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Chaplin also made “Monsieur Verdoux” in the 1950s. He did speak with a distinct English accent that sounds very grounded to me. Modern actors like Hugh Laurie are much better trained in doing American accents. Nothing like the old time actors who didn’t travel as much and had very little need to acquire the ability to do foreign accent. Ms. Streep would have been a complete failure, LOL!

So, indeed, he was an Englishman but for some reason the Jewish thing was always rumored. I, too, could care less, but I simply do not think he was a Jew.

His politics came out of his horrible childhood of poverty and insanity (his mother was institutionalized partly because of malnutrition).

I believe it was Groucho Marx’s son, Arthur, who wrote all the books about Grouch. They are a lot of fun.

Chaplin also made “Monsieur Verdoux” in the 1950s. He did speak with a distinct English accent that sounds very grounded to me. Modern actors like Hugh Laurie are much better trained in doing American accents. Nothing like the old time actors who didn’t travel as much and had very little need to acquire the ability to do foreign accent. Ms. Streep would have been a complete failure, LOL!

I did not know that he had made another "talkie." Thanks for letting me know about this!

So, indeed, he was an Englishman but for some reason the Jewish thing was always rumored. I, too, could care less, but I simply do not think he was a Jew.

Who can say when the rumors started? Perhaps it was after his movie "the Great Dictator" that people started speculating? As I said, that would be the Nazi response to the movie, and they were quite good at spreading propaganda.

His politics came out of his horrible childhood of poverty and insanity (his mother was institutionalized partly because of malnutrition).

Life was really hard back then. His movies with Jackie Coogan were not really that far outside of their reality.

I believe it was Groucho Marx’s son, Arthur, who wrote all the books about Grouch. They are a lot of fun.

I have only read the one book, and I didn't know it was written by his son. It was certainly entertaining. I still quote bits and pieces of it from time to time. :)

I am aware of the existence of another book called "Harpo Speaks." Have you read it? If you are a fan, you know he could speak just fine, but it was part of his shtick to pretend to be mute. I saw an interview with his son in which he described his father as having a serious Yiddish\Brooklyn accent. He couldn't shake it, and that's why they told him it would be best if he didn't talk. :)

Harpo's real name was Adolph, and given the time period you can understand why he didn't use it. :)

Oh, by the way, I think I read sometime last year that they discovered a heretofore forgotten Charlie Chaplin movie. All I can remember is it was something about Dirigibles.

Internet to the rescue. Here it is!

http://www.historytoday.com/blog/2011/06/first-world-war-propaganda-film-starring-charlie-chaplin-sale