A Film Johnnie | Charlie Chaplin | Mabel Normand | Fatty Arbuckle | Ford Sterling | clown ministry

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The Charlie Chaplin short film, A Film Johnnie, has Charlie Chaplin’s tramp character as a star-struck movie patron, who becomes determined to meet the film heroine that he’s become infatuated with at the Keystone movie studio. Attempting to get into the studio, Charlie’s little tramp has comedic interactions with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Ford Sterling, and Mabel Normand. Failing to enter the film studio legitimately, Charlie Chaplin sneaks into the studio, ruining the filming of several films, and eventually causing a fire and being tossed out of the studio, having been rejected by the movie starlet that he’s been pining for.

In addition to being a humorous film, A Film Johnnie has historical interest as well; not only is it only the 5th movie that Charlie Chaplin was in, but at this point in his film career, Charlie was having trouble getting along with his co-stars, and studio people were unsure if this English stage actor would be able to make the transition to American films. Consequently, some of the brusque brush-offs given Charlie by some of his real-life co-workers may be more realism than acting!