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City Lights Clippings 116/387

Jim Tully, New Movie, New York, July 1930.

City Lights Sets, Los Angeles, 1929, Karl H. Klein Family

„Allowed the yes-men to argue the great question“

Editorial content. „The Unknown Charlie Chaplin

      An Emotional Analyses of the Famous Comedian,

      ,The Most Complex of Human Beings‘

       By Jim Tully“ (...)

      „The time arrived to select a leading lady for The Gold Rush.

Dozens of screen tests were made of ambitious young

ladies. I often accompanied Chaplin‘s higher salaried yes-men

to the projection room, where  we watched the faces

of these inane beauties flashed upon the screen.

       An ordinary-looking Mexican girl arrived one morning.

She had played some years previously in The Kid.

Chaplin was not yet at the studio. The girl was about to depart,

when lo – the little jester met up with his destiny. A screen

test was made of the girl. Several of us agreed privately that it was

the worst yet made. The girl did not photograph.

      Chaplin watched her features on the screen the next day.

In silence we watched him.

      He rose from his chair.

      ,That‘s the girl.‘ he exclaimed. A fearful silence filled the

little room.

      I walked to my office and allowed the yes-men to argue

the great question. Something – perhaps a mood – as he had, and

rightly, no respect for my judgement, compelled Chaplin

to join me a few minutes later. He entered the room as tragic

as Hamlet, hands held behind his back, a frown on his

face, as though his next decision would rattle the stars from the sky.

      ,What do you think of her, Jim?‘ he asked.

      Having been hungry, and knowing that he would choose

the girl he preferred anyhow, I parried with, ,I don‘t know,

Charlie. She may be all right.‘

      The rug on my office floor was vivid red. Chaplin began

to pace up and down, up and down, hands still behind his back.

His good-looking face bore the same fearful frown. Now

and then I would glance at him and then let my eyes rest once

more on the scarlet carpet.

      Suddenly the door opened. The Mexican girl entered.

She was cheaply dressed, but her eyes flashed, her teeth were

even, her body was so round and supple that one soon

forgot the ugly black dress which clothed it.

      Chaplin smiled benignly, as gracious and charming a smile

as I have ever seen.

      She stood before him and asked, ,Well, what is it, Charlie?

Am I hired?‘

      The comedian looked at her and then down at his spats,

which, actor-like, he always wore.

      I watched their expressions. The keen, fine face of the

actor, mobile and finely molded, was a face that would be noticed

in any gathering. The girl watched him, round-eyed,

round-faced, full of life. I saw in her then everything which

Chaplin did not see – a young woman who seemed

to me devoid of spiritual qualities.

      Chaplin answered at last, ,You‘re engaged.‘

      The girl leaped into the air with joy.“ (...)

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