It would be no surprise to see a picture of Charlie Chaplin next to the word comedian in the dictionary, as more so than any other actor, director, writer, or filmmaker, his movies have left an undeniable mark on cinema and pop culture in general. Best known for his timeless characterization of the Tramp, his signature toothbrush mustache, and his incredible slapstick and physical comedic talents, Chaplin encapsulated the silent movie era and remained a vital figure after the sound revolution. Through thoughtful and hilarious movies, Chaplin pushed filmmaking into new territory and became a true icon in the process. 665560

It has been 95 years since Al Jolson first sang on the silver screen in  The Jazz Singer, famously known as the first movie to add sound to the filmgoing experience. The innovation, now perhaps taken for granted, shattered new filmmaking ground and effectively ended the silent era.

Charlie Chaplin left a lasting and memorable legacy in the movie industry, and not just through his own achievements, but also through his family. There are actually several Hollywood families that are quite prevalent on the big and small screens, such as the Barrymores, the Carradines, the Coppolas - including Nicolas Cage - the Fondas, and more. However, few are bigger and more important to the history of cinema than the Chaplins, who have been in show business for more than a century.

The 1910s and 1920s saw the rise of Hollywood as a major film industry. The newly-emerged industry created movie studios, such as RKO, United Artists and Warner Bros. Filmmakers, writers and actors championed the rise of this industry, as Hollywood quickly became a dream machine. America, too, was seeing a steady rise of immigrants from Europe, as detailed in Charlie Chaplin's silent film, The Immigrant. This created a need for the design of the American Dream. What did it mean to be American?

Films have been made for more than 100 years. In that span of time, a ton has changed. The most obvious of changes are that today's movies have color and sound. According to the positive IMDb reviews for some of these early films though, maybe sound and color are overrated.

Charlie Chaplin had an uncanny ability to transform the greatest adversity into genuine laughter, featuring a perpetual underdog. As such, even his silent work remains timeless and provides exactly the remedy everyone could use in times like this. His slapstick is tremendously creative and subverts expectations. His stories give the struggling everyman a happy ending.

Visual effects are one of the last things that come to mind when Charlie Chaplin is mentioned, but several decades before CGI, or computer-generated imagery, became a common practice, Chaplin pulled off one of most clever visual effects in 1936's Modern Times. Though CGI is used in practically every major movie production nowadays, from the crazy, CGI-filled Marvel Cinematic Universe to the deaged Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci in The Irishman, Chaplin made what looked like a treacherous stunt quite safe.

The actor Charlie Chaplin is one of the best and most famous actors of the early 20th century. Chaplin's career lasted for decades, from the silent-film heyday of the 1910s to the New Hollywood of the 1960s. His shorts and features have stood the test of time. They're funny, endearing and an absolute joy to watch.

Charlie Chaplin's legacy and impact on cinema cannot be overstated. His contribution to the medium goes far beyond simply making people laugh. Several of his works often rank among the greatest films of all time. Today, classics like The Kid and City Lights still make audiences laugh just as hard as they cry during the more emotional moments.