January 24, 2021

The book shown here I purchased at an used book store a few years back.  In doing so I spent hours, page by page enjoying the collection of photos and facts that were assembled by Chaplin himself.

This past weekend, while watching the CHAPLIN movie via Paramount, I reopened this book and noticed that a card covered in plastic had come loose from the binding.

The card is shown here, dated 1978, and one of the few black and white print images of Paulette Goddard remaining in the USA.  Paulette Goddard was one Chaplin’s wives and a screen star in her own right.  After calling the book store, and checking further I learned that this book had been an estate purchase of a person’s library here in Charleston, SC and the photo is quite possibly one of the few remaining print images, as there had been a fire and much destroyed in the mid-70’s.  There are other books you can find on line, used, but so far, my copy has the only one with Paulette Goddard’s own personal photo and note to the person she gifted it to.

Why now?  I am working on assembling a series of lesson plans on the Harlem Renaissance, and my love of Chaplin’s work took me back to the 1920’s.  While he did most of his work on the west coast and in the “silent films”, his topics such as THE KID – reflected the New York area.  He did visit New York often!

Looking forward to the summer?  Now I am so inspired – as this is the 100th Anniversary of the release of THE KID by Chaplin, that we should have a 5-day camp/adventure with THE TRAMP.

After all – Chaplin created THE TRAMP – and he made us laugh, and love guessing his next steps in the silent film era.  No talkies for the THE TRAMP!

By the way – www.charliechaplin.com – contains alot of info on Chaplin and a link to their expanded YOUTUBE channel where they have added alot of short film clips.  I hope you share with your family and friends – THE TRAMP will for certain provide you with a great laugh – pure comic genius!