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Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin Kindle Edition

by Joyce Milton (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.1 76 ratings

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Charlie Chaplin made an amazing seventy-one films by the time he was only thirty-three years old. He was known not only as the world’s first international movie star, but as a comedian, a film director, and a man ripe with scandal, accused of plagiarism, communism, pacifism, liberalism, and anti-Americanism. He seduced young women, marrying four different times, each time to a woman younger than the last. In this animated biography of Chaplin, Joyce Milton reveals to us a life riddled with gossip and a struggle to rise from an impoverished London childhood to the life of a successful American film star. Milton shows us how the creation of his famous character—the Tramp, the Little Fellow—was both rewarding and then devastating as he became obsolete with the changes of time. Tramp is a perceptive, clever, and captivating biography of a talented and complicated man whose life was filled with scandal, politics, and art.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joyce Milton is the author of Loss of Eden: A Biography of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, The Yellow Kids: Foreign Correspondents in the Heyday of Yellow Journalism, The Rosenberg File (with Ronald Radosh) and Vicki (with Ann Bardach). She lives in Brooklyn, New York. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

British-born Charlie Chaplin was not only the world's first international movie star but one of the most loved, hated and gossiped-about figures in film history. In her colorful and absorbing biography of the mercurial Chaplin, Joyce Milton takes us from his childhood in the London slums and his early days as a music hall entertainer, through his meteoric rise and the full flowering of his artistic genius in the American film world, to his exile in Europe during the 1950s during the heyday of McCarthyism and Red-baiting.

The Keystone comedies era and Chaplin's emergence as a star and director make a fascinating story, peopled by the likes of Mack Sennett, Fatty Arbuckle, Mabel Normand, Wallace Beery and Edna Purviance. His founding of United Artists in 1919, with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, was seminal, giving him a control over his own films that no other writer, actor or director could hope for under the studio system at the time.

Hollywood in the '20s and '30s makes today's film community seem puritanical by comparison, and Chaplin was a key figure in many of the gamier scandals. Successful, handsome and a megastar, he developed a reputation as a seducer of very young women -- his second, wife, Lita Grey, was 15 when they became involved, and he married Oona O'Neill, his fourth, when she was 18. Fighting a paternity suit and accusations of plagiarism, communism, pacifism, libertinism and anti-Americanism, Chaplin nevertheless managed to make 71 films by the time he was 33 years old -- with some of his finest work still ahead of him (The Gold Rush, City Lights, Modern Times and The Great Dictator).

To date only sanitized versions of Chaplin's life have been told, and no biography has yet placed Chaplin in an American context. A strong, determined artist -- at once charming and vulnerable but also vain, arrogant and egotistical -- Chaplin fought hard to overcome early hardships, and suffered greatly when the character he created -- the Tramp, the Little Fellow -- was rendered obsolete by age, changing audience tastes, and the advent of talkies. Joyce Milton's probing and revelatory biography explores the psychological and social roots of Chaplin's art, politics, love life and friendships through the course of a tumultuous life, at once rich and confounding.

Tramp is a shrewd, insightful and entertaining biography of one of the most talented and controversial figures in film history, a complicated man whose life was filled with scandal, politics and art.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

“Tramp is the best Hollywood biography I have ever read; beautifully written, painstakingly researched, unblinkingly shrewd in pursuit of Chaplin’s labyrinthine personality, and an analysis of the comedic art that is itself funny—a literary accomplishment even rarer than sexy sex scenes.” —Washington Times

“Substantial . . . [A] well-researched, evenhanded portrait of a troubled entertainment genius . . . Milton’s clear rendering of one of the first film superstars, and of the fickle public scrutiny that followed him, doubles . . . as a sweeping look at the first half of the 20th century.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] masterful portrait of the artist as a swine . . . Milton presents a complex, insightful portrait of a man in whom genius and iniquity were inseparably combined.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Fair, balanced, and highly readable . . . Milton has provided . . . a more complete view of [Chaplin’s] time in America than any previous biographer.” —Chicago Tribune

“Compelling and provocative . . . The beam of limelight that Milton shines on Chaplin exposes much.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Library Journal

Chaplin's life spanned momentous events in film history, including the silent-to-sound transition and the advent of morality codes, not to mention two world wars and the HUAC hearings. With this context in mind, Milton (Lost Eden: A Biography of Charles and Anne Lindbergh, LJ 11/15/92) shows how Chaplin, brought up in London's East End culture, was instilled with a class consciousness that later resonated in his Communist sympathies and his creation of the lumpenproletariat icon of the "Little Guy"?the celluloid role he could never eclipse. Yet his lavish movie-star lifestyle betrayed his professed beliefs. Milton suggests that Chaplin's intellectual pretensions and political dilettantism were veneers covering his own internalized class struggle and the manic depression that both plagued and sustained him creatively. Chronicled are Chaplin's baptism by anarchic comedy with Sennett; his precedent-setting salary negotiations; his cavalier approach to production issues; and his quest for the perfect leading lady. The paradoxes presented are not new, but Milton gives insight into an enigma. Where other biographers have either lauded Chaplin as a frustrated artist or vilified him as an immoral entertainer, Milton lets the reader decide. Recommended for larger film collections.?Jayne Kate Plymale-Jackson, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Athens
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Despite its title's potential as a double entendre, Milton's substantial biography of Chaplin is hardly dirt-dishing. Eschewing what she calls "pathography," Milton presents a well-researched, evenhanded portrait of a troubled entertainment genius. Starting with Chaplin's roots in late-19th-century British poverty?a history the actor himself obscured?the author traces his complex relationships to a manic-depressive mother, vaudeville theater and the infant film industry, as well as to the celebrity, controversy and exile that marked his later years. Chaplin, a socially awkward man of erratic moods and creative spurts, suffered internal conflicts over money?though immensely wealthy, he was a notorious penny-pincher?as well as over his liaisons with startlingly young women. Milton tackles these exploitable topics with respect, however, depicting the actor/director as a man whose ambition, fortune and left-leaning political sympathies have had far-reaching effects on the business and PR structure of Hollywood today?as has the public aftermath of his seemingly unsavory marriages and love affairs. Milton's clear rendering of one of the first film superstars, and of the fickle public scrutiny that followed him, doubles then?as did her superb life of the Lindberghs, Loss of Eden (1992)?as a sweeping look at the first half of the 20th century. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour; U.K., translation, first serial, dramatic rights: Barbara Lowenstein.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Booklist

Sixty years after his last appearance, Charlie Chaplin's screen persona, the little tramp, remains one of the movies' most recognized icons, which perhaps justifies a new biography of the comedian in every decade. Milton is less circumspect about Chaplin's libertine ways than previous biographers have been. Chaplin's filmmaking career remains paramount, of course, but Milton pays perhaps disproportionate attention to his divorces, suicide attempts, nervous breakdowns, paternity suits, Mann Act violations, alleged plagiarisms, and other indiscretions and to the half-baked leftist sympathies that prompted the political harassment that drove Chaplin out of the U.S. in 1952. These emphases aren't quite prurient--and in this age of supermarket tabloids, the consequent revelations won't offend many--but they skew the book's tone. Moreover, Milton's credentials as journalist and historian don't much qualify her to write knowledgeably about Chaplin's artistry; Robinson's Chaplin (1985), which Milton draws on heavily, is preferable in this regard, and it covers the life more than adequately. For libraries lacking Robinson's effort, this is a satisfactory-enough substitute. Gordon Flagg --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

The little tramp takes some hard, muddy pratfalls in this masterful portrait of the artist as a swine. With anyone as well-chronicled as Charlie Chaplin, a new biography must pass the strictest tests of originality. Does it say something new or recast what is known in a different light? Milton (Loss of Eden, 1992, etc.) meets these criteria and more in this major reevaluation of a filmmaker whose one saving grace was his ability to make people laugh. His squalid London childhood was appalling--poverty, a mentally unstable actress mother, an absent alcoholic father. Chaplin got out as soon as he could, finding unexpected success as a music hall pantomime performer. Though Hollywood was eager to have him, he made little mark in his first few films. Then he created his ``Tramp'' character--the absurd mustache, the bowler and cane, the uneasy mix of pathos and buffoonery--and became a star of almost unimaginable proportions. Fame is rarely ennobling, but with Chaplin it offered too many opportunities to indulge his weaknesses. He pursued women-- especially teenagers--obsessively; he cheated friends, cheated the IRS, stole ideas, supported unpleasant causes. All of this had little effect on his movies; perhaps it was even the wellspring of his talent, until he succumbed to the comedian's fatal temptation of taking himself seriously. Milton is particularly devastating in her analysis of how his films turned from ingenious slapstick to leaden, Stalinist posturings. Diagnosing the dead is always an iffy proposition, but she also makes an excellent case for Chaplin having been afflicted with manic-depression. Certainly, this would help explain his innumerable inconsistencies as well as his wild mood swings in which bursts of activity were followed by idle, sullen stretches. Despite the profusion of negatives, this is not a hatchet job. Rather, Milton presents a complex, insightful portrait of a man in whom genius and iniquity were inseparably combined. (16 pages b&w photos, not seen) (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Amazon.com Review

Charlie Chaplin is an enigmatic figure: famous throughout the world in the early days of Hollywood, his celebrity as the silent movie tramp/clown endures; yet he was also active in radical social politics, and later went into exile amid a swirl of rumor and invective concerning his Communist Party connections. Chaplin wrote his own rather selective autobiography, and has been the subject of several memoirs. Milton deals with his tempestuous marriages and with his work, but concentrates on his political life. She analyzes his political naiveté and inconsistency, while locating the source of his left-wing sympathies. The image of the tramp, it transpires, was no accidental movie persona. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00KQZY2BC
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media (July 1, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 1, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 10159 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 606 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #437,574 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #260 in Biographies of Comedians
- #626 in Biographies of the Rich & Famous
- #1,740 in Rich & Famous Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.1 76 ratings

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Lawrence Lomenzo

EXCELLENT! AN ABSORBING GLIMPSE INTO A HOLLYWOOD LONG GONE

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2004

Verified Purchase

I just finished reading this book and couldn't put it down!
It is a truly engrossing look at the life, and the times, of an artist who truly defined the art of film-making through his work. I found Ms. Milton's work to be painstakingly thorough, even-handed, and balanced. She really draws you in until you feel as though you're looking over Chaplin's shoulder throughout the book. A truly great read for any buff of Chaplin and/or old-time Hollywood. BRAVO!
However, I do have one gripe...Ms. Milton's effort deserved a more diligent proofreading, prior to publication.
All in all, though, this is a wonderful book.

9 people found this helpful

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Dr. Don Watts

Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2012

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Since I knew very little about Charlie Chaplin's personal life and have not read his autobiography, this book was very informative and inciteful. Ms. Milton obviously spent much time in researching and developing her version that contains heavy references to other books already written and much from his autobiography. I enjoy biographies more than autobiography because of the obvious slant in view, however, Ms. Milton did seem overly critical and bias, particularly in Chaplin's treatment of women....no sugar coating here.

My biggest criticism is not the style and delivery of the material but the number of grammatical errors and misspelled words. Maybe since this was an eread, the editing was minimal (I'm giving the publisher a break--there should have been closer editing before reputating such a product). Shame on your laziness!

7 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Chaplin had some not so nice traits!

Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2021

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I got the book early, thank you

One person found this helpful

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Avid Reader

Eye Opener

Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2013

Anyone who things that Miley Cyrus or Lindsay Lohan or some rapper has invented stardom based on insane conduct, publicity-seeking scandal, and unnecessary lawsuits should read this book. Charlie Chaplin did it all nearly 100 years ago, and he threw in bizarre political activism and sex with scores of teenage girls on top of it.

Before reading "Tramp," I knew little about Charlie Chaplin beyond enjoying some of his classic long films. Now I know more about the fascinating and destructive life that he led. The range of people he interacted with was extraordinary, and while he seemed to have treated none of them with respect (and rarely with affection), they seemed to universally recognize him as a creative genius. It's the classic "great artist, terrible person" story.

From his Dickensian roots as the son of a bombastic vaudeville actor and his schizophrenic singer wife, to his turn as a youth vaudeville star and then casualty of aging that infects all childhood stars, to his fortune to pop into the nascent film industry at a studio that enabled (and forced him) to hone his craft through an immense workload, his rise is miraculous. And he never forgot his roots. They pervade the Tramp character that he developed in Mack Sennett's studio and grew into a nuanced character during his own time as a director, writer, composer, part-owner of a studio, and, of course, star actor.

Along with his improbable rise and extraordinary wealth -- he was earning $500,000 or more a year at a time when the country didn't even have an income tax -- Chaplin was seducing and discarding teenage girls almost on a monthly basis. Clearly, he'd be in deep counseling, and possibly in jail, today for some of the things he did. Whether this was Chaplin merely taking advantage of the lure that Hollywood had even in those early days, or whether it was a deep-seated psychological matter (as the author suggests) is irrelevant, in my opinion. I'm more concerned about the effect on his victims than on why he did what he did.

And that's the strange thing about this book. It lays out his misdeeds -- and those of others of his circle, like Douglas Fairbanks, Fatty Arbuckle, Buster Keaton -- but doesn't judge any of them. Sometimes, it even seems to defend the evil-doers as guys who were just going what came naturally when sexy women became available. In the case of Arbuckle, it states that his murder scandal was most likely actually a botched abortion of a girl he hadn't even slept with; i.e., Arbuckle was a victim. Who knows what's true, except that a young girl died unnecessarily after being shared around by a bunch of older Hollywood guys? Other Chaplin associates and ex-girlfriends killed themselves in their 20s --- not necessarily because of Chaplin, but he certainly didn't provide them any emotional or even financial comfort that might have enabled them to overcome their troubles. I'd like to see a bit more condemnation in the book.

The book does include a synopsis of each of his major films as they occurred chronologically, but there's not much effort to explain why they were so impressive for their time, and how he became so beloved. I didn't come away from "Tramp" with an understanding of why Chaplin he was somehow better than others of his era, nor why he rocketed to the top of list of film stars so quickly. Apparently, his face could show more emotions, or his insistence on numerous takes of a scene made them better than others' films? I don't know. It's not obvious when I watch his short films on YouTube.

In sum, this book is well-researched and very interesting. It gives a wonderful account of what it was like to be a part of the birth of Hollywood and the film industry, both artistically and as a cultural force. And it documents the amazing life of one of the men who created that world, Charlie Chaplin --- a creative genius who, sadly, left a trail of ill-treatment and borderline criminal conduct in his wake.

7 people found this helpful

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Deborah Lovelace

A life reviewed from all angles.

Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 1999

Although parts of this biography of Sir Charles Chaplin are very. . . distrubing, it does also present Chaplin at his best. It is a great read for one wanting a little more of the personal take on the early history of Hollywood, and its colorful characters. The biography also deals with the blacklisting that occurred during the McCarthy communist inquisition, and Chaplin's stance and involvement. If you want to read nothing but the nice things in Chaplin's life, do not even open the front cover of this copy. If your admiration of Chaplin is for his work, and you can handle a tarnished side of Chaplin, then by all means, read this book!

9 people found this helpful

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wrw wendy

excellent

Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2010

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received book in expected time frame. book was sold as "used", but looks just about new to me! thanks very much

One person found this helpful

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Mark in S C

The Worst

Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2020

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I just could not generate any interest in this boring, stilted and lethargic book. I tried very hard but could not finish it.

6 people found this helpful

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Yennta

Hatchet job!

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022

TOO detailed as to the insanities of his certifiable girlfriends and SOO vitriolic about the Commies (writer, who lacks a sense of humor! seems to have tapproved the witch-hunt) but gotta be the most detailed and complete Chaplin bio.

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