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The Circus Clippings 13/376

Iris H. Carpenter, Pictures and the Picturegoer, London, Nov. 1925.

Iris H. Carpenter, undated, Spartacus Educational

& Chaplin Pays Fines of Negroes Who Laughed at Show

      Pine Bluff, Ark., Jan. 20 – Simon Shakelford

and Bennie Brown, negro youths, recently went to see a motion

picture in which a celebrated comedian, distinguished

by a derby hat, a wisp of a mustache and enormous grotesque

feet, appeared.

      Shakelford and Brown began laughing when they sat down

and as the film went on their laughter reached a sustained

crescendo that literally broke up the show. On complaint of other

spectators both were arrested for disturbing the peace

and fined $5 and $3 respectively.

      Brown and Shakelford had decided that it was a sad and

serious world until Monday, when they received checks

from Charles Chaplin covering the amount of their fines. With

the checks went a warning that in the future the mirthful

pair would laugh too loudly at their own risk.

(...) Times Herald, Port Huron, Michigan, Jan. 20, 1925.

      Also in Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, Lancaster,

      Ohio, Jan. 21, 1925.

„The rumor that Chaplin is to produce a clown story“

Editorial content. „The Painted Smile

      The men behind the motley – Famous Clowns

of the Screen.

      Many and various are the characters employed for the

amusement of mankind... none more curious, non more difficult

to portray than that of the clown.“ (...)

      „And now, the excitement aroused over this masterpiece

of screen art having died down just a little the rumor

that Chaplin is to produce a clown story has once more been

revived.

      Even Charlie, however, whose sublime artistry amazed

and delighted us in The Kid, Pay Day and The Pilgrim,

whose subtlety and brilliant cynicism mocked, yet fascinated

us in A Woman of Paris will find himself hard put

to excel Lon Chaney‘s remarkable performance as He if he

treats his subject from the same angle.

      The question is will he?

      Who knows?

      Iris H. Carpenter.“

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