One of History's Greatest Comic Actors, Charlie Chaplin, Stops Over In
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BIBLIOASIA APR – JUN 2017 Vol. 13 / Issue 01 / Feature control of most of his films, even writing of fortune due in part to the acrimonious a part of the world that he had always his own scripts and music scores. divorce from his second wife, Lita Grey, in wanted to visit. 1927. The news of the divorce, with charges Not wanting to travel alone, Chaplin Chaplin Visits Singapore in 1932 of abuse and infidelity levelled against asked his half-brother Sydney, then living Chaplin, received front-page coverage in in Nice, in the south of France, to accom- Chaplin was 43 years old when he made the scandal-mongering American press. pany him. The two of them had grown up his first visit to Singapore in 1932 with Adding to his woes, Chaplin had been together as impoverished youths in Lon- his half-brother Sydney Chaplin. He was under severe pressure from the Internal don and had moved to Hollywood, where already a rich and famous Hollywood Revenue Service because of unpaid back Sydney (or Syd) intermittently managed personality, having churned out a string taxes.3 On the professional front, he had his brother’s career in between taking on of successful films and founded the film difficulties transitioning from the era of various acting gigs, before quitting Hol- distribution company United Artists. He the silent movies to that of the talkies. lywood for good in the late 1920s. was feted by fans and the media every- He was sceptical of the new technology, Accompanying them on the trip was Chaplin where he went, and was single again – his and, as a compromise, agreed that his Charles’ personal secretary, Toraichi second marriage to the American actress latest film,City Lights, released in early Kono, a Japanese who had worked for Lita Grey had ended in divorce in 1927. 1931, would feature a music score but him since 1916. Together, the trio boarded In all Chaplin visited Singapore on no dialogue. the Japanese NYK (Nippon Yusen Kaisha5) in three occasions. His second visit was in On 13 February 1931, Chaplin sailed ocean liner called Suwa Maru in the port of 1936 (with his then fiancée Paulette God- to Europe for a publicity tour of City Naples, Italy, on 2 March 1932. Sailing via dard) and his final visit in 1961 (with his Lights, which took him to England, Ger- the Suez Canal and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), last wife, Oona, and a few of their eight many, Austria, Italy and France. Once the they arrived in Singapore on 27 March, children). Chaplin’s inaugural visit in 1932 tour was done, Chaplin stayed behind in according to the local press6 – although was particularly significant: firstly, it took Europe (mostly in Switzerland and on the the date Friday, 25 March is mentioned in place at a key turning point in his personal French Riviera) as he simply did not feel the tour itinerary found in the annex to the Singapore life and professional career; secondly, it like going back to Hollywood.4 Finally, in reprint of Charles Chaplin’s travel memoir.7 was his first extended holiday after almost February 1932, as he had already been 20 years of non-stop work; and finally, it away from home for exactly a year, Chaplin The First Leg of the 1932 Visit was his first trip to the Orient – a visit that decided to return to California. However, would leave a lasting impression on him instead of taking the shorter and faster Singapore, then part of the Straits Settle- in the years to come. route across the Atlantic and then to the ments under the British Governor Sir Cecil To be more precise, Chaplin stayed American continent, he would travel a Clementi, clearly featured in Chaplin’s in Singapore twice in 1932. The first time longer, circuitous route via the Orient, imagination as one of those exotic places One of history’s greatest comic actors, Charlie Chaplin, was in late March, on his way to Java and Bali in Indonesia, and the second was stops over in Singapore in 1932 and makes a return on his way back from the archipelago in late April into early May. Even though visit in 1936. Raphaël Millet traces these journeys. these may appear to be casual visits by a privileged white tourist taking an extended mid-career break, they left an indelible mark in Chaplin’s memory, so much so that he recounted them in his writings on two separate occasions. Shortly after Chaplin’s journey to the Orient, he penned a travel memoir titled Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889 –1977), or with his signature bowler hat, cane and A Comedian Sees the World, published more famously Charlie Chaplin, was one “toothbrush” moustache. The penniless in five instalments in a women’s lifestyle of the most celebrated stars of the 20th- pint-sized Tramp, with his bumbling ways magazine, Women’s Home Companion, century silent film era. Born in London and heart-of-gold, would become a hit from September 1933 to January 1934.1 on 16 April 1889 to struggling showbiz with film audiences all over the world, The fifth instalment of his work deals parents, Chaplin made his foray on stage always playing the underdog who would extensively with the Asian leg of his trip; cas a teenager in England, before moving to triumph in the end. it touches upon Singapore before moving the US in the early 1910s where he signed In all, Chaplin acted in, produced or to Bali and then Japan. (Facing page) Portrait of Charles on with the Keystone Film Company. directed 82 films throughout a glittering The second time Chaplin mentions Chaplin as the Tramp, with his Chaplin is perhaps best known for screen career spanning nearly 65 years. Asia again is some 30 years later when he signature bowler hat, large his iconic screen persona as the Tramp, The multi-talented Chaplin took creative shoes, flexible cane and “tooth- wrote My Autobiography, published in 1964 brush” moustache, 1915. Cour- by the English publishing house Bodley tesy of Wikimedia Commons. 2 Raphaël Millet is a film director, producer and critic with a passion for early cinema the world Head, and then by Penguin Books in 1966. (Above and left) Charles Chaplin over. He has published several books, including Le Cinéma de Singapour (2004) and Singapore (left) and his brother Sydney Chaplin arrived in Singapore on Cinema (2006), and is a regular contributor to BiblioAsia. He recently completed filming the the Suwa Maru on 27 March 1932, documentary Chaplin Bali (2017). What Brought Charlie to Asia? and were greeted by a 200-strong Towards the end of the 1920s, Chaplin crowd at Johnston’s Pier. This was confronted with both a personal and was Charles Chaplin's first visit a professional crisis. On the personal to Singapore. The Straits Times, 28 March 1932, pp. 11, 12. front, he had to cope with a few reversals 02 03 BIBLIOASIA APR – JUN 2017 Vol. 13 / Issue 01 / Feature located “East of Suez”,8 or what was then While still onboard the Suwa Maru, When he arrives at a place, the faster night at the Sea View Hotel while waiting ately taken by ambulance to the Singapore News Service that Charlie is commonly called “the Orient”, as Chaplin Chaplin agreed to give a group interview he gets away from the European part for their boat to Java. Syd wrote of the General Hospital, where he was warded progressing satisfactorily.”22 refers to in his writings.9 to all the journalists present, among of it, the better. He likes to see how Sea View Hotel in yet another humor- for the next eight days. Leaving Ceylon, Chaplin wrote: “Our whom were British, Japanese, Chinese the natives live. If the guide wishes ous note that seems to corroborate the Not surprisingly, this instantly made In the meantime, Sydney Chaplin next port was Singapore, where we and Malay reporters, many eager to know to show him Government House or fact of their stay: “They switch off all the news not only in Singapore, but world- stayed at the Adelphi Hotel, where he entered the atmosphere of a Chinese if he was still going to make pictures, the Botanical Gardens, he asks for our lights after serving us with drinks, wide. The Associated Press issued a enjoyed hosting the press, providing jour- willow-pattern plate – banyan trees grow- and if his next picture would be a talkie. the slums.”16 because it is midnight – and so, we drink dispatch on 20 April, which was picked up nalists with regular updates on Charles’ ing out of the ocean.”10 Indeed, it would To which Chaplin nonchalantly replied: in the dark.”18 the same day by various newspapers such health, as well as giving The Straits Times have looked like a very green and lush “Of course, I am going to make more According to Syd’s travel notes, they The next morning, on 28 March, the as the Philadelphia Bulletin, the New York an exclusive interview about their recent coastline as the Suwa Maru sailed into the pictures. Will my next be silent or talkie? made the mandatory stop at the Raffles Chaplins left Singapore, sailing on the Post, the New York Journal, the Baltimore Balinese experience.23 harbour via the Strait of Malacca, cruising That I cannot say.” Hotel and then, unexpectedly, drove to steamship Van Lansberge to Batavia (now News, and other leading dailies.20 The Los In the end, Charles Chaplin was along the picturesque and undeveloped The journalists told him that his the Sea View Hotel in Tanjong Katong Jakarta), then by car to Surabaya where they Angeles Evening Herald Express ran a warded at the Singapore General Hospital western coast of Singapore.