| The Tramp | |
|---|---|
 Chaplin as the Tramp in 1915 | |
| First appearance | Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914) |
| Last appearance | Modern Times (1936)[1] |
| Created by | Charlie Chaplin |
| Portrayed by | Charlie Chaplin |
| In-universe information | |
| Alias |
|
| Title | The Little Fellow |
| Occupation | Tramp |
| Children | Kid ("John") (surrogate son) |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | British |
The Tramp (Charlot in several languages), also known asthe Little Tramp, was English actorCharlie Chaplin's most memorable on-screen character and an icon inworld cinema during the era ofsilent film.The Tramp is also the title of a silent film starring Chaplin, which Chaplin wrote and directed in 1915.
The Tramp, as portrayed by Chaplin is a childlike and bumbling but generally good-hearted character who is most famously portrayed as a mischievousvagrant. He endeavours to behave with the manners and dignity of a gentleman despite his actual social status. However, while the Tramp is ready to take what paying work is available, he also uses his cunning self to get what he needs to survive and escape the authority figures who will not tolerate his antics.
Chaplin's films did not always portray the Tramp as a vagrant, however. The character ("The little fellow", as Chaplin called him) was rarely referred to by any names on-screen, although he was sometimes identified as "Charlie" and rarely, as in the original silent version ofThe Gold Rush, "The little funny tramp".
The character of the Tramp was originally created by accident while Chaplin was working atMack Sennett'sKeystone Studios, when dressing up for the 1914 short filmMabel's Strange Predicament starringMabel Normand and Chaplin. In a 1933 interview, Chaplin explained how he came up with the look of the Tramp:[2]
A hotel set was built for (fellow Keystone comic) Mabel Normand's pictureMabel's Strange Predicament and I was hurriedly told to put on a funny make-up. This time I went to the wardrobe and got a pair of baggy pants, a tight coat, a small derby hat and a large pair of shoes. I wanted the clothes to be a mass of contradictions, knowing pictorially the figure would be vividly outlined on the screen. I wore a small mustache which would not hide my expression. My appearance got an enthusiastic response from everyone, including Mr. Sennett. The clothes seemed to imbue me with the spirit of the character. He actually became a man with a soul—a point of view. I defined to Mr. Sennett the type of person he was. He wears an air of romantic hunger, forever seeking romance, but his feet won't let him.
That was actually the first film featuring the Tramp but a different film, shot later but with the same character, happened to be released two days earlier. The Tramp debuted to the public in theKeystone comedyKid Auto Races at Venice (released on 7 February 1914;Mabel's Strange Predicament, shot earlier, was released on 9 February 1914). Chaplin, with his Little Tramp character, quickly became the most popular star in Keystone director Mack Sennett's company of players. Chaplin continued to play the Tramp through dozens of short films and, later, feature-length productions. (In only a handful of other productions did he play characters other than the Tramp.)
The Tramp was closely identified with the silent era, and was considered an international character. The 1931 sound productionCity Lights featured no dialogue. Chaplin officially retired the character in the filmModern Times (1936), which ended with the Tramp walking down a highway toward the horizon. The film was only a partial talkie and is often called the last silent film. The Tramp remains silent until near the end of the film when, for the first time, his voice is finally heard, albeit only as part of a French/Italian-derived gibberish song.
InThe Great Dictator, Chaplin's first film afterModern Times, Chaplin plays the dual role of aHitler-esque dictator, and a Jewish barber. Although Chaplin emphatically stated that the barber was not the Tramp, he retains the Tramp's moustache, hat, and general appearance. Despite a few silent scenes, including one where the barber is wearing the Tramp's coat and bowler hat and carrying his cane, the barber speaks throughout the film (using Chaplin's own English accent), including a passionate plea for peace that has been widely interpreted as Chaplin speaking as himself.[3]
In 1959, having been editingThe Chaplin Revue, Chaplin commented to a reporter regarding the Tramp character, "I was wrong to kill him. There was room for the Little Man in the atomic age."[4]
Avaudeville performer namedLew Bloom created a similar tramp character. Bloom argued he was "the first stage tramp in the business".[5] In an interview with theDaily Herald in 1957, Chaplin recalled being inspired by the tramp characters Weary Willie and Tired Tim, a long-running hobo comic strip fromIllustrated Chips that he had read as a boy in London:
The wonderfully vulgar paper for boys [Illustrated Chips] ... and the 'Adventures of Weary Willie and Tired Tim,' two famous tramps with the world against them. There's been a lot said about how I evolved the little tramp character who made my name. Deep, psychological stuff has been written about how I meant him to be a symbol of all the class war, of the love-hate concept, the death-wish and what-all. But if you want the simple Chaplin truth behind the Chaplin legend, I started the little tramp simply to make people laugh and because those other old tramps, Weary Willie and Tired Tim, had always made me laugh.[6]
The personality of the Tramp in the early Keystone one-reelers is a pleasure-seeking anti-authoritarian and a flirt. The Tramp is also known for his mischievousness.[7] The physical attributes of the Tramp include a pair of large baggy pants, a tight coat, abowler hat, a large pair of shoes, a springy and flexible cane, and a toothbrush moustache—a mass of contradictions, as Chaplin wanted it to be.[8]
Two films made in 1915,The Tramp andThe Bank, created the characteristics of Chaplin's screen persona. While in the end the Tramp manages to shake off his disappointment and resume his carefree ways, the pathos lies in the Tramp's having hope for a more permanent transformation through love and his failure to achieve this.[9]
The Tramp was usually the victim of circumstances and coincidences, but sometimes the results work in his favour. InModern Times, he picks up ared flag that falls off a truck and starts to wave it at the truck in an attempt to return it, and by doing so, unknowingly and inadvertently becomes the leader of a group of protesting workers, and ends up in jail because of it. While in jail, he accidentally eats "nose powder" (i.e.,cocaine), which causes him to not return to his jail cell; but when he eventually does, he fights off some jailbreakers attempting to escape, thus saving the life of the warden. Because of this, the warden offers to let him go, but the Tramp would rather stay in jail because it is better than the outside world.
Chaplin's social commentary, while critical of the faults and excesses created by industrialisation, also shows support for and belief in the "American Dream". While the Tramp and his fellow workers sweat on the assembly line, the president of the Electro Steel Company works on a puzzle and reads comic strips in the newspaper. The obsession of working with efficiency and assembly-line productivity ultimately drives the Tramp mad. This could be seen as "an attack on the capitalist rationalization of production."[10] However, "the film also guardedly affirms American middle-class, particularly its optimism."[11] For example, one sequence depicts the Tramp's dream in which he and thegamine live a traditional middle-class lifestyle.
The Tramp and the gamine find a rundown shack to live in. The gamine cooks a cheap breakfast, and then the Tramp is off to work, while the gamine stays to maintain the home—an allusion to a middle-class setting. By the ending ofModern Times, "the film seems tailored to please the middle-class optimist." Due to all of their failings the final scene had the gamine stating, "What's the use of trying?", and the Tramp replying "Buck up—never say die." In his silent films, Chaplin uniquely deployed critical social commentary. "What makesModern Times decidedly different from Chaplin's previous three films are the political references and social realism that keep intruding into Charlie's world."[12] "No comedian before or after him has spent more energy depicting people in their working lives."[13] "Though there had been films depicting the lives of immigrants and urban workers, no filmmaker before Chaplin had created their experience so humanly and lovingly."[14]
Chaplin used not one but two similar-looking characters to the Tramp inThe Great Dictator (1940); however, this was an all-talking film (Chaplin's first). The film was inspired by the noted similarity between Chaplin's Tramp, most notably his small moustache and that ofAdolf Hitler. Chaplin used this similarity to create a dark version of the Tramp character in parody of the dictator. In his bookMy Autobiography, Chaplin stated that he was unaware ofthe Holocaust when he made the film; if he had been, he writes, he would not have been able to make a comedy satirising Hitler. In his autobiography, Chaplin identifies the barber as the Tramp. A noticeable difference is that the barber has a streak of grey in his hair, whereas the Tramp had always been depicted as having dark hair. Also, the barber lacks the ill-fitting clothes of the Tramp and is clearly portrayed as having a profession. His character does share much of the Tramp's character, notably his idealism and anger on seeing unfairness.
Chaplin appeared in 36 films forKeystone Studios; 25 of them featured the Tramp character, all produced by Mack Sennett. Except where noted, all films were onereel in length.
| Release date | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 February 1914 | Kid Auto Races at Venice | The Tramp | Released on a split-reel (i.e. two films on one reel) with an education film,Olives and Trees. |
| 9 February 1914 | Mabel's Strange Predicament | The Tramp | Filmed before but released afterKid Auto Races at Venice, hence it was in this film that the Tramp costume was first used.[15] |
| 28 February 1914 | Between Showers | Masher | Chaplin co-leads the film |
| 2 March 1914 | A Film Johnnie | The Film Johnnie | |
| 16 March 1914 | His Favourite Pastime | Drinker | |
| 4 April 1914 | The Star Boarder | The Star boarder | |
| 20 April 1914 | Twenty Minutes of Love | Pickpocket | |
| 27 April 1914 | Caught in a Cabaret | Waiter | Two reels. Co-writer:Mabel Normand |
| 4 May 1914 | Caught in the Rain | Tipsy Hotel Guest | |
| 1 June 1914 | The Fatal Mallet | Suitor | |
| 11 June 1914 | The Knockout | Referee | Two reels |
| 13 June 1914 | Mabel's Busy Day | Tipsy nuisance | |
| 20 June 1914 | Mabel's Married Life | Mabel's Husband | Co-writer: Mabel Normand The Tramp wears a top hat instead of a bowler. |
| 9 July 1914 | Laughing Gas | Dentist's Assistant | |
| 1 August 1914 | The Property Man | The Property Man | Two reels ##The Tramp wears no jacket |
| 10 August 1914 | The Face on the Bar Room Floor | Artist | Based on thepoem by Hugh Antoine d'Arcy. |
| 13 August 1914 | Recreation | The Tramp | Released as a split-reel with a travel short,The Yosemite. |
| 27 August 1914 | The Masquerader | Film Actor | |
| 31 August 1914 | His New Profession | The Tramp | |
| 24 September 1914 | The New Janitor | Janitor | |
| 10 October 1914 | Those Love Pangs | Masher | |
| 26 October 1914 | Dough and Dynamite | Waiter | Two reels. Co-writer:Mack Sennett |
| 29 October 1914 | Gentlemen of Nerve | Impecunious Track Enthusiast | |
| 7 November 1914 | His Musical Career | Piano Mover | |
| 9 November 1914 | His Trysting Place | Husband | Two reels |
| 5 December 1914 | Getting Acquainted | Spouse | |
| 7 December 1914 | His Prehistoric Past | Weakchin | Two reels |
Chaplin wrote, directed, and starred in 15 films for theEssanay Film Manufacturing Company, 13 of them featuring the Tramp character, all produced by Jesse T. Robbins. Except where noted, all films aretwo-reelers.
| Release date | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 February 1915 | His New Job | Film Extra | |
| 15 February 1915 | A Night Out | Reveller | Debut ofEdna Purviance |
| 11 March 1915 | The Champion | Aspiring Pugilist | |
| 18 March 1915 | In the Park | Charlie | One reel |
| 1 April 1915 | A Jitney Elopement | Suitor, the Fake Count | |
| 11 April 1915 | The Tramp | The Tramp | |
| 29 April 1915 | By the Sea | Stroller | One reel |
| 21 June 1915 | Work | Decorator's Apprentice | |
| 12 July 1915 | A Woman | Charlie / "The Woman" | |
| 9 August 1915 | The Bank | Janitor | |
| 4 October 1915 | Shanghaied | Charlie | |
| 27 May 1916 | Police | Ex-Convict | |
| 11 August 1918 | Triple Trouble | Janitor | Compilation assembled by Leo White with scenes fromPolice and an unfinished short,Life, along with new material shot by White. Chaplin includes this production in the filmography ofhis autobiography. Considered by some not to be a proper Tramp film, as Chaplin was not involved in the film's final production. Released two years after Chaplin left Essanay. |
Chaplin wrote, produced, directed, and starred in 12 films for theMutual Film Corporation, ten of which had Chaplin dressed as the character, while the remaining two were pseudo-Tramp films where he wore the mustache but dressed in different clothes. Mutual formed Lone Star Studios solely for Chaplin's films. All of the Mutual releases aretwo reels in length. In 1932,Amadee J. Van Beuren ofVan Beuren Studios purchased Chaplin's Mutual comedies for $10,000 each, added music byGene Rodemich andWinston Sharples and sound effects, and re-released them throughRKO Radio Pictures.[16]
| Release date | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May 1916 | The Floorwalker | Impecunious Customer | Co-writer:Vincent Bryan Released prior to Chaplin's last Essanay film. |
| 12 June 1916 | The Fireman | Fireman | Co-writer: Vincent Bryan Chaplin does not wear the Tramp's clothes, but wears oversized clothes and acts similarly to the character. |
| 10 July 1916 | The Vagabond | Street Musician | Co-writer: Vincent Bryan |
| 7 August 1916 | One A.M. | Drunk | Chaplin does not wear the Tramp's clothes, but wears rich mans clothes and acts similarly to the character. |
| 4 September 1916 | The Count | Tailor's Apprentice | |
| 2 October 1916 | The Pawnshop | Pawnbroker's Assistant | |
| 13 November 1916 | Behind the Screen | Property Man's Assistant | |
| 4 December 1916 | The Rink | Waiter and Skating Enthusiast | |
| 22 January 1917 | Easy Street | Vagabond recruited to Police Force | |
| 16 April 1917 | The Cure | Alcoholic Gentleman at Spa | Considered by some to be the Tramp |
| 17 June 1917 | The Immigrant | Immigrant | Added to theNational Film Registry in 1998.[17] |
| 22 October 1917 | The Adventurer | Escaped Convict | A tuxedo version of the Tramp costume is worn |
Chaplin wrote, produced, directed, and starred in nine films for his own production company between 1918 and 1923. In all but one of them Chaplin dressed as the character, the exception beingThe Pilgrim. These films were distributed byFirst National.
| Release date | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 April 1918 | A Dog's Life | The Tramp | Three reels. Score composed for compilation,The Chaplin Revue |
| 29 September 1918 | The Bond | The Tramp | Half-reel. Co stars brotherSydney Chaplin |
| 20 October 1918 | Shoulder Arms | Recruit | Three reels. Score composed for compilation,The Chaplin Revue. |
| 15 May 1919 | Sunnyside | Farm Handyman | Three reels. Score composed for 1974 re-release. |
| 15 December 1919 | A Day's Pleasure | Father | Two reels. First film with Jackie Coogan, future star ofThe Kid. Score composed for 1973 re-release. |
| 6 February 1921 | The Kid | The Tramp | Six reels. Score composed for 1971 re-release. Added to theNational Film Registry in 2011.[18] |
| 25 September 1921 | The Idle Class | The Tramp/ Husband | Two reels. Score composed for 1971 re-release. |
| 2 April 1922 | Pay Day | Laborer | Two reels. Score composed for 1972 re-release. Chaplin's final short (of less than 30 minutes running time). |
| 26 February 1923 | The Pilgrim | Escaped Convict | Considered by many to be a Tramp film, though Chaplin's character is not very much like the Tramp. Most notably, the character wears different clothes. By extension of this, every Chaplin film is considered by some to be a Tramp film, though this is apparently apocryphal. Four reels. Score composed for compilation,The Chaplin Revue. |
Chaplin wrote, produced, directed, and/or starred in eight films for United Artists, though only four of them featured the Tramp character, five ifThe Great Dictator is included. Chaplin also wrote the musical scores, beginning withCity Lights.
| Release date | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 June 1925 | The Gold Rush | Lone Prospector | Score and new narration composed for 1942 re-issue. Added to theNational Film Registry in 1992.[19] |
| 6 January 1928 | The Circus | The Tramp | Score composed for 1970 re-issue. The Academy Film Archive preservedThe Circus in 2002.[20] |
| 30 January 1931 | City Lights | The Tramp | Added to the National Film Registry in 1991.[21] |
| 5 February 1936 | Modern Times | A factory worker (the Tramp) | Added to the National Film Registry in 1989.[22] |
| Release date | Title | Credited as | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 October 1940 | The Great Dictator | Adenoid Hynkel / The Barber | Added to the National Film Registry in 1997.[23] Nominated forAcademy Award for Best Actor,Best Picture andBest Writing.[24] The film is considered by many, including Chaplin, to not be a Tramp film, though he does act like the Tramp as The Barber. |
In the 1910s, due to the desire for more Chaplin films than Chaplin could make, many created their own character like the Tramp or even just played the Tramp. This has continued, though to a much lesser degree, after the 1910s due to people admiring Chaplin. Some films have been animated and obviously do not need an actor to play the character, who is portrayed as mute.
Gloria Swanson (as Norma Desmond) did a burlesque of The Tramp inSunset Boulevard.[25] The most famous impersonation is that byBilly West.[26][27]
{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help)Alt URLKevin Scott Collier.The Chaplin Animated Silent Cartoons. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2019.ISBN 1098846044
