If Charlie Chaplin were alive today, he’d probably be in jail – or worse!
The details of Charlie Chaplin’s sex life are just about as controversial and disturbing as those of Harvey Weinstein‘s. But since he lived in an era when scandals were often covered up by studio press agents and ‘fixers’; he pretty much got a free pass to do just about whatever he pleased – regardless of who he hurt or traumatized in the process.
Charlie Chaplin was one of the most prominent – and most adored – stars of his day. He rose to fame and became a worldwide icon through his iconic on-screen persona; the Tramp, and he’s considered to be one of the film industrys most significant and influential figures.
His career spanned more than seven decades. And while there is no denying his genius. It was an open secret in Hollywood that the filmmaker and actor had a disturbing predilection for young girls. In fact, his insatiable libido nearly killed his career when he was well into his 50s.
When the details of his disturbing pattern of behavior finally came to light; Chaplin forced to leave the United States behind for good and retire from the public spotlight altogether.
He did manage to make a bit of a comeback in 1972 when he was awarded with an honorary Oscar. Members of the Hollywood elite turned out in droves to celebrate the life and contributions of a man who helped make the film industry what it is today.
In the post-#MeToo world that we live in today, it’s inconceivable that such a man would receive such universal praise. These days, Chaplin would likely be labeled a predator and quickly canceled.
Many people are blissfully unaware of the alleged atrocities that Chaplin committed. For those who only know him as being a significant Hollywood pioneer, keep watching to learn how his ravenous libido proved to be his undoing.
Chaplin Was Obsessed With Very Young Girls
Three out of four of Chaplin’s wives were 18 or younger when they got married to him. Only his third wife, Paulette Goddard, was older. She’s 26 when she and Chaplin secretly got married in a private ceremony. But their relationship would eventually deteriorate as so many of Chaplin’s other romances did as well.
In 1916, Charlie started dating Mildred Harris, who was just 14 at the time. After announcing that she’s pregnant in 1918, Chaplin forced to marry her to avoid going to jail. Their marriage, however, would prove to be a rather short one as just two years later, in 1920, they divorced.
Three years after that in 1923, Charlie began dating his future third wife, Lita Grey. Once again, this new object of the 34-year-old star’s affection was only 15 years old. What makes Charlie’s relationship with Lita even more disturbing is the fact that he had first met her when she’s six years old. Before they started dating, Chaplin had put Lita in his films when she was 12.
To avoid scandal, Chaplin commissioned his older female friend Thelma Converse to accompany him and Lita on their dates.
After Lita got pregnant and threatened to slap Chaplin with a paternity while pressing charges for sexually assaulting an underage girl. She and the Charlie married in 1924.
Even though he eventually gave into Lita’s pressure by marrying her, at first he wanted to avoid marriage by any means necessary. A few of his suggestions to her were that she either get an abortion, commit suicide, or marry another man in exchange for a $20,000 bribe.
Details of Chaplin’s Love Life Published
In 1927, after married for two years and having two children, Charlie and Lita divorced.
Lita’s divorce complaint ended up published and distributed across the United States. The lengthy 42-page legal document revealed all sorts of unsettling and stirring details about Chaplin’s sexual appetite.
On one occasion, Chaplin allegedly threatened Lita with a loaded revolver. We also learned that he had cheated on her with at least 5 different women. The document went on to detail some of Charlie’s deepest, darkest fantasies.
Apparently, Chaplin dreamed of having sex with Lita in front of a live audience, receiving oral sex from her whenvever he pleased, and having a threesome. After Lita refused to fulfill Chaplin’s fantasies, he evidently screamed at her saying that ‘all married people’ do such things, and that since she was his wife, she had to do what he demanded of her.
After the judge in the divorce case reviewed these claims, he granted Lita the most significant divorce settlement in history at the time. Chaplin ordered to pay her $600,000 – about $9.5 million today – and an additional $200,000 to their tow children.
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And don’t go anywhere just yet. Keep watching to find out why Charlie Chaplin left the United States and never returned again in 1952.
Chaplin Allegedly Trafficked Actress Joan Barry
A year before Chaplin’s seven-year marriage with Paulette Goddard ended, he met a young up-and-coming starlet named Joan Barry in New York.
The two began an affair almost immediately. A the time, Charlie was 52 and Barry was 21. Chaplin bought her a ticket to Los Angeles, and she flew out to be with him.
According to documents released by the FBI, Chaplin made Barry available for ‘immoral purposes’ to other individuals. This violation of a law called the ‘Mann Act’, which prohibits the transportation of women across state lines for ‘debauch’ purposes.
After a brief court battle, however, Chaplin exonerated of these charges.
Barry Accused Charlie Of Fathering Her Daughter
Joan Barry, who likely suffered from sort of mental illness, became pretty erratic once her and Chaplin’s relationship began to fall apart.
On one occasion she broke into his house and threatened him with a gun. Barry would later testify in court that Chaplin had fathered her child, Carol Ann.
Chaplin vehemently denied this accusation and submitted to a blood test to prove that he wasn’t the girl’s father. The test result confirmed that he was not the father of Carol Ann, but at the time, blood tests were inadmissible in a court of law.
Despite the test results, the court ruled that Chaplin responsible for Barry’s pregnancy, and he ordered to pay child support and court fees.
In 1952, Chaplin left the United States for good. He quoted as saying that he wouldn’t return even if Jesus Christ elected president. A year later. Blood tests made admissible in court by California’s Uniform Act on Blood Tests to Determine Paternity.
Happily Ever After?
After three miserable marriages, Chaplin finally settled down with a woman whom he would remain married to until his death in 1977.
Charlie met Oona O’Neil in 1943. She was the 18-year-old duaghter of famed playwright Eugene O’Neill.
Oona’s dad wasn’t a big fan of Chaplin and was disapproving of the marriage due to the enormous age gap. Chaplin 54 years old when he and Oona married, which means that the couple had 36 years between them. In fact, Oona’s father was just six months older than Chaplin. After she married Chaplin, Oona’s father disowned her and never spoke to her again.
Chaplin was once quoted as saying that if he had known Ooana – or a girl like her – decades prior, he would have never had any problems with women. He said that she was the one that he had been waiting for all his life without even realizing it.
The two had eight children together. Oona initially absolutely infatuated by Chaplin and served him on bended knee.
While it seemed like Chaplin was always perfectly happy and satisfied in the marriage, the same couldn’t be said for Oona. She eventually became a raging alcoholic. Guests who visited their home witnessed the couple often getting into fiery fights in which Oona would run from room to room to hide from an infuriated Chaplin.
Chaplin May Have Slept With As Many As 2,000 Women
Some historians and commentators have estimated that Charlie Chaplin slept with over 2,000 women throughout his lifetime. Chaplin never confirmed this number, but it’s alleged that he was so sexually promiscuous due to severe abandonment issues that he developed as a child.
Chaplin’s father left his poor family when Charlie was just a young boy. His mother prostituted herself to support him and his siblings. Because of her lifestyle as a sex worker, Charlie’s mom contracted syphilis which resulted in her developing mental illness and dementia.
His difficult upbringing undoubtedly had an influence on his success, failures, and future relationships.
Chaplin Invented The “Casting Couch”
Some Hollywood historians think that Chaplin was the one responsible for coming up with idea of the casting couch. Cinema historian Kevin Browning claims that during auditions Chaplin would dress up as his signature ‘Tramp’ character.
He would then communicate with the actress auditioning with caption cards and miming gestures. Reportedly, in order to put their abilities to ‘perform’ to the test, the cue cards would become increasing more lewd and demeaning.
Chaplin would allegedly get these women to undress themselves before he would touch them inappropriately in an exaggerated silent film-acting manner. At the end of the audition, they apparently would be standing in front of him naked as he threw cream pies at them.
It’s pretty ironic, but Harvey Weinstein once said that Charlie Chaplin was his biggest idol. While Charlie’s been dead and gone for a long time now, and it’s practically impossible to confirm all of the details of his alleged wrongdoing, it’s still pretty clear that he was a pretty awful man when it came to his interactions with women.
Did you know that Charlie Chaplin was obsessed with young girls? And do you think he would be torn to shreds in today’s post-MeToo world? Let us know your thoughts on this Hollywood legend in the comments section down below.
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