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 During 1915, Chaplin became a cultural phenomenon. Shops were stocked with Chaplin merchandise, he was featured in cartoons and comic strips, and several songs were written about him. In July, a journalist for "Motion Picture Magazine" wrote that "Chaplinitis" had spread across America. As his fame grew worldwide, he became the film industry's first international star. When the Essanay contract ended in December 1915, Chaplin – fully aware of his popularity – requested a $150,000 signing bonus from his next studio. He received several offers, including Universal, Fox, and Vitagraph, the best of which came from the Mutual Film Corporation