City Lights 1930 1931 1932 next previous
City Lights Clippings 383/387
Edwin Schallert, Los Angeles Times, L. A., Cal., Jan. 4, 1932.
Cream o‘ th‘ Stills (...)
Charlie Chaplin in „City Lights“ by side of park created
in studio lot for the picture. The trees were synthetic
or transplanted and required continual application of green
paint – Photo by Edward B. Anderson.
(...) International Photographer, L. A., Jan. 1932
City Lights Set.
„Chaplin had a carefully worked-out publicity scheme“
Editorial content. „CHAPLIN ARTIST
OF PUBLICITY
Comedian‘s ,City Lights‘ to
Make Good Record
– European Sojourn Reckoned
Aid to Ballyhoo
– English Journalist Accuses
Star of Barnum-ing
BY EDWIN SCHALLERT
When all the results are tabulated I doubt not but that
Charlie Chaplin‘s City Lights will turn out to one
of the big money makers of the year. Naturally, it is having
great success abroad, which Chaplin himself has
aided by keeping in the spotlight during his European
travels.
Interesting, too, is the fact that the picture leads the
year at individual theaters in various cities in this
country. Chicago, Boston. Philadelphia, Montreal, Toronto,
Seattle are among cities where it registered notably
high, as shown in the record of grosses in a tabulation in the
Motion-Picture Herald, a leading trade magazine.
All this doesn‘t portend a revival of the talking pictures,
but it may mean that Chaplin will proceed as a star of
silent films, a lonely islander in the midst of the conversational
sea.
–––
Chaplin Gets Spotlighted
I surmise that Chaplin was intent on seeing that everything
went well with his picture in foreign lands, and that that
has been one of the reasons for his long sojourn abroad. News
has been pretty consistent regarding the comedian
during much of this time. He knows a publicity trick or two
himself.
The only let-down was the ,slaps,‘ so-called, he received
from the judge during the court argument with May
Shepherd, secretary and publicity agent. Nor can that be
entirely dubbed a let-down. From correspondence
I receive from England I gather that Charlie was sympathized
with in this suit. It seems that Miss Shepherd wrote
a confessions story, in which she told how Chaplin campaigned
to ,put himself over‘ that didn‘t rouse only cheers.
–––
Publicity Versus Arts
Here incidentally are some comments by Viscount
Castlerosse in one of the British newspapers ament
the whole affair, and its revelations, though these are not
overly sympathetic.
,It seemed to come as a shock to the West End that
Chaplin had a carefully worked-out publicity scheme.
It has even – unless my ears have deceived me – disgusted
the West End slightly.
,Personally I found his advertising admirable. The way
he played up the publicity hounds of London was
masterly to such an extent that I could not help bursting into
a paean of praise in the ,Evening Standard‘ at the
time. Indeed, it was obvious to me that Chaplin was a greater
publicity artist than he was an actor.‘
Which is mixing praise with more than a trifle of irony.
–––
Troublesome for Menjou
The writer continues: ,Unfortunately for the cinema
business, this case with Miss May Shepherd will
cost every visiting star dear. Adolphe Menjou is on his way
here. If he takes my advice he will avoid all posturing
and posing and simply say that he is coming here to work
because he is paid for it, and that, as for being ,the
great lover‘ in private life, he is really a most respectable
married man.‘“
Redaktioneller Inhalt
City Lights 1930 1931 1932 next previous
