'Chaplin Days' Celebrates Silent Film Star's Legacy in Niles This Weekend

Submitted by the Niles Silent Film Museum

Niles once again welcomes the spirit of Charlie Chaplin to its downtown focusing on what he did best - making movies and making people laugh! The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum resurrected the once-popular Charlie Chaplin Days a few years ago after re-opening the Edison Theater, a nickelodeon which first opened here in 1913. The non-profit organization expanded their once-annual film festival to weekly screenings at a bricks-and-mortar operation after restoring that building back to its original use. They have once-again teamed up with the Niles Main Street Association to offer film screenings of Mr. Chaplin and embrace his playfulness for the weekend in the business district. 

There will be people dressed in period clothing, exhibits at the Fremont Art Association and even a few carnival games including a High Striker made by a museum docent. And there will be Charlie - you may see him "in person" depending on when you come but you will certainly see him in the store windows, on display around town, and in the atmosphere all around Niles. There will be a Look-alike Contest on Sunday afternoon. Please consider joining us - everyone who enters will win a prize and the top winner gets gift certificates to use in Niles stores! (We even have a few costumes available for you to "suit up").

To celebrate a double centennial this year, we are showing two films about movie-making in Niles in addition to Mr. Chaplin's cinematic treasures: When the Movies Came From Niles is a 1963 KPIX documentary made by local-film maker Ray Hubbard and The Movies Go West (1974) was made by the author of the legendary book The Golden Gate and the Silver Screen, Geoffrey Bell. It is narrated by Essanay actor and local resident Hal Angus who was there when the movies were made near the turn-of-the-last-century. At our regular Saturday Night at the Movies film screening with live piano accompaniment we will showShoulder Arms, a comedy with unlikely subject matter: World War I.  There are even steam and diesel powered train rides through the very canyon Charlie made some of his films - all aboard for information atwww.ncry.org .  

Look at the schedule for all the details and activities for each day and showtimes at www.nilesfilmmuseum.org  

The main focus, as it should be, are the films that he made while here in 1915. While five may seem like a small number, they were something showcasing his mirth-making skills to an ever-broadening global audience and whose impact can still be felt in the world today. They were made during his year on contract with the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, a Chicago-based silent film studio who had expanded their reach to California, namely a little hamlet in the East Bay know as Niles. In a few short years, the western division of the famous studio had become the most important film making place north of the contemporary Hollywood. While at Essanay, Charlie made a film in Chicago, five in Niles and the remaining eight in Los Angeles where he finished out his contract amongst friends he had made during his first year in film.

Chaplin started making movies in 1914 after a successful career as a popular vaudeville star. But nothing could compare to his fame once his name and antics were flickering on the silver screen. He became very famous in a few short months working with the likes of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and Mabel Normand under the direction of Mack Sennett and others at the Keystone Studios in Hollywood. The only thing that could woo him away was money. And that is what he was offered by the Essanay Studio's Jess Robbins and Gilbert "Broncho Billy" Anderson (the "A" of Essanay) up north.  An increase from $150 a week to eight times that amount and a $10,000 signing bonus did the trick. 

This was more money than Charlie could have ever imagined being in his possession after growing up in extreme poverty in London, with unstable yet talented parents - one an alcoholic and the other mentally ill. Spending time with his brother in an orphanage under similar conditions as described in Oliver Twist, abused and forced to labor, Charlie had a rough childhood to say the least. But he had seen how people had enjoyed both his mother and father performing on stage at the music halls and came to realize similar talents while doing his best not to succumb to their negative traits.

And succeed he did. On the stage in Europe as part of the Fred Karno Players troupe, conquering America on stage and onto even more epic proportions on film screens across America - and then global domination as THE comedian of the ages - beyond any popular figure - then and in many ways - since. People of all generations around the world still know who this icon is when they see his accoutrements : the baggy trousers, too-small vest, shabby coat, little mustache, bowler and cane. They may never have even seen his films but they know what he represents: laughter.

So back to Niles! We celebrate the Little Tramp as he became known from one of the films he made in Niles Canyon almost a century ago. In addition to the iconic film short The Tramp which begins and concludes at the now-scenic highway, we will also screen A Night Out with cross-eyed comedian Ben Turpin - in the film both have had too much liquid "fun" and mayhem ensues for two-reels. The Champion is especially exciting as you can plainly see the film studio grounds, the train across the street, a palm tree still present, and in a quick glance as the gate swings open, downtown Niles.  In the Park and A Jitney Elopement both feature Golden Gate Park, the latter highlights the then-unpaved Great Highway and you even get to see the Tin Lizzies race near the to-this-day-still-turning windmills at the entrance of that well-known San Francisco greenbelt. 

So come on down to our not-so-sleepy historic district in Fremont, CA and have a great time!Find out more goings-on just about every weekend in Niles by checking out www.niles.org.