Editing Charlie Chaplin (section)

====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}}