Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin was born on April 16, 1889 in London. His father was an entertainer and although not one of the big names, he was doing very well. His mother Hannah was also an entertainer. While they were by no means rich, the music hall provided the Chaplins with a comfortable living.
Unfortunately happy life didn’t last long. Father’s alcoholism was slowly, but surely destroying his marriage. Finally it ended in divorce. But Hannah was indomitable (不屈不挠的). Without her, Charlie Chaplin would have become just one more child lost in the poverty of Victorian London. Somehow she not only managed to keep Charlie and his brother Sydney clean and warm, clothed and fed, but she conjured (变戏法)little treats for them. She would sit at the window watching the passers-by and guess at their characters from the way they looked and behaved, spinning tales to delight Charlie and Syney. Charlie took in her skills and went on using them all his life.
Charlie had always believed, even in the worst time, that he had some special potential inside him. He took his courage and went to see one of the top theatrical agents. With no experience at all,he was being offered the part of Billy, the pageboy (小听差) in a new production of "Sherlock Holmes". "Sherlock Holmes" opened on July 27, 1903 at the enormous "Pavilion Theatre". Charlie seemed to change overnight. It was as if he had found the thing he was meant to do.
In 1910, when Kamo set off on its yearly American tour, Charlie was regarded as "one of the best pantomime (哑剧)artists ever seen here. " They had reached Philadelphia when a telegram arrived and he was being offered the chance to replace a star in the Keystone film company.
Cinema was born in the same year as Charlie, though people still believed it was a passing fad (一时的狂热，时尚), and would never replace live shows. He was kept hanging about for several weeks and he used the time to watch and learn. He was determined to master this new medium. It offered him the chance of money and success and it would set him free from the unpredictability of live audience.
Charlie’s first film, released in February 1914, was called "Making a living". Though it didn’t satisfy Charlie, the public liked it. After that he made ten films and he learned a lot. The public loved him and distributors were demanding more and more Chaplin films. In an incredibly short time, Charlie had become a very important man in motion picture.