Main content

1. An American dream

Charlie Chaplin was one of Hollywood鈥檚 first and biggest stars. He helped create the art and industry of movies. But by the 1960s, he was exiled - was it because of politics?

Charlie Chaplin was one of Hollywood鈥檚 first and biggest stars. He helped create the art and industry of movies. But by the 1960s, he was exiled. Oona Chaplin follows her grandfather鈥檚 rise from the grinding poverty of his childhood in Victorian London to wealth and fame in Hollywood. In many ways, it seemed like the embodiment of the American Dream. But almost as soon as he hit the big time, Chaplin made some powerful enemies. Federal investigators were suspicious of his political beliefs and began to build a file on him. We learn how Hollywood became the battleground for the soul of America.

From the 91热爆 World Service and CBC Podcasts.

Archive:

Communism Condemned, Universal Newsreel, 1947
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood show, 14 January 1951
Testimony of J. Edgar Hoover before HUAC, National Archives and Records Administration, 1947

Available now

36 minutes

Last on

Sat 24 Feb 2024 22:32GMT

More episodes

Previous

You are at the first episode

See all episodes from Hollywood Exiles

Featured

  • .

Broadcasts

  • Wed 21 Feb 2024 04:32GMT
  • Wed 21 Feb 2024 11:32GMT
  • Wed 21 Feb 2024 18:32GMT
  • Wed 21 Feb 2024 23:32GMT
  • Sat 24 Feb 2024 02:32GMT
  • Sat 24 Feb 2024 22:32GMT

Podcast