed the picture (1914)
| alt1              = Making a Living screenshot
| image2            = Chaplin Kid Auto Races.jpg
| width2            = 220
| caption2          = Chaplin's [[trademark look|trademark]] character "[[the Tramp]]" debuts in ''[[Kid Auto Races at Venice]]'' (1914), Chaplin's second released film
| alt2              = Kid Auto Races at Venice screenshot
}}

Chaplin's boss was [[Mack Sennett]], who initially expressed concern that the 24-year-old looked too young.{{sfn|Chaplin|p=141}} He was not used in a picture until late January, during which time Chaplin attempted to learn the processes of filmmaking.{{sfn|Robinson|p=108}} The [[Film reel|one-reeler]] ''[[Making a Living]]'' marked his film acting debut and was released on 2{{spaces}}February 1914. Chaplin strongly disliked the picture, but one review picked him out as "a comedian of the first water".{{sfn|Robinson|p=110}} For his second appearance in front of the camera, Chaplin selected the costume with which he became identified. He described the process in his autobiography:
{{blockquote|I wanted everything to be a contradiction: the pants baggy, the coat tight, the hat small and the shoes large{{spaces}}... I added a small moustache, which, I reasoned, would add age without hiding my expression. I had no idea of the character. But the moment I was dressed, the clothes and the makeup made me feel the person he was. I began to know him, and by the time I walked on stage he was fully born.{{sfn|Chaplin|p=145}}{{efn|Robinson notes that this was not strictly true: "The character was to take a year or more to evolve its full dimensions and even then{{snd}}which was its particular strength{{snd}}it would evolve during the whole rest of his career."{{sfn|Robinson|p=114}}}}}}

The film was ''[[Mabel's Strange Predicament]]'', but "[[the Tramp]]" character, as it became known, debuted to audiences in ''[[Kid Auto Races at Venice]]''{{snd}}shot later than ''Mabel's Strange Predicament'' but released two days earlier on 7{{spaces}}February 1914.{{sfn|Robinson|p=113}}<ref name=LATimes>{{cite news |last=Mostrom |first=Anthony |title=Unsuspecting extras go down in film history |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2011-jun-19-la-me-0619-then-20110619-story.html |date=19 June 2011}}</ref> Chaplin adopted the character as his screen persona and attempted to make suggestions for the films he appeared in. These ideas were dismissed by his directors.{{sfn|Robinson|p=120}} During the filming of his 11th picture, ''[[Mabel at the Wheel]]'', he clashed with director [[Mabel Normand]] and was almost released from his contract. Sennett kept him on, however, when he received orders from exhibitors for more Chaplin films.<ref>Chaplin, C. (1964). ''My Autobiography''. New York: Simon and Schuster.</ref> Sennett also allowed Chaplin to direct his next film himself after Chaplin promised to pay $1,500 (${{Inflation|US|1500|1913|fmt=c|r=-3}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars) if the film was unsuccessful.{{sfn|Robinson|p=121}}

''[[Caught in the Rain (film)|Caught in the Rain]]'', issued on 4{{spaces}}May 1914, was Chaplin's directorial debut and was highly successful.{{sfn|Robinson|p=123}} Thereafter he directed almost every short film in which he appeared for Keystone,{{sfn|Maland|1989|p=5}} at the rate of approximately one per week,{{sfn|Kamin|p=xi}} a period which he later remembered as the most exciting time of his career.{{sfn|Chaplin|p=153}} Chaplin's films introduced a slower form of comedy than the typical Keystone farce,{{sfn|Robinson|p=113}} and he developed a large fan base.{{sfnm|1a1=Robinson|1p=125|2a1=Maland|2y=1989|2pp=8–9}} In November 1914, he had a supporting role in the first [[feature length]] comedy film, ''[[Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914 film)|Tillie's Punctured Romance]]'', directed by Sennett and starring [[Marie Dressler]], which was a commercial success and increased his popularity.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=127–128}} When Chaplin's contract came up for renewal at the end of the year, he asked for $1,000 a week,{{efn|{{Inflation|US|1000|1913|fmt=eq|r=-3}}}} an amount Sennett refused, as he thought it was too large.{{sfn|Robinson|p=131}}

====Essanay====
[[File:Chaplin and Purviance in Work.jpg|thumb|Chaplin and [[Edna Purviance]], his regular leading lady, in ''[[Work (1915 film)|Work]]'' (1915)]]
The [[Essanay Studios|Essanay Film Manufacturing Company]] of Chicago sent Chaplin an offer of $1,250{{efn|{{Inflation|US|1250|1914|fmt=eq|r=-3}}}} a week, with a signing bonus of $10,000.{{efn|{{Inflation|US|10000|1914|fmt=eq|r=-3}}}} He joined the studio in late December 1914,{{sfn|Robinson|p=135}} where he began forming a stock company of regular players, actors he worked with again and again, including [[Ben Turpin]], [[Leo White]], [[Bud Jamison]], [[Paddy McGuire]], [[Fred Goodwins]] and [[Billy Armstrong (actor)|Billy Armstrong]]. Chaplin soon recruited a leading lady, [[Edna Purviance]], whom he met in a café and hired on account of her beauty. She went on to appear in 35 films with him over eight years;{{sfn|Robinson|pp=138–139}} the pair also formed a romantic relationship that lasted until 1917.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=141, 219}}

[[File:Charlie Chaplin.jpg |thumb|right|Chaplin portrayed for the role as [[The Tramp]]]]
[[File:The Tramp (film).jpg|thumb|Charlie Chaplin (1915) walking down the road dejectedly, in the famous last scene of [[The Tramp (film)|''The Tramp'']], filmed on location in [[Niles Canyon|Niles Canyon, California]]]]

Chaplin asserted a high level of control over his pictures and started to put more time and care into each film.{{sfnm|1a1=Neibaur|1p=23|2a1=Chaplin|2p=165|3a1=Robinson|3pp=140, 143}} There was a month-long interval between the release of his second production, ''[[A Night Out (1915 film)|A Night Out]]'', and his third, ''[[The Champion (1915 film)|The Champion]]''.{{sfn|Robinson|p=143}} The final seven of Chaplin's 14 Essanay films were all produced at this slower pace.{{sfn|Maland|1989|p=20}} Chaplin also began to alter his screen persona, which had attracted some criticism at Keystone for its "mean, crude, and brutish" nature.{{sfn|Maland|1989|pp=6, 14–18}} The character became more gentle and romantic;{{sfn|Maland|1989|pp=21–24}} ''[[The Tramp (film)|The Tramp]]'' (April 1915) was considered a particular turning point in his development.{{sfnm|1a1=Robinson|1p=142|2a1=Neibaur|2pp=23–24}} The use of pathos was developed further with ''[[The Bank (1915 film)|The Bank]]'', in which Chaplin created a sad ending. Robinson notes that this was an innovation in comedy films, and marked the time when serious critics began to appreciate Chaplin's work.{{sfn|Robinson|p=146}} At Essanay, writes film scholar [[Simon Louvish]], Chaplin "found the themes and the settings that would define the Tramp's world".{{sfn|Louvish|p=87}}

During 1915, Chaplin became a cultural phenomenon. Shops were stocked with Chaplin merchandise, he was featured in cartoons and [[Charlie Chaplin comics|comic strips]], and several songs were written about him.{{sfnm|1a1=Robinson|1pp=152–153|2a1=Kamin|2p=xi|3a1=Maland|3y=1989|3p=10}} In July, a journalist for ''[[Motion Picture Magazine|Motion Picture]]'' wrote that "Chaplinitis" had spread across America.{{sfn|Maland|1989|p=8}} As his fame grew worldwide, he became the film industry's first international star.{{sfnm|1a1=Louvish|1p=74|2a1=Sklar|2p=72}} In September 1915, Chaplin topped a poll held by ''[[Pictures and the Picturegoer]]'' of the greatest British film actors, receiving 142,920 votes from readers.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/pictureg09odha/page/46/mode/1up|magazine=[[Pictures and the Picturegoer]]|title=Picture News and Notes|date=16 October 1915|page=46|access-date=1 October 2024}}</ref> The classic music hall sketch, ''A Night in an English Music Hall'', would be the basis for his 12th Essanay film, ''[[A Night in the Show]]'', released in November 1915.<ref name="Louvish"/> When the Essanay contract ended in December 1915,{{sfn|Robinson|p=149}}{{efn|After leaving Essanay, Chaplin found himself engaged in a legal battle with the company that lasted until 1922. It began when Essanay extended his last film for them, ''[[Burlesque on Carmen]]'', from a two-reeler to a feature film (by adding out-takes and new scenes with [[Leo White]]) without his consent. Chaplin applied for an injunction to prevent its distribution, but the case was dismissed in court. In a counter-claim, Essanay alleged that Chaplin had broken his contract by not producing the agreed number of films and sued him for $500,000 in damages. In addition, the company compiled another film, ''[[Triple Trouble (1918 film)|Triple Trouble]]'' (1918), from various unused Chaplin scenes and new material shot by White.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=149–152}}}} Chaplin, fully aware of his popularity, requested a $150,000{{efn|{{Inflation|US|150000|1918|fmt=eq|r=-4}}}} signing bonus from his next studio. He received several offers, including [[Universal Pictures|Universal]], [[Fox Film|Fox]] and [[Vitagraph Studios|Vitagraph]], the best of which came from the [[Mutual Film]] Corporation at $10,000{{efn|{{Inflation|US|10000|1918|fmt=eq|r=-3}}}} a week.{{sfn|Robinson|p=156}}

====Mutual====
[[File:Charlie Chaplin with doll.jpg|thumb|left|upright|By 1916, Chaplin was a global phenomenon. Here he shows off some of his merchandise, {{circa|1918}}.]]
A contract was negotiated with Mutual that amounted to $670,000{{efn|{{Inflation|US|670000|1916|fmt=eq|r=-5}}}} a year,<ref>{{cite journal|title=C. Chaplin, Millionaire-Elect |url=https://archive.org/details/PhotoplayMagazineMay1916 |journal=[[Photoplay]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/PhotoplayMagazineMay1916/page/n57 58] |volume=IX |issue=6 |date=May 1916 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117045754/https://archive.org/details/PhotoplayMagazineMay1916 |archive-date=17 January 2014}}</ref> which Robinson says made Chaplin{{snd}}at 26 years old{{snd}}one of the highest-paid people in the world.{{sfn|Robinson|p=160}} The high salary shocked the public and was widely reported in the press.{{sfn|Larcher|p=29}} John R. Freuler, the studio president, explained: "We can afford to pay Mr. Chaplin this large sum annually because the public wants Chaplin and will pay for him."{{sfn|Robinson|p=159}}

Mutual gave Chaplin his own Los Angeles studio to work in, which opened in March 1916.{{sfn|Robinson|p=164}} He added two key members to his stock company, [[Albert Austin]] and [[Eric Campbell (actor)|Eric Campbell]],{{sfn|Robinson|pp=165–166}} and produced a series of elaborate two-reelers: ''[[The Floorwalker]]'', ''[[The Fireman (1916 film)|The Fireman]]'', ''[[The Vagabond (1916 film)|The Vagabond]]'', ''[[One A.M. (1916 film)|One A.M.]]'' and ''[[The Count (film)|The Count]]''.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=169–173}} For ''[[The Pawnshop]]'', he recruited the actor [[Henry Bergman]], who was to work with Chaplin for 30 years.{{sfn|Robinson|p=175}} ''[[Behind the Screen]]'' and ''[[The Rink (film)|The Rink]]'' completed Chaplin's releases for 1916. The Mutual contract stipulated that he release a two-reel film every four weeks, which he had managed to achieve. With the new year, however, Chaplin began to demand more time.{{sfn|Robinson|pp=179–180}} He made only four more films for Mutual over the first ten months of 1917: ''[[Easy Street (1917 film)|Easy Street]]'', ''[[The Cure (1917 film)|The Cure]]'', ''[[The Immigrant (1917 film)|The Immigrant]]'' and ''[[The Adventurer (1917 film)|The Adventurer]]''.{{sfn|Robinson|p=191}} With their careful construction, these films are considered by Chaplin scholars to be among his finest work.<ref>{{cite web |title="The Happiest Days of My Life": Mutual |url=http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/biog/biog.php?fid=biog6 |url-status=dead |work=Charlie Chaplin |publisher=British Film Institute |access-date=28 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121122054424/http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/biog/biog.php?fid=biog6 |archive-date=22 November 2012}}</ref>{{sfnm|1a1=Brownlow|1p=45|2a1=Robinson|2p=191|3a1=Louvish|3p=104|4a1=Vance|4y=2003|4p=203}} Later in life, Chaplin referred to his Mutual years as the happiest period of his career.{{sfn|Chaplin|p=188}} However, Chaplin also felt that those films became increasingly formulaic over the period of the contract, and he was increasingly dissatisfied with the working conditions encouraging that.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brownlow |first1=Kevin |last2=Gill |first2=David |title=Unknown Chaplin |publisher=Thames Silent |date=1983}}</ref>

Chaplin was attacked in the British media for not fighting in the [[First World War]].{{sfn|Robinson|p=185}} He defended himself, claiming that he would fight for Britain if called and had registered for the American draft, but he was not summoned by either country.{{efn|The British embassy made a statement saying: "[Chaplin] is of as much use to Great Britain now making big money and subscribing to war loans as he would be in the trenches."{{sfn|Robinson|p=186}}}} Despite this criticism, Chaplin was a favourite with the troops,{{sfn|Robinson|p=187}} and his popularity continued to grow worldwide. ''[[Harper's Weekly]]'' reported that the name of Charlie Chaplin was "a part of the common language of almost every country", and that the Tramp image was "universally familiar".{{sfn|Robinson|p=210}} In 1917, professional Chaplin imitators were so widespread that he took legal action,{{sfn|Robinson|pp=215–216}} and it was reported that nine out of ten men who attended costume parties, did so dressed as the Tramp.{{sfn|Robinson|p=213}} The same year, a study by the [[Boston Society for Psychical Research]] concluded that Chaplin was "an American obsession".{{sfn|Robinson|p=213}} The actress [[Minnie Maddern Fiske]] wrote that "a constantly increasing body of cultured, artistic people are beginning to regard the young English buffoon, Charles Chaplin, as an extraordinary artist, as well as a comic genius".{{sfn|Robinson|p=210}}