The Short, Stout Henry Bergman Is One of the Most Familiar Figures in the Chaplin Comedies
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The short, stout Henry Bergman is one of the most familiar figures in the Chaplin comedies. For over thirty years he worked with Chaplin, both as actor and assistant director. The second extract from Harry Crocker's manuscript is taken from the chapter devoted to Bergman. Not only does it give hitherto little known information about Bergman himself, it also gives a fascinating glimpse of a Hollywood that has vanished forever. Chaplin an location with SHOULDER ARMS (1918). Albert Austin is an the extreme left. Next to him is Henry Bergman, talking to Syd Chaplin (in the black moustache). Alf Reeves, Choplin's general manager, is wearing a straw hat while Chaplin himself, seated, is wearing a cap. Th e man in the eyeshade is Roland (' Rollie') Totheroh, Chaplin's cameraman for many years. That he understood Charlie Chaplin as well as don, he also appeared at the Crystal Palace with any man can understand that complex indi the Circus Wolff as one of a quartette in a vidual, and that he had worked in every Charlie mammoth extravaganza. Chaplin comedy*, were the two proud boasts For nine years he sang light comedy roles for of Henry Bergman. Augustin Daly and when, in 1907, Ziegfeld To reach Hollywood, Henry traveled a vast staged the first edition of the Follies, Henry was geographical oblong beginning at his birth in the cast. And so with 1908 and 1909. He place, San Francisco, where his father was sta played under other managements but when, tioned in the Consular Service of Germany, and after th i rty-six weeks of rehearsal, The Pearl leading to Europe and back again to Los An Maiden by Earle C. Anthony (prominent Los geles, via the circus, musical comedy, and grand Angeles auto dealer) and Kales Jefferson, only opera. ran twelve weeks, Bergman gave up the stage Educated in Hanover, he chose music and and joined the pioneer film company, Pathe singing as a career. After several seasons in Freres, in Jersey City. Under Louis Gasnier he Essen , Dortmund, Elberfeld, and in other pro appeared with Pearl White in many of THE vincial German opera houses he was brought to PERILS OF PAULINE. the Metropolitan Opera by Maurice Grau, then At this time, the director, Henry Lehrman, impresario, to sing tenor bouffe or the lighter arrived in New York from California and, shortly comedy roles. After his twelve weeks at the Met, thereafter, the stout comedian was sent west to Henry played eight at Covent Garden. In Lon- join the newly formed L-KO Comedy Company. 17 .