Charlie Chaplin Gulps a Whistle

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1016, 5 July 1930, Page 25

Charlie Chaplin Gulps a Whistle

AMUSING SCENE IN NEW COMEDY TALKS, BUT NO TALKIE Charles Chaplin still says, “My medium is pantomime, without spoken words.” Let nobody suppose, however, that Chaplin lacks a microphone voice. Heard direct or over the radio, his voice is firm, strong, remarkably pleasant. After giving his views on the talkies, Chaplin returned to his stage to swallow whistles, remarks a gossip writer. A gay and well-dressed crowd filled the scene, heads jauntily ornamented with the paper caps distrib- ' uted as favours at a gleesome dinner. | Most of the I people were dancj ing, but one girl | sat down beside I Chaplin and offered ! him a toy . whistle. ! The comedian blew j fitfully upon the toy until, when the girl playfully nudged him in the ribs, he swallowed it. There followed physical and dramatic complications that go to make up Chaplin comedy. Charlie really swallowed the whistle, too. But it was chocolate. When the film on which he is working is shown the whistle will emit a resonant yelp at proper intervals — Intervals which occur when one of the men guests is* trying to sing, “I Hear You Calling Me.” There will be no dialogue, but there will be the strains of a piano, a few lines of the interrupted song, a motorhorn. The aim is to have the picture contain only the noises essential to carry out the plot and no spoken speeches. Filmdom’s fun-making wizard regards comedy very seriously. The whistle-gulping scene, which at its first “take” would*have satisfied many an actor or director, was shot three times. | Still the comedian felt dissatisfied. Ho retired to a mirror at the end of ! the stage and tried gulping for five 1 minutes before, at the fourth take, i the scene received his approval.