The films of the great actor Charlie Chaplin starred a lot of talented artists of his time. Thanks to working with the famous comedian, some of them became recognizable. A striking example of this popularity is Eric Campbell.
There is very little information about the family in which the American and British comedian Alfred Eric Campbell was born. Even the year of his birth is not exactly established.
Path to recognition
The biography of the future famous artist began in 1879. 1878 or 1880 are also indicated. The child was born in the Scottish city of Dunoon on April 26.
The boy from an early age showed acting talent. He has been performing on stage since childhood. He did not leave acting. In 1901, his colleague, actress of the music hall Fanny Gertrude Robotam, became the chosen one of the performer. A daughter, Una, was born into the family.
Campbell became part of the theater enterprise Fred Carnot. Chaplin and Austin played in the troupe. In 1914, the team toured the United States. Broadway producer Frohman drew attention to the colorful artist. He offered Eric a contract. Under the contract, the artist played in performances for more than two years.
In 1916, Campbell made his film debut. Since March 1916, at the invitation of Chaplin, the performer entered the permanent group of the great comedian. By that time, Charlie had already become Hollywood's leading comedian. To Campbell, he proposed the role of his constant antagonist Giant. A tall and large actor perfectly matched the set character. And in the frame, the artist was able to look intimidating.
Successful film career
The "branded" sign of the actor was false eyebrows bent up. Often Eric appeared in front of a camera with a long beard laid on. The first joint film was a short film "Supervisor of the department store." The premiere of the silent picture took place in mid-May 1916. The store manager George Brush became the hero of Eric.
According to the scenario, after receiving important news, the manager and assistant are going to run. They both decided to take with them all the department store revenue. They cannot trust each other, constantly suspecting a trick, there is no agreement between them either. The assistant decides to appropriate all the money for himself.
At this moment, a visitor enters the store. In appearance, it is no different from an ordinary tramp. Moreover, it behaves very defiantly. In a striking way, the character is surprisingly similar to the assistant manager. This situation completely confuses the situation.
Bright characters
In Chaplin's short silent film "The Wanderer, " the head of the gypsies became the character of Eric Campbell.
In the story, the main character plays the violin in a bar. Its execution evokes indignation from competitors. The scuffle begins.
After the fight, the violinist rescues the girl from the gypsies. When the messy and disheveled young lady puts herself in order, the hero of Chaplin, shocked by her beauty, falls in love.
To the trouble of the musician, the mother comes to the rescued, accompanied by an opponent, an artist, also passionate about the girl. Now the heroine will have to make a difficult choice between them.
The artist played in almost all Chaplin films shot under a contract with Mutual. In the shortest possible time, the talented artist managed to win the general love of the audience. Charlie really appreciated him. Both perfectly complemented each other on the screen, were friends in real life.
The chief of the fire brigade was the performer in Chaplin’s new project “Firefighter”. About the plot, he and his subordinate, the main character, are in love with one girl. The father of the beauty promised to marry her daughter for a better-off boss. However, there is one condition. The team should not arrive on time for a fire signal. He decided to arrange his cunning himself to get considerable insurance for the house.
That's just a carefully designed plan immediately went wrong. With horror, the father realizes that on the top floor of the house enveloped in flames, his daughter remained. To the aid of a desperate girl comes the character of Chaplin.
New plans
In the classic comedy "Count" Eric played a tailor. Chaplin's hero works as an apprentice, constantly getting into trouble. He finds himself out of work after the trousers of his client have been ironed. In their pocket, the tailor found an invitation to a dinner party in the name of Count Broco. Former employer Charlie decides to go to the reception. Wearing a tailcoat and grabbing an invitation, he goes to visit.
At this moment, the good cook feeds the unlucky ex-apprentice in the kitchen, and then helps him hide from the butler in the laundry basket. After the latter leaves the kitchen, the hero barely has time to get out, as a new danger appears. Charlie goes upstairs in the kitchen elevator.
Nose to nose ex-tailor collides with the former boss. He explains that he decided to have fun for free, and offers an involuntary witness to the deception the role of secretary for the evening. At the invitation of the butler, both enter the hall. The guests were amazed at the very strange manners at the table of the count and his assistant.
During the dance, the imaginary invitees vie for the right to dance with the hostess of the reception. At the same time, the hero of Chaplin also tries to flirt with another lady, hiding with all his might from the cook watching the holiday.
Arriving late, the real Count with amazement learns that he is already in the house and goes for the police. At this moment, tailors arrange a cake. The guests smeared with cream rush in pursuit of Charlie. Arriving cops join them.
