Charlie Chaplin vs. America

History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

Society & Culture, History

4.2 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 3 October 2023

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Charlie Chaplin was the most famous movie star in the world, especially at his height in the 1920s, when the silent film star won the hearts of audience around the globe. But in the aftermath of World War II, Charlie Chaplin was criticized for being politically socialist and internationalist in outlook. He had never become a US citizen, something that would be held against him as xenophobia set in when the Red Scare took hold. As soon as he left the U.S. to promote a new picture, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover persuaded the State Department to revoke Chaplin's visa (a move of doubtful legality).

Politics aside, Chaplin had another problem: his l interest in young women. He had been married four times, had had numerous affairs, and was publicly involved in at least three paternity suits. His inappropriate sexual proclivity became another reason for those who opposed his ideas to condemn him.

Today’s guest is Scott Eyman, author of “Charlie Chaplin vs. America.” We discuss historically pivotal moment of Hollywood’s rise and a prescient narrative with modern implications: that of cancel culture, artistic freedom, censorship, and the all-important question of whether we should be separating art from the artist.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Scott here with another episode of the History Unplugged Podcast.
0:08.3	The American film industry exploded like a supernova in the early 20th century, and in
0:12.5	its earliest decades, the biggest star was Charlie Chaplin.
0:15.8	He was probably the most famous person on the planet in the 1910s and 1920s.
0:20.2	But by the 30s and 40s, he became interested in leftist politics and mixed with different
0:24.2	socialist figures, getting him attention from the FBI.
0:27.4	He was in the crosshairs of the House Un-American Activities Committee that was formed in
0:31.2	1947, and by 1952, when Chaplin left the United States on his ship to England to attend
0:36.6	a movie premiere, the U.S. government revoked Chaplin's return visa, Chaplin was never
0:41.3	an American citizen, he was an aide of Britain, leading to a permanent exile from the United
0:45.3	States.
0:46.3	Today's guest is Scott Aiman, author of Charlie Chaplin vs. America.
0:49.9	He went through the 1700 pages that the FBI produced on Chaplin between 1946 and 1953.
0:55.6	You look at Hollywood's rise, the red scare, questions of artistic freedom, censorship,
1:00.2	cancel culture, all through the eyes of one of the most interesting and dynamic people
1:03.8	from the era.
1:04.8	Hope you enjoy this episode with Scott Aiman.
1:07.4	And one more thing before we get started with this episode, a quick break for work from
1:12.8	our sponsors.
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