Syd Chaplin

Short documentary about Chaplin's year at Essanay. Clips from Chaplin films but also from other Essanay films.

Since his debut in 1914, Charles Chaplin has never ceased to amaze. But surely, Charles would have never reached such heights if it weren't for his big brother Sydney, an improbable character of the shadows with a fiction-like destiny.

A look back at Charlie Chaplin's early life and career, from his rough childhood and music hall success in England to his early Hollywood days and the development of his enormously popular character, the Little Tramp, also called Charlot.

A look at the parallel lives of Charlie Chaplin and Adolf Hitler and how they crossed with the creation of the film “The Great Dictator,” released in 1940.

A biographical documentary about the great British actor and director Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977), from rags to riches, from the slums of London to glory.

A film about the tall actor who was most famous for playing the quintessential villain for Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character.

Ken Murray narrates his 16mm home movies shot over 35 years in Hollywood.

Three Chaplin silent comedies "A Dog's Life", "Shoulder Arms", and "The Pilgrim" are strung together to form a single feature length film. Chaplin provides new music, narration, and a small amount of new connecting material. "Shoulder Arms" is now described as taking place in a time before "the atom bomb".

Syd Chaplin And Betty Balfour star in this British International Picture.

Arthur Wells, an impoverished poet, impersonates a big-game hunter in an attempt to locate the missing link. However, the poet has an aversion to animals...tame or wild.

The adventures of Old Bill and his friends Bert and Alf in the trenches of the first World War.

A wealthy young man disguises himself as a gardener to be near the woman he secretly loves. He discovers that the butler is an enemy spy who plans to steal military secrets, and has to find a way to stop him.

Charley Wyckham and Jack Chesney pressure fellow student Fancourt Babberly to pose as Charley's Brazilian Aunt Donna Lucia. Their purpose is to have a chaperone for their amorous visits with Amy and Kitty, niece and ward of crusty Stephen Spettigue. Complications begin when Fancourt, in drag, becomes the love object of old Spettigue and Sir Francis Chesney.

A comedy short directed by character Slim Summerville.

A 1924 film directed by John Francis Dillon.

The Tramp is an escaped convict who is mistaken as a pastor in a small town church.

A bricklayer and his wife clash over his end-of-the-week partying.

King, Queen, Joker is a 1921 silent feature farce written and directed by Sydney Chaplin, Charlie's older brother. The picture was produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed through Paramount Pictures. The film was shot in England, France and the United States. Less than a reel of this film, the barbershop sequence, survives at the British Film Institute. It was included in the 2011 Criterion DVD special two disc edition release of The Great Dictator.

An American doughboy, stationed in France during the Great War, goes on a daring mission behind enemy lines and becomes a hero.

A propaganda film created by Charlie Chaplin at his own expense for the Liberty Load Committee to help sell U.S. Liberty Bonds during World War I. The story is a series of sketches humorously illustrating various bonds like the bond of friendship and of marriage and, most important, the Liberty Bond, to K.O. the Kaiser which Charlie does literally.

The Tramp and his dog companion struggle to survive in the inner city.

A waiter tricks his way into command of a sub in order to rob a ship carrying gold bullion.

A waiter tricks his way into command of a sub in order to rob a ship carrying gold bullion.

Mr. and Mrs. Gussle get up to some hijinks in this Keystone comedy.

Mr. and Mrs. Gussle get up to some hijinks in this Keystone comedy.

Another of the fast and furious slapstick comedies produced for Keystone that is long on speed and mugging and short on jokes. Gussle and his wife decide to go mountain climbing and shoot at each other in a not very interesting effort. Syd does not even manage his usual graceful surprise movements in this, but spends, like most of the cast, a lot of time falling down.

Another of the fast and furious slapstick comedies produced for Keystone that is long on speed and mugging and short on jokes. Gussle and his wife decide to go mountain climbing and shoot at each other in a not very interesting effort. Syd does not even manage his usual graceful surprise movements in this, but spends, like most of the cast, a lot of time falling down.

This film concerns the adventures of Gussle, played by Sydney Chaplin, in Big Bear Lake area of California. The picture opens with our hero riding a mule through a creek bed, when he is set upon by some robbers. Gussle outsmarts them by attempting to hand over his goods by stretching across the stream, but dropping the goods into the water thereby making the robber also fall in. He makes his way to an inn and recounts his experiences to the other guests and then they all go out and spend time playing in the snow. Some trick photography is used to make it appear that Gussle is making a mule walk backwards.

This film concerns the adventures of Gussle, played by Sydney Chaplin, in Big Bear Lake area of California. The picture opens with our hero riding a mule through a creek bed, when he is set upon by some robbers. Gussle outsmarts them by attempting to hand over his goods by stretching across the stream, but dropping the goods into the water thereby making the robber also fall in. He makes his way to an inn and recounts his experiences to the other guests and then they all go out and spend time playing in the snow. Some trick photography is used to make it appear that Gussle is making a mule walk backwards.

Gussle Rivals Jonah is a silent comedy

Gussle Rivals Jonah is a silent comedy

Gussle (Syd Chaplin) comes home with a cute little dog but doesn't want the wife to see it--leading up to a rather funny bit you'll have to see for yourself. The marriage, at first, seems ideal and Gussle and his wife seem devoted. However, it soon seems that this is an act for Syd and it's obvious he's quite the philanderer. Eventually, the wife catches on and sets out to catch him--leading to a rather cute and unexpected ending.

Gussle (Syd Chaplin) comes home with a cute little dog but doesn't want the wife to see it--leading up to a rather funny bit you'll have to see for yourself. The marriage, at first, seems ideal and Gussle and his wife seem devoted. However, it soon seems that this is an act for Syd and it's obvious he's quite the philanderer. Eventually, the wife catches on and sets out to catch him--leading to a rather cute and unexpected ending.

The disgraceful Reggie Gussle spends a day at the park with his hated wife while trying to steal a lovely girl from her boyfriend.

Featuring Charlie Chaplin's half-brother as The Husband, Phyllis Allen as The Wife, Slim Summerville as The Boy Friend, Cecile Arnold as The Girl Friend, and Mack Swain as The Bartender.

The ever-disreputable Reggie Gussle, mistreating his caddy and generally making an ass of himself on the golf course, receives a well-deserved golf ball to the noggin, temporarily rendering him disoriented. The offending golfer, Ambrose, and his wife feel terrible about the erring ball; but if they knew what Gussle was capable of, they'd have left him lying on the green. Later, at his social club, Gussle gets thrown out of a card game for cheating. Ambrose, ignorant of the exiting Gussle's dishonesty, greets him warmly before joining the game himself. Gussle suddenly has an idea that will give him revenge on the card players and get rid of Ambrose so that Gussle can make his moves on his gullible friend's beautiful wife.

Fatty's Wine Party is a 1914 American short comedy film directed by and starring Fatty Arbuckle.

Pierre and Jacques are working as waiters at a restaurant where the cooks go on strike. When the two are forced to work as bakers, the striking cooks put dynamite in the dough, with explosive results.