A Genius of Comedy

Charles Spencer Chaplin 1889 – 1977

I recently watched, for the umpteenth time, the movie Modern Times. This must rank as the finest movie Charlie Chaplin ever made.

He is such and iconic character that is still funny after all of these years. Doing a digital painting in black and white was enjoyable.

Chaplin was a co-founder of United Artists and was a successful producer, director, actor, writer and composer.

The “Little Tramp” is an icon that is still recognized generations after his death. Who can forget the bowler hat, oversized shoes, the over-sized trousers and under-sized coat and the trade-mark cane?

Legend says that the costume was created in Keystone studios using Fatty Arbuckle’s trousers, Charles Avery’s jacket, Ford Sterling’s size 14 shoes (which were worn wrong way round to stop them falling off),  and a bowler hat from Arbuckle’s father-in-law.