Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin, full name Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889-1977). British film comedian, director, and producer. Chaplin appeared as a child actor in music halls and in several stage plays before going to the US in 1910. The hard times he experienced as a child are reflected in the poignant humour of some of his films. He made his first films in 1913 for the Keystone Company and established the image of the little tramp-moustache, bowler hat, baggy trousers, walking stick, and flat-footed walk that soon became famous throughout the world. Chaplin made numerous silent films and from 1920 began producing his own feature-length films, including The Gold Rush (1924), Modern Times (1936), The Great Dictator (1940), and Limelight (1952). He was knighted in 1975.