werebothpoormusichallperformers.YoumayfinditastonishingthatCharliewastaughttosingassoonashecouldspeakanddanceassoonashecouldwalk.Suchtrainingwascommoninactingfamiliesatthattime,especiallywhenthefamilyincomewasoftenuncertain.Unfortunatelyhisfatherdied,leavingthefamilyevenworseoff,soCharliespenthischildhoodlookingafterhissickmotherandhisbrother.Byhisteens,Charliehad,throughhishumour,becomeoneofthemostpopularchildactorsinEngland.Hecouldmimeandactthefooldoingordinaryeverydaytasks.Noonewaseverboredwatchinghim-hissubtleactingmadeeverythingentertaining.Astimewentby,hebeganmakingfilms.Hegrewmoreandmorepopularashischarmingcharacter,thelittletramp,becameknownthroughouttheworld.Thetramp,apoor,homelessmanwithamoustache,worelargetrousers,worn-outshoesandasmallroundblackhat.Hewalkedaroundstifflycarryingawalkingstick.Thischaracterwasasocialfailurebutwaslovedforhisoptimismanddeterminationtoovercomealldifficulties.Hewastheunderdogwhowaskindevenwhenotherswereunkindtohim.Howdidthelittletrampmakeasadsituationentertaining?Hereisanexamplefromoneofhismostfamousfilms,TheGoldRush.Itisthemid-nineteenthcenturyandgoldhasjustbeendiscoveredinCalifornia.Likesomanyothers,thelittletrampandhisfriendhaverushedthereinsearchofgold,butwithoutsuccess.Insteadtheyarehidinginasmallhutontheedgeofamountainduringasnowstormwithnothingtoeat.Theyaresohungrythattheytryboilingapairofleathershoesfortheirdinner.Charliefirstpicksoutthelacesandeatsthemasiftheywerespaghetti.Thenhecutsofftheleathertopoftheshoesasifitwerethefineststeak.Finallyhetriescuttingandchewingthebottomoftheshoe.Heeatseachmouthfulwithgreatenjoyment.Theactingissoconvincingthatitmakesyoubelievethatitisoneofthebestmealshehasevertasted!CharlieChaplinwrote,directedandproducedthefilmsthestarredin.In1972hewasgivenaspecialOscarforhisoutstandingworkinfilms.HelivedinEnglandandtheUSAbutspendhislastyearsinSwitzerland,wherehewasburiedin1977.Heislovedandrememberedasagreatactorwhocouldinspirepeoplewithgreatconfidence.ANAPRILFOOL’SJOKE:THENOODLEHARVESTAprilFool’sda