Charlie Chaplin: A Photo Diary [Hardcover]

Michel Comte (Author), Sam Stourdzé (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 2009

In 1999, a sensational discovery was made among the affects in the estate of Charlie Chaplin: an extensive photography archive consisting of thousands of of negatives and prints from the actor's life were discovered. Chaplin documented his life with a passionate enthusiasm: private photographs taken by his friends and family were collected and kept, along with more public photographs taken during the course of his career on movie sets and in studios. These are never-before-published images, and from this treasure trove the photographer Michel Comte has edited a sensitive photo album which shows a hitherto unknown Chaplin. Here, the trips around the world and the snapshots with colleagues, children, and grandchildren are brought to light; a new view of the iconic artist. The Unseen Chaplin presents an artist who was on stage throughout his life, whose private life as well as his public life was spent in the limelight. Opening in 1909, when he was 20 years old, and closing with a color photograph taken just prior to his death in 1977, this large-format volume, which includes an essay by Sophia Loren and statements by other friends from the film industry, will be a beautiful and fitting tribute to the life of one of the seminal entertainers in American history.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The jacket on this compelling, weighty collection of Chaplin photographs shows the out-of-costume comedian looking at a doll modeled on his most famous character, "The Little Tramp." As he regards the small porcelain version of himself, Chaplin's expression is complicated, rife with introspection, curiosity and an undercurrent of resignation at his pop culture fate. It's an apt choice, since the photographs inside inspire the same kind of mixture, letting viewers bask in wonder at such a treasure of previously unpublished photographs and marvel at how Chaplin's personality and zeal for life seem to burn through, even in black and white. Edited from a family archive by photographer Comte, the collection is arranged chronologically, from 1909 to 1977, and nicely balances Chaplin's film work with his intriguing off-camera life. They also give a view into a world on the brink of making movie actors into heroes and idols. Snapshots of the artist's trip to Asia with girlfriend Paulette Goddard capture not just the long vacation of two vivacious people, but also document a time when dinners with geisha were experienced by the very few who ventured to the East. Alongside photographs taken by Chaplin's friends and children are official studio photographs, indicating the challenge in combining a public persona with a private life. Comte arranges the photos with thoughtful visual articulation and lets them stand on their own. The text is limited to a brief introduction followed only by spare captions, allowing the images to stand as a photographic chronicle of an extraordinary life. And with 18 fully restored Chaplin films set for release this spring on DVD, look for renewed interest in all things Chaplin.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Michel Comte was born in 1954 in Zurich. In 1979, his photographs caught the eye of Karl Lagerfeld at "French Vogue", and soon after Comte's career took off. His work appears regularly in U.S., Italian, and German "Vogue", "L'Uomo Vogue", and "Vanity Fair", and commercial clients include GianFranco Ferre, Armani, Givenchy, Nine West, BMW, and Revlon to name a few. In 2000, Steidl published two books of his work, "Aiko T.", and "People and Places Without Name". He lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Steidl; 1 edition (June 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3882437928
• ISBN-13: 978-3882437928
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 10.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,732,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Case of the Accidental Chaplin, August 9, 2003

By 

Scott Leslie "tinman2000" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charlie Chaplin: A Photo Diary (Hardcover)

I wasn't going to buy this book. Honest. But after picking up Jeffrey Vance's two compelling photo collections for Abrams on Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton (and not expecting a third), I broke down and picked up this European imprint so I'd have one for each of the triumvirate of Silent comedy kings. Now I read that Vance is releasing a new Chaplin photo volume in the fall: "Chaplin: Genius of the Cinema". Ah, well. Someone was going to get my money sooner or later.

Not that I regret buying this one. No sir. It's full of rare public and private Chaplin photos including many with the stunning Paulette Goddard (her mother appears in so many of them, you'd think she was trying to be their chaperone!) I would've preferred fewer later pictures of Chaplin with his children and more of his actual film work as Vance usually does (these are mainly restricted to a few collages.) And I did miss pictures of more celebrities (I was particularly hoping for some shots of Chaplin working with cohort Stan Laurel during their earliest theatre days.) But the personal and behind-the-scenes selection they've included here certainly adds a whole new dimension to the man behind "The Tramp".

Just to clarify, some descriptions of this book are incorrect and were probably issued before the volume went to print. There is no essay by Sophia Loren as some indicate (it's done by Sam Stourdze), and no final colour shot of Chaplin (the only colour in the whole book is some home movie clips by Chaplin's brother of "The Great Dictator".)

This volume is larger and cheaper than the upcoming Vance book and has a more personal side of Chaplin while "Genius" will probably include more text (though both books are limited in this area given their photographic nature) and focus on the professional side. Either way, take your pick. Or get both which I'll probably do...after my pocketbook recovers.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible book!, February 14, 2003

By 

D. Movahedpour "doeadear" (CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Charlie Chaplin: A Photo Diary (Hardcover)

This book is worth every penny and is a must for all Chaplin fans. I have been a Chaplin afficianado for many years and this generous volume contains images I had never seen before. It covers every decade of his amazing career, including very rare candids while he was still in his 20's and starting his own studio. We see him without make-up, being himself. We watch him age, decade after decade. We see him on a cruise to the Far East with Paulette Goddard and Alistair Cooke in 1936; he poses with dignitaries and legends such as Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein; and, we see him as an old, contented man, with the love of his life, Oona O'Neill Chaplin, and their 8 children.

Photos express far more than words in this book. I believe this is the first time I've seen photos that look into the eyes and soul of this film pioneer. You see him in front of and behind the camera. You see his wit and his dedication. Page after page of fascinating, incredible photographs make this an absolute must for anyone who wants a glimpse into those bygone days of the silent screen comedy.

4.0 out of 5 stars Charlie Chaplin Fan, January 9, 2010

By 

Robert A. Ward "RW" (MI) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Charlie Chaplin: A Photo Diary (Hardcover)

This book is Great for a Charlie Chaplin fan! It has great black and white photos of Charlie on and off camera. It shows the history of Charlie's life through these photos. The entire book is full of pictures with some information about the pictures. It is an awesome record of one great comedy actor of all time!