Charlie Chaplin and His Times

Summary

With the psychologically penetrating insight that marked his award-winning Hemingway, Kenneth Lynn probes beneath the mystique of the "Little Tramp," the first true worldwide celebrity. This landmark, full-scale biography reveals the inner man whose unmatched comic genius masked a complex, sometimes tragic life.

Lynn delves into Chaplin's childhood and family, as well as his early appearances on the stages of English music halls and his inspired creation of the silent screen's most memorable and beloved character, the Tramp, who spoke—in pantomime—to millions, making Chaplin the most famous man in the world. Lynn also examinesChaplin's often controversial relationships with four wives and a slew of mistresses and his associations with British music hall impresario Fred Karno and silent screen star and pal Douglas Fairbanks. He addresses Chaplin's political influences and convictions and brings a keen, critical intelligence to the meaning to Chaplin's films to illuminate his elusive genius.

Presenting new and deeper understanding of both the bright and dark sides of this extraordinary man, Charlie Chaplin and His Timesis a towering achievement.