The Gold Rush (United Artists) (1925)

Chaplin Made Debut As Boy In Gay Revue Sennet Credited With Discovery Of Chaplin (Special Feature) The history of Charlie Chaplin, even in its most abbreviated form, is a most implausible chronicle. Not because of any novel features con¬ tained in it, but for exactly the opposite reason. It is an almost impossible collection of biographical cliches. Even Horatio Alger, the world’s most prolific fabricator of tales, would have scorned it. Of course, we can hardly blame Chap¬ lin for this triteness. He just had the misfortune to live it. Even his parents were in charac¬ ter. His father was a kindly man but an uncertain provider; his mother a fine woman who had to cope with the trials and privations . of small-time English vaudeville and the squalor of the slums of London. Charlie’s education, early and late, was sketchy and sporadic and at a tender age he was helping to support his mother. He became a printer’s devil until he finally de¬ cided to go on the stage and joined the Karno Repertory Company. At night, he practiced dance steps and acrobatics. ( That this diligence was worth¬ while was proved when he came to this country in “A Night In An English Music Hall.” Chaplin’s tal¬ ent was immediately recognized and he was signed by Mack Sennett to make pictures. From that time he was on his way. Even today, Chaplin doesn’t coast because he is successful. In addition to starring, directing and producing, Chaplin writes his own pictures, and all of them, including “The Gold Rush,” which is now on view at the.Theatre, are marked by a freshness and originality that are peculiar to Chaplin. FOR TOPAZE When Charlie Chaplin, now star¬ ring in “The Gold Rush” at the .Theatre, goes to Holly¬ wood’s swankiest eating places, he never neglects to bring back a paper plate dotted with choice mor¬ sels which he personally feeds to Topaze, a black cat that Charlie found when he was just a stray kitten. For ever since Topaze pur¬ red his way into the comedian’s heart, the best is none too good, for him. Charlie ChapUn’s adventures in “TTie Cold Rush,” which is now on view at the.Tlieatre through United Artists release, are unfolded a«;ainst the snow-capped peaks of the Klondike, with Charlie, the Lone Prospector, finally winning romance, the girl and a gigantic fortune in gold. 1C —Three Col. Scene (Mat .46; Cut .75) .SltOftd ro^fam. MUSICIANSHIP Charlie Chaplin, hero of “The Gold Rush,” which is slated for its initial showing at the .- Theatre on . through United Artists release, can play any musical instrument, although he never took a lesson in his life. In fact, Chaplin composes nearly all of the music for his pictures; he sits at the piano while a musical stenographer stands-by and trans¬ fers to paper what Charlie impro¬ vises on the keyboard. • MUSEUM PIECES The original suit, cane, hat and shoes that Charlie Chaplin, star of “The Cold Rush,” which will start an engagement at the . Theatre on . through United Artists release, wore in his early screen appearances are on view at the Los Angeles Museum to which he donated them. Also, there is to be seen a replica of Charlie’s famous form and figure sculptured to wear the costume. • CLEVER LINGUIST Although he is no linguist by his own admission, Charlie Chap- Charlie Chaplin’s delightful antics are known around the globe and here he demonstrates his finesse with the foot in a scene from “The Cold Rush,” which will have its local premiere at the.Theatre on ...» d>B—Two Col. Scene (Mat .30; Cut .50) lin, who is now presenting “The Gold Rush,” his brilliant comedy of the Alaska days at the. Theatre thru United Artists release, can hoodwink foreigners into be¬ lieving he is talking their language. He does it by clever intonation and is most proficient in deceiving the Chinese. In “The Great Dictator,” he exhibited his skill at deception by speaking in a deep, harsh, fam¬ iliar guttural. • NO CLOCK-WATCHER When Charlie ChapUn is work¬ ing on a picture, he labors with regularity and conscientiousness. His only attention to the clock is in the morning—he arrives, at the studio promptly at eight. Some days he will leave at five, more often at eight, nine, ten, or well after mid¬ night. He is a painstaking worker, and he figures out “business” and “gags” down to the minutest de¬ tail. Currently, he is appearing in “The Gold Rush” at the. Theatre thru United Artists re¬ lease. • POTPOURRI Although he has talked less for publication than any celebrity, Charlie ChapUn, now starring in “The Gold Rush,” his brilliant comedy now showing at the. .Theatre, has received more publicity than anyone in the pic¬ ture industry. Although Charlie wears the biggest shoes on the screen—size 14—in private life he wears size 5. PAST AND PRESENT Once, way back, Charlie Chaplin, hero of “The Gold Rush,” which will start an engagement at the .Theatre on. thru United Artists release, led Sousa’s band through two numbers of the old New York Hippodrome. Now, Charlie lets others conduct the background music for his pic¬ tures. • TEMPURA If you have never heard of Jap¬ anese Tempura, ask Charlie Chap¬ lin for the lowdown. The master comedian, now starred in his own production, “The Gold Rush,” com¬ ing on.to the. Theatre, says that it is one of his favorite dishes. It is an Oriental concoction made of fried shrimp. • MUSTACHE LORE Charlie Chaplin, who can now be seen in one of his funniest and most briUiant comedies, “The Gold Rush,’* at the. Theatre thru United Artists release, is very fussy about that famous mustache he wears in his films. He makes a fresh one each morning himself whenever he is working be¬ fore the cameras. Charlie is a stick¬ ler about everything when picture- fnaking is concerned, because he is practically a one-man organization. • PHOTOGRAPHS Charlie Chaplin, who may cur¬ rently be seen in “The Gold Rush,” his funniest comedy, at the. .Theatre, holds the record for having been photographed with celebrities. Among his camera com¬ panions have been Kine Edward VHI (then Prince of Wales), Franklin D. Roosevelt (then Sec¬ retary of the Navy), Ramsay Mac¬ Donald, Mahatma Ghandi, H. G. Wells and G. B. Shaw. Little Tramp's Philosophy Although the philosophy of his Little Tramp has been clearly explained in all of his pictures, parlor speculation about the beloved little figure never ceases to produce new wrinkles. In fact, there have been sol many variations on an old theme—most of them as gargantuan as old-fashioned myths—that Charlie, whose “The Gold Rush” starts a run at the . Theatre on ., once more elucidates for the benefit of those who want to hear. In defining the type of person he is, says Charlie, I would say that he wears an air of romantic hunger—he is forever seeking ro¬ mance but he cannot find it because his feet won’t let him. In this simple sentence, of course, Chaplin explains the whole philosophy and magnetism of the little tramp. He does it without all the fol-de-rol and pseudo-analysis which have appeared from time to time in the newsprints. And it is this same famiUar figure who again wanders through a series of fun-fiUed, side-splitting comedy situations in “The Gold Rush.” Chaplin wrote, directed and produced “The Gold Rush” and it is being released through United Artists. Comic Claims Hard Work Is Best Formula Charlie Spurned The Easy Life As Beginner (Current Feature) One of the most amazing success stories in the world is Charlie Chaplin’s. At the age of 28, he was not only one of the most famous and best loved men in the world, but wealthy in his own right. The same year he built the Chaplin Studios starting his own producing company which, since its inception in 1918, has never produced anything but artis¬ tic as well as financial successes. The son of theatrical parents, he earned his own living from the time he was nine years old. By his own admission, his schooling was spasmodic. But even as a very young boy, those who knew him say Charlie was studious. When he joined the Karno Repertoire Com¬ pany as a lad in his teens, he was never to be found in the Vgay spots” when the day’s work was done, as did the other young fel¬ lows in the troupe. Instead, he stayed at home and figured out “funny business” for his routines. That he succeeded as a result of his industry was proved when he was spotted by Mack Sennett short¬ ly after he arrived in America. From that memorable day when he entered pictures his rise was me¬ teoric and now he is the reigning comedian of the screen world. Cur¬ rently, Charlie is starring in his production of “The Gold Rush,” the current attraction at the. Theatre thru United Artists re¬ lease. Snowy Background In “Gold Rush” In “The Gold Rush,” which is currently on view at the. ' Theatre, Charlie Chaplin is again the lovable little tramp whom he has endeared to millions, but this time the serio-comic figure wan¬ ders through the snow-capped peaks and mountains of the wilder¬ ness of the Klondike during the hectic gold rush days. We see him first as the Lone Prospector, buf¬ feted by a cruel fate as well as by cruel toughs. Subsequently, romance enters his dreary life in the shape of a dance-hall queen. But she is only an adventuress at heart and brings more pathos into the life of the little man—but at the end, Charlie actually wins the girl and becomes multi-millionaire, to boot. Page Fifteen