When Charlie Chaplin Entered a Chaplin Look-Alike Contest & Came in 20th Place

Open Culture

Factuality

Ownership

When Charlie Chaplin Entered a Chaplin Look-Alike Contest & Came in 20th Place

Charlie Chaplin started appearing in his first films in 1914—40 films, to be precise—and, by 1915, the United States had a major case of “Chaplinitis.” Chaplin mustaches were suddenly popping up everywhere–as were Chaplin imitators and Chaplin look-alike contests. A young Bob Hope apparently won one such contest in Cleveland. Chaplin Fever continued burning hot through 1921, the year when the Chaplin look-alike contest, shown above, was held out…