Charlie Chaplin (1951)

childhood and stage career 13 version of "From Rags to Riches," a typical Alger story dramatized by Charles A. Taylor. Joseph Stanley and Laurette Taylor starred in the American version. The play, of the "East Lynne" School, reflected both Charlie's actual life and his dream life. A street waif to the last act, he then reunites his scattered family and wins a fortune, Young Chaplin received fine notices for his performance. He became quite a cocky young actor, enjoyed the life, dressed nattily, and sported a cane. His temporary prosperity enabled him to place his mother in a convalescent home. She was never to regain her sanity, despite the best of care. There were three years of touring in "Sherlock Holmes," with H. A. Saintsbury in the lead and Chaplin as Billy the office boy. The role of the crafty young rascal who understands his master perfectly was a natural for the young Cockney. Among other roles, he played Sammy the newsboy in Saintsbury 's "Jim, the Romance of Cocaine" (or "Jim, the Romance of a Cockney"?) and one of the wolves in the first production of "Peter Pan" at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, December 27, 1904. Chaplin was now a well-known boy actor for whom a brilliant future was predicted. He was popular with stage folk, who enjoyed his imitations of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and other stage notables. When William Gillette, the original American star of "Sherlock Holmes," visited London, he added a curtainraiser to the featured play, "Clarice." The one-acter was called "The Painful Predicament of Sherlock Holmes." For this Chaplin was hired by the American impresario, Charles Frohman, to resume the role of Billy. It opened on October 3, 1905, at the Duke of York's Theatre. In the two companies were a number of stage celebrities. Supporting Gillette in "Clarice" was the beautiful Marie Doro, later to star in American movies, and Lucille La Verne, American character actress of "Sun Up"