Charlie Chaplin Lausanne, Switzerland. The British Film Institute has also established the Charles Chaplin Research Foundation, and the first international Charles Chaplin Conference was held in London in July 2005. Chaplin is the subject of a biographical film, "Chaplin" (1992) directed by Richard Attenborough, and starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role and Geraldine Chaplin playing Hannah Chaplin. He is also a character in the period drama film "The Cat's Meow" (2001), played by Eddie Izzard, and in the made-for-television movie "The Scarlett O'Hara War" (1980), played by Clive Revill. A television series about Chaplin's childhood, "Young Charlie Chaplin", ran on
Charlie Chaplin and machinery in the workplace would increase unemployment levels. It was these concerns that stimulated Chaplin to develop his new film. "Modern Times" was announced by Chaplin as "a satire on certain phases of our industrial life." Featuring the Tramp and Goddard as they endure the Great Depression, it took ten and a half months to film. Chaplin intended to use spoken dialogue but changed his mind during rehearsals. Like its predecessor, "Modern Times" employed sound effects but almost no speaking. Chaplin's performance of a gibberish song did, however, give the Tramp a voice for the only time on film.