Chaplin first toured America with the Fred Karno troupe from 1910 to 1912. Then, after five months back in England, he returned for a second tour and arrived in the United States with the Karno Troupe on October 2, 1912. In the Karno Company was Arthur Stanley Jefferson, who would later become known as Stan Laurel. Chaplin and Laurel shared a room in a boarding house. Stan Laurel returned to England but Chaplin remained in the United States. In late 1913, Chaplin's act with the Karno Troupe was seen by film producer Mack Sennett, who hired him for his studio, the Keystone Film Company. Chaplin's first film appearance was in Making a Living a one-reel comedy released on February 2, 1914. At Keystone Studios, Chaplin became an instant success[4]. Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin look-a-like contest in San Francisco and, quite humorously, could not make it to the final round[5].

Pioneering film artist
Kid Auto Races in Venice (1914): Chaplin's second film and the début of his "tramp" costume.
Kid Auto Races in Venice (1914): Chaplin's second film and the début of his "tramp" costume.

Chaplin's earliest films were made for Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, where he developed his tramp character and very quickly learned the art and craft of film making. The tramp was first presented to the public in Chaplin's second film Kid Auto Races at Venice (released Feb. 7, 1914) though Mabel's Strange Predicament, his third film, (released Feb. 9,1914) was produced a few days before. It was for this film that Chaplin first conceived of the tramp. The character would immediately gain huge popularity among theater audiences[4]. As Chaplin recalled in his autobiography:

"I had no idea what makeup to put on. I did not like my get-up as the press reporter [in Making a Living]. However on the way to the wardrobe I thought I would dress in baggy pants, big shoes, a cane and a derby hat. I wanted everything to be a contradiction: the pants baggy, the coat tight, the hat small and the shoes large. I was undecided whether to look old or young, but remembering Sennett had expected me to be a much older man, I added a small moustache, which I reasoned, would add age without hiding my expression.
I had no idea of the character. But the moment I was dressed, the clothes and the makeup made me feel the person he was. I began to know him, and by the time I walked on stage he was fully born." (Chaplin, My Autobiography: 154).

Chaplin's early Keystones use the standard Mack Sennett formula of extreme physical comedy and exaggerated gestures. Chaplin's pantomime was subtler, more suitable to romantic and domestic farces than to the usual Keystone chases and mob scenes. The visual gags were pure Keystone, however; the tramp character would aggressively assault his enemies with kicks and bricks. Moviegoers loved this cheerfully earthy new comedian, even though critics warned that his antics bordered on vulgarity. Chaplin was soon entrusted with directing and editing his own films. He made 34 shorts for Sennett during his first year in pictures, as well as the landmark comedy feature Tillie's Punctured Romance.

In 1915, Chaplin signed a much more favourable contract with Essanay Studios, and further developed his cinematic skills, adding new levels of depth and pathos to the Keystone-style slapstick. Most of the Essanay films were more ambitious, running twice as long as the average Keystone comedy. Chaplin also developed his own stock company, including ingenue Edna Purviance and comic villains Leo White and Bud Jamison.

In 1916, the Mutual Film Corporation paid Chaplin US$670,000 to produce a dozen two-reel comedies. He was given near complete artistic control, and produced twelve films over an eighteen-month period that rank among the most influential comedy films in cinema. Practically every Mutual comedy is a classic: Easy Street, One AM, The Pawnshop, and The Adventurer are perhaps the best known. Edna Purviance remained the leading lady, and Chaplin added Eric Campbell, Henry Bergman, and Albert Austin to his stock company; Campbell, a Gilbert and Sullivan veteran, provided superb villainy, and second bananas Bergman and Austin would remain with Chaplin for decades. Chaplin regarded the Mutual period as the happiest of his career, although he also had concerns that the films during that time were becoming formulaic owing to the stringent production schedule his contract required. Upon the US entering World War I, Chaplin became a spokesman for Liberty Bonds with his close friend Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford[4].

Most of the Chaplin films in circulation date from his Keystone, Essanay, and Mutual periods. After Chaplin assumed control of his productions in 1918 (and kept exhibitors and audiences waiting for them), entrepreneurs serviced the demand for Chaplin by bringing back his older comedies. The films were recut, retitled, and reissued again and again, first for theatres, then for the home-movie market, and in recent years, for home video. Even Essanay was guilty of this practice, fashioning "new" Chaplin comedies from old film clips and out-takes. The twelve Mutual comedies were revamped as sound movies in 1933, when producer Amadee J. Van Beuren added new orchestral scores and sound effects. A listing of the dozens of Chaplin films and alternate versions can be found in the Ted Okuda-David Maska book Charlie Chaplin at Keystone and Essanay: Dawn of the Tramp. Efforts to produce definitive versions of Chaplin's pre-1918 short films have been underway in recent years; all twelve Mutual films were restored in 1975 by archivist David Shepard and Blackhawk Films, and new restorations with even more footage were released on DVD in 2006.

Charlie Chaplin was born on 16 April 1889, in East Street, Walworth, London. His parents were both entertainers in the Music Hall tradition; they separated before Charlie was three. He learned singing from his parents. The 1891 census shows that his mother, the actress Lily Harvey (Hannah Harriet Hill), lived with Charlie and his older brother Sydney on Barlow Street, Walworth. As a child Charlie also lived with his mother in various addresses in and around Kennington Road in Lambeth, including 3 Pownall Terrace, Chester Street, and 46 Methley Street. His maternal grandmother was half-Roma, a fact he was very proud of,[2] but also described as "the skeleton in our family cupboard".[3] Chaplin's father was an alcoholic and had little contact with his son, though Chaplin and his brother briefly lived with their father and his mistress Louise at 287 Kennington Road (which address is now ornamented with a plaque commemorating Chaplin's residence). The brothers resided there when their mother became mentally ill and was admitted to the Cane Hill Asylum at Coulsdon. His father's mistress sent the young Chaplin to Kennington Road school. Chaplin's father died when Charlie was twelve in 1901. At the time of the 1901 Census, Charles resided at 94 Ferndale Road, Lambeth, with the The Eight Lancashire Lads, which was led by John William Jackson (the 17 year old son of one of the founders).

A larynx condition ended the singing career of Chaplin's mother. Hannah's first crisis came in 1894 when she was performing at The Canteen, a theatre in Aldershot. The theatre was mainly frequented by rioters and soldiers, and it was one of the worst places to perform. Hannah was badly injured by the objects the audience mercilessly threw at her, and she was booed off the stage. Backstage, she cried and argued with her manager. In the meantime, the five-year old Chaplin went on stage alone and started singing a very well-known tune at that time, "Jack Jones".

When Hannah Chaplin was again admitted to the Cane Hill Asylum, Chaplin was left in the workhouse at Lambeth in south London, moving after several weeks to the Central London District School for paupers in Hanwell. The young Chaplin brothers forged a close relationship to survive. They gravitated to the Music Hall while still very young, and both of them proved to have considerable natural stage talent. Chaplin's early years of desperate poverty were a great influence on his characters. Themes in his films in later years would re-visit the scenes of his childhood deprivation in Lambeth.

Chaplin's mother died in 1928 in Hollywood, seven years after being brought to the U.S. by her sons. Unknown to Charlie and Sydney until years later, they had a half-brother through their mother. The boy, Wheeler Dryden, was raised abroad by his father but later connected with the rest of the family and went to work for Chaplin at his Hollywood studio.

Sunday, March 30, 2008
2008 United States Presidential Election
2008 US Presidential Election stories

* 30 March 2008: Wikinews interviews Brian Moore, Socialist Party USA presidential candidate
* 26 March 2008: Former first lady Nancy Reagan endorses McCain
* 21 March 2008: Social networking site lets users run virtual campaign for US president
* 21 March 2008: Major US presidential candidates have passport files breached
* 20 March 2008: Constitutionality of DNC Florida primary to be decided in appeal

While nearly all cover of the 2008 Presidential election has focused on the Democratic and Republican candidates, the race for the White House also includes independents and third party candidates. These parties represent a variety of views that may not be acknowledged by the major party platforms.

As a non-partisan news source, Wikinews has impartially reached out to these candidates, who are looking to become the 43rd person elected to serve their nation from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Wikinews' own Patrick Mannion corresponded with the Socialist Party USA nominee and candidate, Brian Moore via e-mail.

[edit] Interview

* Why do you want to be President?

Moore: Because the two party political system, and our capitalistic economic system, are not addressing nor are they resolving the problems domestically nor internationally. I believe we need candidates of courage and vision to address issues in a forthright and alternative way, and no one so far, does that through the systems and solutions that they offer.

I also want to represent the working man and woman, the common man, and the poor, and bring equality and fairness and respect to them, which does not exist now under our systems and society.

* Have you ever run for political office before?

Moore: Yes, I ran for city council and mayor in Washington in the 1980's and 1990's; and I ran for the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Senate in Florida in 2002, 2004 and 2006 respectively.

* Have you ever been a member of a political party, other than the one you're currently in?

Moore: Yes, I was a member of the Democratic Party, the Citizens Party, the Reform Party and the Socialist Party. I also was an Independent for a long period of time.

Brian Moore, October 2007 sporting a Wriststrong wristband.
Brian Moore, October 2007 sporting a Wriststrong wristband.

* Have you ever campaigned for another political candidate?

Moore: Yes, from 1967 through 1984 and in the 1990's and early 2000's I campaigned for congressmen, senators, governors and presidents in California, Utah, New Mexico, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington. I have collected signatures on petitions, raised money, held fundraisers, parties, meetings, signs, attended meetings, etc for two dozen candidates over a 30-year period. I only decided to run as a candidate myself at the age of 41, after campaigning for the first 17 years for other candidates. After becoming a candidate in 1984, I still campaigned for others in my off years up to 2004.

* What is your current job?

Moore: I am semi-retired at 64 (will be 65 in June, 2008), but am presently looking for work again, despite my presidential candidacy, because my younger wife recently lost her banking job with regard to home loans and mortgages. Since I have a graduate degree, it may be easier for me to regain employment than she, who worked her way up through the banking industry for 25 years without attending college.

* What skills or ideas do or previous positions, you bring from this position that will benefit the Oval Office?

Moore: Not sure your question is clear. I have worked in the private and public sector, for-profit and non-profit sectors, domestically and internationally, as an administrator, project director, fundraiser and in sales. I have worked with the poor and solicited funds from corporations and governments as well. I speak Spanish and some Portuguese, and have traveled and lived in South America for almost eight years. I have been involved civically and politically and professionally for forty years, I play sports and attend cultural events, and feel I am well-rounded. I speak out forthrightly on the issues, take strong and clear stands, take the initiative a lot and leader and/or start causes and projects in a leadership capacity.

* Obviously, the next American President and his or her administration will face many diverse issues. But if you were to narrow identify the three most important issues, what would they be? How will you address these issues?

* Freedom and Privacy Rights: Abolish the Patriot Act, the Military Tribunal bill, all executive orders that water down people's rights, and abolish all intelligence agencies overseas and the Homeland Security Agency at home.

* Radically Change Economic System: Transition America's economic system from capitalism to socialism in an efficient, expeditious, non-violent, civil, respectful way in order to eliminate all for-profit corporations and turn full authority and social ownership to the community and control over to workers. We do not advocate "government ownership" but all decisions will be made from the bottom up, and a redistribution of wealth will begin to take effect. Workers therefore have, if anything, a GREATER incentive to work hard under socialism than under capitalism because they are able to retain a much greater portion of the value of their own labor.

* End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Bring the American Troops and Corporations Home Immediately: Immediately end the two wars, and remove our troops and American corporations within a month or two. Assure protection and departure for citizens in danger of retaliation. Turn control of Iraq over to a new coalition or Iraqi tribes to decide on the political outcome of the new country. Provide generous reparations to Iraq and Afghanistan for the destruction of the infrastructure and culture the United States has caused. Proceed to make efforts to register any and all war crimes by our political and military leaders, and our allies, and request the Hague and International Law to hold accountable any and all political and military leaders from America, and its allies, responsible for crimes against humanity.

* My grandfather emigrated from Ireland in 1949, some of my relatives lived here illegally, you yourself have Irish immigrant grandparents, what is your opinion on the immigration battle that is occurring today in America?

Moore: The immigration problem stems from greed and exploitive policies of the American government against many third and fourth world nations, that have undermined their economy and caused great poverty and suffering worldwide. I am in favor of full amnesty for all legal and illegal immigrants, the provision of full social services to all residents in our country, and the implementation of socialism which will guarantee free and full health benefits, education and housing to all its residents. Plus we will institute worker ownership and a guaranteed annual income for all adults, even for those incapacitated by handicaps, homelessness, etc. We will eliminate all for-profit corporations, closed down all foreign military bases, reduce our defense budget in half, and then more in the years to come. We will also end arms sales, and stop the use and sale of all nuclear power both militarily and commercially.

* Campaigning for the American presidency is one of the most expensive exercises in the world. How do you deal with the cost and fundraising?

Moore: Not very well. Presently, the only candidates who succeed in our system are millionaires, or sellouts to corporate America and special interests. Public funding of future campaigns, universal laws for all fifty states to allow equal and fair ballot access to multiple and minor party candidates will be necessary to open up the system. Plus, we will take back the airways, and require if not award equal television and radio time for all candidates.

* Do you believe that it is really possible for you to win the 2008 election, being a third party candidate and all?

Moore: Hell no! We will be fortunate to get on the ballot in 20 states. There is a possible, but not highly probable, reason that it could happen due to catastrophic events in our country such as war, economic collapse, assassinations, etc. or due to the throwing of support from several other minor parties to a candidate (i.e. a socialist party candidate being endorsed by the Green Party and a strong Independent candidate like Ralph Nader, or visa versa, thereby enabling one single candidate to be on the ballot on 45 to 50 states).

* Can any third party or independent candidate ever win?

Moore: Yes, per the rationale mentioned in answer #11; or from an attractive third party candidate and an even split from the other two major party candidates. Remember, Bill Clinton won the 1992 presidency with 39% of the vote, George Bush with 37%, Ross Perot with 20% (he was up to 40% in the early part of the campaign and won up to 28% in some states). Plus, the country is getting tired of holding its nose and voting for the lesser of two evils, plus the number of Independent and minor party candidates is growing and about to surpass one or both of the two major parties in percentage registered.

* Why do you believe socialism or even democratic socialism has never really "taken off" in America?

Moore: Socialism had taken off in America. It is just that the "Red Scare" and the Espionage Act and the Sedition Act between 1917 and 1924 by the U.S. government, Stalinism and McCarthyism from 1945 to 1955; and the Cold War in the second half of the 20th century all undermined a wonderful and rich heritage of our country that thrived from 1900 thru 1925 and beyond. There were 1200 officeholders in America who were registered and public candidates as Socialists in America around 1920. Close to one million Americans voted for Eugene Debs in 1912 and 1920, gaining 9% and 11% of the popular vote. Remember, Teddy Roosevelt ran in 1912 as a third party candidate and garnered the second highest vote totals (20%) and still Gene Debs also gained around 11%. Can you imagine if Teddy Roosevelt had not been a candidate in that election! Secondly, the Socialists were against World World I, plus there was a split in the party with over half going to Communism, thus both suffering the consequences of Woodrow Wilson's Sedition Act and Red Scare tactics accusing them of being traitors.

Membership in the Socialist Party of America grew from 13,000 to 118,000 by 1912, and circulation of its journal, Appeal to Reason, reached a circulation of over 760,000.

Keep in mind supporters of Socialism then and into the 1930's and 1940's, in addition to Eugene V. Debs were Upton Sinclair, Helen Keller, Einstein, Sinclair Lewis, A. Philip Randolph, Walter Reuther, Margaret Sanger, Jack London, William DuBois, Kate Richards O'Hare, Frank Zeidler, Rose Pastor Stokes, Victor Berger, Bayard Rustin and Michael Harrington.

The growth of the left worried President Woodrow Wilson and his administration so much that America entered what became known as the "Red Scare" period. In 1919, U.S. Attorney General Alexander Mitchell Palmer, at the order of President Wilson, arrested over 10,000 suspected communists and anarchists. These people were charged with "advocating force, violence and unlawful means to overthrow the Government." J. Edgar Hoover was part of the effort at that time. Large number of these "suspects" were held without trial for a long time, and some were expelled to Russia. The Socialist party took a terrible hit and its membership suffered a severe drop due to the governmental intimidation and false claims against it.

One of my jobs is to re-educate America about this rich and radical heritage, and how its vision is positive and beneficial to the country. My other function will be to point out how capitalism is failing America and that it is acceptable to think in terms of radical change and alternative economic systems that will preserve and insure our country's survival and bring more fairness and justice to more Americans and to the world.

* If you can't make it into the Oval Office, who would you prefer seeing taking the presidency?

Moore: No one else, other than Ralph Nader. All, including Ralph Nader, are part of the capitalistic system, and accept its premises that competition, profit, ambition, taking the initiative, winning, exploitation, and survival of the fittest philosophy win over the socialist's features of cooperation, democracy, communal responsibility, fairness, equity, egalitarianism, mutual respect, helping one another, etc. Even Ralph Nader would have a terrible time under capitalism, but I think down deep he really is a socialist at heart, but does not have the gumption or is too practical to believe that it can emerge or survive.

* What should the American people keep in mind, when heading to the polls this November?

Moore: That they should vote their conscience and their principles. They should register their vote with the candidate they most believe in to show all the powers that be where your mandate lies. Third Party issues have created change in America. They have advocated causes that the two major parties have embraced 10, 20 or 30 years later, The major parties just did not have the moral courage to stand up at the time for what they really believed in. Eugene V. Debs, founder of the Socialist Party was quoted: "I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want and get it. "

Network Rail plans to offer a course in rail engineering, while Flybe is developing a course involving aircraft engineering and cabin crew training. Passing Flybe's course could result a university level degree.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown supports the plan. "It is going to be a tough course, but once you have got a qualification in management you can probably go anywhere," Brown said. He emphasized the importance of higher education, saying, "Every young person needs a skill and to think about going to college, doing an apprenticeship or university."

John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, called the decision "an important step towards ending the old divisions between company training schemes and national qualifications" and said it will "benefit employees, employers and the country as a whole."

However, some people are unsure of the plan's effectiveness. Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union, said, "We are unsure whether those institutions would be clamoring to accept people with McQualifications," using a derogatory term for the program.