Aside from being an actor and film director, Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. was also an English composer and comic actor who shot to fame during the silent era. Through his screen persona, the Tramp, he became a global icon. In fact, he is often considered one of the most influential figures in the history of film.
Mildred Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin was married to Mildred Harris, an actress, in the year 1918. The two met at a party, and they dated for a few months. They were married on October 23, 1918. Chaplin had believed Mildred was pregnant, so he married her, but it turned out she wasn’t. The couple divorced in 1920, and Mildred continued to do small acting roles until her death from pneumonia at age 33.
Chaplin’s first wife, Lita Grey, was 16 years old when they were married. She later alleged that Chaplin forced her to marry him when she was pregnant. Despite this, she remained faithful to the actor and they had two children. The marriage lasted only three years, but it was one of the biggest scandals in Hollywood at the time.
Lita Grey
Charlie Chaplin married actress Lita Grey when she was 16 years old. She later claimed that she was coerced into marriage by Chaplin, and the divorce was one of the most famous scandals of the decade. She also said that she was subjected to abusive measures by Chaplin, which she outlined in a 50-page divorce. The marriage lasted for three years, and she gave birth to two sons.
After marriage, Lita Chaplin and Charlie divorced in late 1926. The split was painful for both parties. Chaplin never talked about it in his memoirs, presumably out of respect for his children. The two had two sons, Sydney and Charlie Jr., and Lita had to raise them separately. Despite the difficult years following the divorce, she managed to continue her career.
Oona O’Neill
Oona O’Neill is the wife of legendary actor Charlie Chaplin. They were married on June 16, 1943, in Santa Barbara, California. The couple met while both were still in their teens. In a brief courtship, Oona and Chaplin fell in love and were married. Oona and Chaplin had eight children together. She died of cancer in 1991.
The couple lived in Beverly Hills for the first decade of their marriage. In 1952, however, Oona O’Neill’s re-entry permit was revoked during a voyage to London, and the couple moved to Switzerland. In 1954, Oona O’Neill gave up her American citizenship and became a British citizen. She and Chaplin split their time between Switzerland and New York, and Oona died of pancreatic cancer in 1991. Their daughter, Geraldine, became an acclaimed actress.
Paulette
Paulette Chaplin married Edgar James in 1928, while she was only 17. She made her film debut with a small part in Berth Marks (1929). While her young age didn’t help her get better parts, she stayed with small roles for the next four years. She later married Chaplin and began a family.
Chaplin reportedly tried to save his marriage, but to no avail. At a speaking event in New York City, he introduced Paulette as his wife. She was interviewed and confirmed that she was indeed his wife. The couple divorced in 1942, but Paulette Chaplin continued acting in movies until the 1960s. She briefly married Burgess Meredith.
The Chaplins did not speak about their early film days to their children. However, they stayed friends. In the following years, they lived in Switzerland. Eventually, they bought a lakeside house in Switzerland. Oona was preparing to give birth to their fourth child.
Edna Purviance
Edna Purviance was the first major leading lady to star in a Charlie Chaplin film. She co-starred with the great actor in over thirty films. These included “A Night Out” (1915), “The Tramp” (1917), “The Kid” (1920), and “Limelight.” Purviance remained Chaplin’s leading lady until his death in 1958.
The relationship between Edna and Charlie cooled a bit after the Mutual Contract was canceled. Chaplin was working on a new deal in New York, and Edna wanted to accompany him. However, Chaplin felt it would be better if he went alone. This is also when Edna returned to Lovelock.
Edna Purviance was only 19 years old when she met Charlie Chaplin, but she had been living in the Bay Area since the summer of 1913. Her mother had moved back home to Lovelock, Idaho, when Edna was only 17 years old. She stayed in San Francisco to attend school at Heald Business College, and she had a number of contacts in the business world from her office work. She also attended many social events in San Francisco, which could explain how she first met the great Charlie Chaplin.