Charlie Chaplin (1951)

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■ ■ million-dollar contract and first marriage Toward the end of his Mutual contract, Chaplin was offered a million dollars by the same company, for another series of twelve. Monetarily this was a better offer than the one he accepted since the million dollars was offered him clear, as straight salary, and Mutual was to bear all production costs. He signed, instead, with the newly formed First National Circuit (J. D. Williams, President) because he was given greater range and freedom in the making of his pictures. The contract received world-wide publicity. It gave him a million dollars, plus a $15,000 bonus for signing, for eight pictures to be made within eighteen months. They were not to run under 1600 feet. If they ran over 2300 feet, he was to receive a proportionate increase and other financial inducements. But Chaplin was now to be his own producer and bear the costs. He was to make the films in his own studio for the new releasing company, which had been formed partly to combat Adolf Zukor's domination of the industry with his powerful Paramount organization. First National was to advance $125,000 to make each negative, the sum including Chaplin's salary. Should the picture run longer than two reels, First National was to advance $15,000 for each additional reel. First National was also to defray the cost of prints, advertising, and other incidentals. Distribution costs were figured at thirty per cent