Charlot

DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR.

He is the easiest man in the world to know but nobody knows him—perhaps because of that fact. He has many eccentricities—a reaction from the days when, as an ambitious artist, he yearned for something he couldn't have and then found, overnight, the world in his grasp. He is a man who has dreamed, and because his dreams came true they embittered him. He is a very vain man and an extremely jealous one. He is selfish beyond all tolerance and yet with all his faults there stands predominantly the frail, majestic figure of a man who might have made history had he not thought too much about doing so.

Even with a knowledge of all of Charlie's frailties, it is impossible, on knowing the man, to dislike him. His ego is entirely impersonal and his attitude at all times is one of ingratiating friendliness and amiability. He is a charming conversationalist and is always interesting. He will sit up all night to discuss a subject about which he knows little or nothing and leaves his listeners convinced of an amazing and vital intellect.

Charlie is intellectual without being intelligent. He thinks with astounding rapidity. He enjoys being thought "different" and is an inoffensive poseur. He has educated himself with a smattering of the best in literature and discusses with authority great writers about whom he has, nevertheless, an imperfect knowledge. He is at heart a rebel to society, yet insists on living within its bounds.

He is an iconoclast and believes in nothing but himself. He likes to have people comment on his physical likeness to Napoleon. He loves flattery and yet is outwardly shy of people. He is undeniably all artist from his head to his toes. He likes everyone to agree with him and because of his winning personality one is inclined to accede rather than offend him. He loves children and is immensely sentimental, but immediately upon showing any affectionate emotion he will hurriedly make excuses for himself and joke about it. He analyzes every question from a scientific point of view and refuses to accept the equality of women.

He is the first to laugh at his own deficiencies. He has no sense of financial values. He takes a childish delight in showing off and is an inspired parlour entertainer. His character studies and mimicries are universally known. He would love to be tall and muscular but, even though his physique is small, he can put up a man-sized battle against the largest.

He has tiny feet and his hands are almost effeminate; he uses them beautifully. He has an inherent grace about everything he does. He loves to monopolize a conversation. He is, at heart, a faithful but an erratic and not always reliable friend. He is an indomitable worker but cannot work under adverse mental conditions. He is highly sensitive and is easily offended. He dreads getting old and looks with terror at the grey hairs that are already plentiful in his late thirties. He likes to brood alone. He takes long walks and runs every morning before breakfast. He is an incurable flirt and likes nothing better than to be referred to as a Don Juan. He has a slight English accent but considers himself an American. He is the champion of the oppressed even when he is on the side of the oppressors.

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He thinks the theatre an old-fashioned and defunct form of art and believes wholeheartedly in the art of the films. He is very observant of details and is a connoisseur of fine paintings. He is neither a heavy drinker nor smoker. He loves games. Tennis is his favorite outdoor sport. He readily listens to advice but rarely takes it. He has great will-power in matters of material ambitions. He is an accomplished musician and sits for hours alone, playing the organ in his home.

He loves to have other people take him seriously but seldom does so himself. He is never satisfied with his work and is persevering to a fault.

He has a hearty laugh that discloses rather prominent teeth. He is meticulous in his dress. He is primarily a man's man, yet he has many feminine tendencies. He is the perfect companion, constantly entertaining. He talks continuously with his hands which he waves about, gathering momentum until the end of his discourse.

Life, to him, is a great scientific experiment. There has been only one woman he has ever really loved in his life. Charlie Chaplin will live for years in the memories of many millions and be acknowledged one of the greatest men of our day. It may be bromidic to speak of his genius, but it is surely a greater and more profound gift than he himself realizes. Chaplin will always be "Charlie" and "Charlie" will always be "Chariot", and as such will be a great man to many who wish that they knew him, but cannot—because it is so easy to do so.