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Product Description
Product Description
Born into a theatrical family, Chaplin's father died of drink while his mother, unable to bear the poverty, suffered from bouts of insanity, Chaplin embarked on a film-making career which won him immeasurable success, as well as intense controversy. His extraordinary autobiography was first published in 1964 and was written almost entirely without reference to documentation - simply as an astonishing feat of memory by a 75 year old man. It is an incomparably vivid reconstruction of a poor London childhood, the music hall and then his prodigious life in the movies.
About the Author
CHARLES CHAPLIN [1889-1977] was one of the greatest of all filmmakers and comedians.
DAVID ROBINSON is the author of CHAPLIN: HIS LIFE AND ART (also published by Penguin)
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First Sentence
I was born on 16 April 1889, at eight o'clock at night, in East Lane, Walworth. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
I was born on 16 April 1889, at eight o'clock at night, in East Lane, Walworth. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In early Hollywood cinema there were only a few leading lights and Charlie Chaplin was one of them.Famous for his clowning and mime,he has been copied and imitated right into the twenty first century.This book take us by the land and leads us from the poverty of Victorian England to the glam and glitz of Hollywood.
Charlie was born in South London in the latter part of the 19th century and both of his parents were music hall entertainers.He lived mainly with his mother and first stepped onto the stage as a young boy after his mother lost her voice and could no longer sing.After spells in Victorian workhouses and pauper schools,Charlie and his brother Sydney fell into life on the road as part of several troups of touring productions,one of which took them to America....
To review this book in total would take pages and pages.He writes beautifully and if selective memory kicks in on occasion, well,that's his perogative.His life story is a fascinating insight into so many things,Victorian London~Victorian Music Hall~Early Cinema and much more.He recounts conversations and meetings with many historical figures including Winston Churchill and Ghandi.
I would highly recommend this book for many reasons but to sum up ~ buy this book 'cause it's a thumping good read!!.
Charlie was born in South London in the latter part of the 19th century and both of his parents were music hall entertainers.He lived mainly with his mother and first stepped onto the stage as a young boy after his mother lost her voice and could no longer sing.After spells in Victorian workhouses and pauper schools,Charlie and his brother Sydney fell into life on the road as part of several troups of touring productions,one of which took them to America....
To review this book in total would take pages and pages.He writes beautifully and if selective memory kicks in on occasion, well,that's his perogative.His life story is a fascinating insight into so many things,Victorian London~Victorian Music Hall~Early Cinema and much more.He recounts conversations and meetings with many historical figures including Winston Churchill and Ghandi.
I would highly recommend this book for many reasons but to sum up ~ buy this book 'cause it's a thumping good read!!.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've never been a fan of Chaplin but I watched the broadcast of 'Chaplin' the movie recently and I was sufficiently impressed to buy this autobiography upon which it was allegedly based. I thought the film to be quite good until I read the book and realised that much of the screenplay is invented or warped. Chaplins own version of events is informative, well written and engaging. He spends some time explaining his impoverished early years in Victorian London and its facinating stuff: really brings the era to colourful life. His mother, portrayed very negatively in the the film, was actually a warm and imaginative character who I would love to meet (way too late of course).
Chaplin describes the early days of movie making with great eloquence (he did NOT make his Keystone debut by walking into a shoot by mistake - that's pure invention for the movie) and again it is fascinating. If the past is a foreign country we can never visit then this is the definitive travelogue for early 20th Century Hollywood. Great stuff and recommended. I even might buy a Chaplin DVD!
Chaplin describes the early days of movie making with great eloquence (he did NOT make his Keystone debut by walking into a shoot by mistake - that's pure invention for the movie) and again it is fascinating. If the past is a foreign country we can never visit then this is the definitive travelogue for early 20th Century Hollywood. Great stuff and recommended. I even might buy a Chaplin DVD!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Charlie Chaplin's life story makes a real page-turner of a book. The misery of his first twelve years had me almost in tears; he lived with his mentally ill mother in an endless series of tiny rooms in the worst slums of Victorian London. Charlie lived on pennies a week and was eventually sent to a workhouse for over a year where the beatings were right out of Dickens. What a contrast to his adult life! While traveling in a vaudeville show in the U.S. he was invited to Hollywood where he created the character of the tramp and rose to international fame and fortune.
Chaplin writes in a very readable style, recounting the horrors and high points of his life with fascinating detail (except for his many love affairs and marriages which are barely mentioned). He socialized with royalty and traveled the world, yet he never forgot his humble beginnings. Highly recommended, especially for film fans.
Chaplin writes in a very readable style, recounting the horrors and high points of his life with fascinating detail (except for his many love affairs and marriages which are barely mentioned). He socialized with royalty and traveled the world, yet he never forgot his humble beginnings. Highly recommended, especially for film fans.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Chaplin's My Autobiography - Life of a legend
This book about the life of the legendary Charles Chaplin, through his eyes, is an essential read for Chaplin enthusiasts. Very interesting read. Read more
Published 14 days ago by LucyA
Genius!
Hard to put this book down.
This guy had it rough in his early years, it's all here.
What a memory, what a talent. Read more
This guy had it rough in his early years, it's all here.
What a memory, what a talent. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Wjcox
GREAT!
An amazing insight in to the life of one of the greatest actors/comedians in the world and its written by the man himself. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Karen
An astonishing feat of memory that reveals an astute mind
This was the second time that I have read this book. Being brought up by parents who were a generation older than the norm, I was brought up watching Chaplin movies and so am a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ms. J. M. Austin
a great book
i knew nothing about cc before reading this. This book is great. i could not put it down. chaplin really takes you back to a forgotten time where you really could go from rags to... Read more
Published 4 months ago by MR D K LESTOURGEON
WONDERFUL BOOK
If you are one of those sad people who always check the worst reviews first, shame on you! This book is 5 star without a doubt. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Alan Alexander
My beloved book
I read it first when I was about 16-17 and even now after many years I sill like to come back to it to read it again. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Magdala
Fabulous book
I've been reading a lot of celebrity autobiographies, and this one is excellent. Charlie not only drops names of important people who crossed his path, he also gives his views on... Read more
Published 13 months ago by C. O'Hare
Wow! What a lovely Surprise
A few months ago whilst on business on a rainy day in Kennington South London, I found myself standing outside a house with a blue plaque "Charlie Chaplin lived here ...". Read more
Published 18 months ago by Abiding in the fields
brilliant read
This was a brilliant read, well written and vastly illuminating. I am so glad I found it. I certainly had no idea of the political furore that this creative genius engendered or... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mrs. V. A. Hayward
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