In the big city of London on April 16th, 1889, a boy named Charles Spencer Chaplin was born into a family of entertainers.

Although entertainment was in his genes, Charlie's early life was tough, filled with poverty and short moments of joy on stage.

His father, a singer and actor, left the family when Charlie was very young, making their situation even worse.

His mother Hannah tried to support the family as a singer and actress, but she struggled with

her health and eventually had to be taken to a hospital when Charlie was just 14.

This left him and his half brother Sydney to take care of themselves in Victorian London.

But despite these hardships, Charlie found joy and a sense of purpose in the world of

performance from a very young age. His first step onto the stage was at five years old when he had

to sing in place of his mother during one of her shows.

This moment made him fall in love with performing even though life was hard.

Life outside the stage was challenging for Charlie and his brother. They were often sent to workhouses,

grim places where children were given food and a place to sleep in exchange for hard work.

These early experiences with poverty and seeing the struggles of ordinary people

would later greatly influence Charlie's films where he often showed his

sympathy for lower classes and criticized unfair authority.

Charlie's big break came when he joined the eight Lancashire lads, a group known for their

clog dancing.

This experience was a stepping stone that eventually led him to the world of vaudeville theaters in America.

There he caught the attention of Mack Senate, the King of Comedy Films.

In 1913 at 24 years old, Charlie moved to Hollywood to join Senate's Keystone Film Company.

Charlie's first film didn't make a big splash, but his next role as The Tramp did.

He played The Tramp, with a funny mustache, baggy pants, tight coat, and a small bowler hat. The film became incredibly popular.

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