Evening star., 1935-09-01
Magazine Section

CuCtlDI lNuIIlLNI ElNC
Once inside. the very atmosphere
warns one that here is not Just another
motion picture lot. Here. instead, is as
strange little province as any tucked
away in a European corner. Outside
comes the whirr of traffic, the sounds
of busy. normal world; but here, in
this bit of land squarely in the heart
of Hollywood, is kingdom all its
= own, an absolute monarchy in which
Chaplin is King, Chaplin is Emperor,
Chaplin is All in All.
About him gravitate Il almost said
groveD his loyal subjects. Subjects a
Hitler or a Mussolini may well envy
him. Intelligent men who have stood
by him, near him and with him the
greater part of their working lives and
still address him, after the closest
p ccmpanionship, as Mr.. Chaplin. Men
who have submerged their ambitions,
their personalities in their devotion to
Chaplin and become a keyboard
upon which he plays his melody Of
moods.
MIR. Reeves, his studio manager, has
been associated with Chaplin for
thirty years, throughout his music
hall days of London, the pie throwing
tantrums of Sennett's and the more
trying days Of independent produc-
tions. Henry Bergman, Chaplin's
stooge, known to all Hollywood as
just Henry" can scarcely recall the
DAYS he didn't know and love Charlie
Chaplin. His camcraman, his pur-
chasing agent, his script girl, truck
drivers, boss carpenter. telephone
girls, casting director - all have
worked a score of years with Charlie.
The world should know, here and
now, that without this group OF men
and women behind him. there would
be, there could be, no Chaplin. His
cratic goings on, his nerve-racking
exactions, his weird demands and
childish whims demand superhuman
understanding and the patience of ten
Jobs.
They anticipate and fulfill his every
whim and want. On the set, if Mr..
Chaplin's eye should fasten on prop
telephone. every kind of phone must
Immediately be brought from the
prop room in case Mr.. Chaplin may
be thinking up some situation that
would require another type of phone.
If he is, he need only reach behind
him, knowing full well it will be ready
and waiting.
On location in the country for this
current picture. Mr.. Chaplin sud-
denly demanded frog. Miles out on
dusty highway. and Chaplin wanted a
frog! He got it in exactly seven min
utes. from Heaven knows what source.
1t was three O'Clock in the morning
when they arrived at the final scene.
laid in a great factory. Charlie. re-
viewing the set before the last take,
suddenly announced he'd fancy an
other policeman for the scene. The
casting director leaped into action,
having anticipated some such de-
mand, and in exactly eight and one
half minutes after 3 AM. an extra, in
full uniform, stood painting and ready
before Mr.. Chaplin.
Whence come the snow that blows
about his head for a movie scene. the
shoes he wears or the ones he eats, the
very derby on his head and the cane
he flips, he hasn't the remotest idea
and cares less.
A fortune, many times over, has
gone forth from the pocket of Chaplin
to the staff he constantly maintains
regardless of long years between pro-
ductions. But let him even suspect
that neat sum has been spent for
necessary props and he comes run
ming. When The Gold Rush" was in
production. he demanded of Joe Van
Meter. his purchasing agent, if it were
true that he had ordered carload of
cornflakes for the snow scenes. NO"
lied JOe "iuct fI,rae haoe full - I,,sf