Chaplin's movies on TV: 1950's-1980's

On 12 Sep 2004 17:15:09 -0700, ulysses.TakeThisOut@mscomm.com (Candace) wrote:

>I know one of the kind people here can address and explain why
>Chaplin's movies were not being shown on television until long after
>his death.
>
>Am I right in assuming Chaplin's movies could only be viewed at
>Chaplin revivals during the period circa 1958-1980? If you were living
>in America, I assume the only way you could have seen "A King in NY"
>was to go abroad, since CC refused to allow it to be shown in the
>States. I have several newspaper clippings ftom the 60's that state,
>"Chaplin rigorously denies showings of his films, even to film
>societies." I know the BBC paid a large sum to air "The Gold Rush" on
>British TV at Christmas, but apparently the price they paid wasn't
>justified by the viewing figures.
>
>From reading the posts here, I know many of the regulars have been
>fans of CC for many decades. Can I ask how you saw his films in the
>60's and 70's? Were there bootleg copies where people could watch them
>on projectors? When were CC films routinely shown on American and
>British TV? I'm assuming it's only been in the past ten years or so.
>
>It strikes me as both sad and amazing that he sustained such levels of
>popularity when his films were virtually unseen for so many years.
>It's sad because I know had I seen his movies as a kid, I would have
>had 30+ more years of studying and adoring him. Yet it's also somehow
>uplifting to know his image was omnipresent throughout the years when
>scarcely anyone outside a revival house had seen his films.
>
>To sum up, Charlie owned his films, kept them in Vevey and it was only
>years after his passing that new generations could experience his
>genius. Since he was concerned with his legacy and wanted the public's
>approval, did he jealously guard his films because he feared he
>wouldn't be funny or appreciated by newer generations? I would love to
>hear some insight from the experts here and thanks in advance.

The early shorts (1914-17) were available on 8mm and later Super 8 through the
60's from companies like Blackhawk. Once in a while they'd show up on tv. I
remember getting up really early every day for a week in January 1965 to watch
Keystones &, Essanays on NBC TV in NYC. There were commercial packages of CC
Mutuals available to tv stations that were also shown in NY in the 60's like
"Charlie Chaplin Carnival, Festival" etc.. Also in '69 The Gallery of Art in
NYC presented a series of CC Mutuals (with a Billy West short on each program)
produced by - dare I say it - Raymond Rohauer.

For the features including Chaplin Revue, there were sporadic re-releases in the
50's and 60's of GR and MT, but the major event in NY at least, was in 64-65
when almost all the features were shown at the Plaza Theater, some for the first
time in years. Another major event was the rerelease of The Circus in '69. Then
in the early 70's the features were more widely distributed to theatres, as
Connie outlined, and also made available in 8 and 16mm formats to collectors,
albeit quite dear.
 >> Stay informed about: Chaplin's movies on TV: 1950's-1980's 

ulysses.DeleteThis@mscomm.com (Candace)

> I know one of the kind people here
> can address and explain why Chaplin's
> movies were not being shown on
> television until long after his death.

That depends on what you consider "Chaplin's movies."

His pre-First National films, for example, were probably on TV from the
beginning.

I know that I first became interested in Chaplin from seeing his Mutual shorts
on PBS in New York around 1970 or so.

Also, "The Gold Rush" was shown on PBS as well, in the Killiam version that's
available on VHS and probably on DVD.

> Am I right in assuming Chaplin's
> movies could only be viewed at
> Chaplin revivals during the period
> circa 1958-1980?

This is mostly true.

There was a Chaplin retrospective at the Plaza Theater in New York in 1964
(about which George Shelps has been known to wax nostalgic at the drop of a
hat); a much larger revival in 1972 and another in 1984.

Chaplin withheld his films from television because he believed, as many studios
did, that he could still make money from them via theatrical revival.

This is why "Gone With The Wind" was not on TV until the 1980s. They keep
bringing it back into theaters.

> If you were living in America, I assume
> the only way you could have seen "A
> King in NY" was to go abroad, since
> CC refused to allow it to be shown in
> the States.

It was released in New York in the mid-70s. If I remember correctly it played
at what used to be known as the Playboy Theater on 57th Street, which is now
the official screening room of the Director's Guild.


Tom Moran

"I noticed that George W. Bush's daughters
didn't volunteer to fight in Iraq."
-- Jack Germond
 >> Stay informed about: Chaplin's movies on TV: 1950's-1980's 

>From: feuillade.RemoveThis@aol.com (Feuillade)

>ulysses@mscomm.com (Candace)
>
>> I know one of the kind people here
>> can address and explain why Chaplin's
>> movies were not being shown on
>> television until long after his death.
>
>That depends on what you consider "Chaplin's movies."
>
>His pre-First National films, for example, were probably on TV from the
>beginning.
>
It's difficult to believe today, but hatred of Chaplin and his politics was
so severe that it kept the early CCs off at least Los Angeles television until
about 1966. Public pressure from fringe groups nixed earlier attempts to
broadcast his films here. Even in '66, a virulent letter-writing campaign
attempted to keep the package of Keystones, Essanays, and Mutuals off TV
screens (the then KHJ-TV channel 9).

Richard Carnahan
 >> Stay informed about: Chaplin's movies on TV: 1950's-1980's 

Candace wrote:

>Can I ask how you saw his films in the
>60's and 70's? Were there bootleg copies
>where people could watch them on
>projectors? When were CC films
>routinely shown on American and British
>TV? I'm assuming it's only been in the
>past ten years or so.

For many years after his self-imposed
exile, Chaplin put unrealistically high
rental rates on his films. I did see
a 16m bootleg of THE GREAT DICTATOR in a movie theatre and I also saw a
16m MODERN TIMES at Penn in a film society in the 60s.

(It was shown courtesy of a very well
known collector who posts on the silent
group)

In 1964, when Chaplin published his autobiography, the Plaza Theatre in
NYC staged a Chaplin festival and I traveled there to see the films in
35mm...but they never played in other cities.

In the 70s, Chaplin made a deal to reissue his films nationally (and
visited LA to
receive an Oscar as part of the promotion). I think this should be
classified as the first "official" revival.









__________________________________


"The past is never dead. It's not even past."
__William Faulkner
 >> Stay informed about: Chaplin's movies on TV: 1950's-1980's 

In article <20040913231406.08129.00000659.RemoveThis@mb-m06.aol.com>, Feuillade
<feuillade.RemoveThis@aol.com> wrote:

[snip]

> This is why "Gone With The Wind" was not on TV until the 1980s. They keep
> bringing it back into theaters.
>
Small correction: GWTW first played network TV in late 1976.
 >> Stay informed about: Chaplin's movies on TV: 1950's-1980's 

rfcsac627n DeleteThis @aol.com (RFCSAC627N) wrote in message news:<20040914112808.25357.00000293 DeleteThis @mb-m22.aol.com>...
> >From: feuillade DeleteThis @aol.com (Feuillade)
>
> >ulysses@mscomm.com (Candace)
> >
> >> I know one of the kind people here
> >> can address and explain why Chaplin's
> >> movies were not being shown on
> >> television until long after his death.
> >
> >That depends on what you consider "Chaplin's movies."
> >
> >His pre-First National films, for example, were probably on TV from the
> >beginning.
> >
> It's difficult to believe today, but hatred of Chaplin and his politics was
> so severe that it kept the early CCs off at least Los Angeles television until
> about 1966. Public pressure from fringe groups nixed earlier attempts to
> broadcast his films here. Even in '66, a virulent letter-writing campaign
> attempted to keep the package of Keystones, Essanays, and Mutuals off TV
> screens (the then KHJ-TV channel 9).
>
> Richard Carnahan

from the LA Times Jan 16, 1953

Theater Chain Delays Chaplin Film Showing
Indefinite Postponement Ordered After Notice of American Legion
Resolution

Fox West Coast Theaters yesterday postponed indefinitely the showing
of Charles Chaplin's newest movie "Limelight."

The film was to have opened next Wednesday in three of the chain's
theaters in Los Angeles.
The postponement was ordered, it was learned, after several Hollywood
anti-Communist movement leaders apprised Fox West Coast of an American
Legion resolution of last October.

Request to Distributor

This was in the form of a request to United Artists, distributing
organization for "Limelight," to withhold release of the film until
investigation of Chaplin by the Department of Justice in regard to his
re-entry into the United States is completed.

A Fox West Coast spoksman said the deal with United Artists for
showing the film had not been final and that the chain decided not to
be "gunea pigs" in testing public reaction to a Chaplin movie.

Meanwhile, Lewis K. Gough, National Commander of the American Legion,
speaking at a Pasadena luncheon, commended the Fox West Coast action
and went on to comment favorably on actor Jose Ferrer and
Producer-Director John Huston, whose film, "Moulin Rouge," was
picketed at its recent opening here by American Legion members.

Joint Meeting

Gough's talk was made before a joint meeting of Pasadena's Kiwanis
Club, Chamber of Commerce and American Legion at the Masonic Temple.

"Information has just reached me," he said, "that Charles Skouras of
Fox West Coast Theaters and Loews Inc. of New York, have cancelled
scheduled showings of Charles Chaplin's 'Limelight' and are
withholding presentation of this film pending outcome of the
investigation by the Justice Department pertaining to the granting of
a certificate of re-entry to the United States to Mr. Chaplin.

"This is the same point of view expressed by the American Legion last
October when we officially urged withdrawing presentation of this film
until the issues were determined and we commend both Fox and Loews,
Inc., for their action.

New York Talks

Gough, who in a statement at the time upheld the picketing of "Moulin
Rouge," had this to say yesterday:

"Mr. James F. O'Neil, American Legion director of public relations,
serving as my liason with the motion-picture industry, has held
several recent meetings in New York with Mr. Jose Ferrer and Mr. John
Huston which he described as most encouraging.

"Their present attitude toward Communism shows satisfactory progress
and they are indicating the type of co-operation we have requested in
the past.

"They both indicate they will go all the way with us in fighting
Communism and in this we want to encourage them and co-operate with
them."
 >> Stay informed about: Chaplin's movies on TV: 1950's-1980's