Latest news with #Chaplin
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
10 famous graves worth travelling the world for
When we think of traveling to our dream destinations, we usually think of ancient ruins, majestic mountain landscapes, architectural marvels and city glamour. But some of the most profound experiences lie in hushed cemeteries and forgotten people. These graves are not just burial plots; they are landmarks that whisper stories of fame, legacy, and controversy. This is not on the to-do lists of many people but, they sure have their own fan followings. Here are 10 of the world's most fascinating graves that attract millions of visitors annually. Elvis Presley, Graceland, Memphis, USA Graceland is not only a house; it's a pilgrimage. The King of Rock and Roll rests in the Meditation Garden of his legendary mansion. What many don't realize is that Elvis's body was temporarily buried elsewhere after an attempted grave robbery required his reburial on the grounds. Now, more than 600,000 fans pay their respects annually, particularly during Elvis Week. Oscar Wilde, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France credit: wikipedia A century since his passing, Wilde still attracts throngs. Wilde's grave, a dramatic sculpture by Jacob Epstein, was so defaced with lipstick kisses and graffiti that in 2011, a glass screen was installed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Notwithstanding this, the location is still a fixture on Parisian cemetery tours, where Wilde lies alongside Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison. William Shakespeare, Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, England Emblazoned with a haunting curse upon any who would move his bones, the resting place of Shakespeare is a literary pilgrim's destination. Yet there is no peace; legend has it that his skull was removed by 18th-century tomb raiders. Ground scans in 2016 suggest the myth may have more fact than fiction. Charlie Chaplin, Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland The silent film master was even subjected to drama after death. Two months after Chaplin's burial, robbers stole his coffin and held it for ransom. The robbery was planned, the body was retrieved, and Chaplin was buried again with fortified concrete. His resting place now remains quiet but safe in the countryside of Switzerland. Edgar Allan Poe, Baltimore, USA Each January 19th, Poe's birthday, someone mysterious would stop by his cenotaph at Westminster Hall, depositing three roses and a bottle of cognac. Identified only as the "Poe Toaster," the enigma finished in 2009, but the ritual continues, now managed by local historians and devoted fans of the grotesque. Princess Diana, Althorp Estate, Northamptonshire, England Diana's tomb is shielded from public sight on an island at Althorp Estate. But thousands have still flocked to visit the nearby memorial. Despite security measures, there have been at least four attempts to break into the tomb site, only making it more attractive as a site of both respect and royal intrigue. Marilyn Monroe, Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, USA CREDIT: WIKIPEDIA In a city of stars, no one shines as brightly as Marilyn. Her crypt, which is often kissed and rose-covered, has been said to have been visited three times a week for years by Joe DiMaggio with six red roses. It's still one of LA's spookiest, most glamorous destinations. Susan B. Anthony, Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, USA Anthony's grave was a symbolic location for women voters in the 2016 United States presidential election. Her gravestone was famously stickered with "I Voted" stickers, and in 2020, officials placed a Plexiglas cover over it to safeguard it. It's a quiet touchstone of feminist history tourism these days. Johannes Brahms, Zentralfriedhof, Vienna, Austria Vienna's vast Central Cemetery is the last resting place for musical royalty. But in a macabre turn, Brahms' tomb was allegedly desecrated by a 2008 thief who pilfered his teeth, along with Johann Strauss Jr.'s. The cemetery is still a haven for music fans, though. Terry the Dog (Toto), Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles, USA Terry, the canine actor who portrayed Toto in The Wizard of Oz, was originally buried in her owner's backyard, which was subsequently demolished. In 2010, fans were able to construct a statue at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, making the cult terrier a four-legged legend.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Colin Fleming: Charlie Chaplin's 100-year-old film ‘The Gold Rush' has timeless lessons on how to keep going
The wisest among us realize that what we normally think of as opposites are also associates. There's life and death, joy and pain, fulfillment and absence. And, as Charlie Chaplin understood, and helped millions to understand, comedy and tragedy. Cinema was about a quarter of a century old when Chaplin's 'The Gold Rush' premiered June 26, 1925. The medium had produced its share of masterworks to stand the test of time, and Chaplin himself was already a major star, synonymous with the very concept — even the philosophy — of comedy. But the likes of 'The Gold Rush' were new. As William Shakespeare had once taught people about being human, here was Chaplin to enlighten viewers on what laughter could mean. The picture features Chaplin's Little Tramp character, as indelible a symbol of our collective pop culture consciousness as Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse, Bela Lugosi's Dracula, a can of Coke and Elvis Presley's swiveling hips. His thesis: Pain halts us if we don't also find a reason to laugh, and with that reason, we become better equipped to find solutions. At 95 minutes, 'The Gold Rush' was the longest comedy film to date. It riffs on, of all tragic things, the Donner Party, those poor, stranded souls who had to eat each other. There's probably a metaphor in this — misery feeds on misery, which is why we spend so much time hate-reading and doomscrolling. The Tramp tries to strike it rich in Alaska during the Klondike gold rush with his eternal optimist of a pal, Big Jim. The Tramp is a thinker and an observer and not one to rush headlong. Still, life has a way of catching us up in a snowball that becomes bigger and bigger until we're careening down a hill, feeling powerless. The Tramp falls for a dance hall girl named Georgia. This is one of the sweetest love stories in cinema. It's about the opportunities we so often fail to make the most of because we're caught up in other things, including standing in our own way. We carp about how lonely we are and then ignore the person who reaches out to us with kindness, and hope, and instead assume that they'll follow us on our social media platforms, without realizing we're contributing to our own isolation. A prospective ghosting in 'The Gold Rush' results in an epiphany, but by then, the Tramp and Big Jim are themselves isolated in a snow-covered cabin, which becomes something of a mobile home. But they do not perish, and life goes on, as life always does. And later, when opportunity again presents itself, both the Tramp and Georgia know what to do with it. Creating solutions can seem like an impossible task — that there's nothing we might come up with or put into practice to change what we're dealing with. But all favorable outcomes have a key element in common: The person kept going. To stop is to have no chance of a solution, unless you're banking on a deus ex machina, which isn't advisable unless you happen to have a god for a patron. Keeping going can be a daily 3-mile walk to clear your head during hard times. Or a 'dry' month. Or being solicitous of our friends, because they also have things going on, and when we look in on others, we see within ourselves. Keeping going is also abeyance. Don't downplay the value of a holding pattern. The plane circles the airport until it's cleared to land, and that may be part of your journey too. To keep going certainly entails finding a way to laugh — realizing that this awful thing additionally means that this not-so-awful thing is close by, because that's how it works. There are few comedies more human than 'The Gold Rush,' which is really no older now — in the important ways — than it was in the time of Babe Ruth. Apply a compress of its humor and its courage to your brow in your difficult times. It's just what is needed to cool you down so that you can set to moving again and make a gold rush of your own with staying power and the invaluable abeyance — and conveyance — of humor. Colin Fleming is the author of 'Sam Cooke: Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963,' an entry in Bloomsbury's 33 1/3 series.
Los Angeles Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Historic film studio hits the market at top dollar even as filming dips
One of the oldest movie studios in Los Angeles is up for sale, perhaps to the newest generation of content creators. The potential sale of Occidental Studios comes amid a drop in filming in Los Angeles as the local entertainment industry faces such headwinds as rising competition from studios in other cities and countries, as well as the aftermath of filming slowdowns during the pandemic and industry strikes of 2023. Occidental Studios, which dates back to 1913, was once used by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to make silent films. It is a small version of a traditional Hollywood studio with soundstages, offices and writers' bungalows in a 3-acre gated campus near Echo Park in Historic Filipinotown. The seller hopes its boutique reputation will garner $45 million, which would rank it one of the most valuable studios in Southern California at $651 per square foot. A legendary Hollywood studio founded by Charlie Chaplin in 1917 sold last year for $489 per foot, according to real estate data provider CoStar. The Chaplin studio known until recently as the Jim Henson Company Lot was purchased by singer-songwriter John Mayer and movie director McG from the family of famed Muppets creator Jim Henson. Occidental Studios may sell to one of today's modern content creators in search of a flagship location, said real estate broker Nicole Mihalka of CBRE, who represents the seller. She declined to name potential buyers but said she is showing the property to new-media businesses who don't present themselves through traditional channels such as television shows and instead rely on social media and the internet to reach younger audiences. New media entrepreneurs may not often need soundstages, 'but they like the idea of having the history, the legacy' of a studio linked to the early days of cinema, she said. It might lend credibility to a brand and become a destination for promotional activities as well as being a place to create content, she said. Mihalka envisions the space being used for events for partners, sponsors and advertisers as well as press junkets for new product launches. Entertainment businesses located nearby include filmmaker Ava DuVernay's Array Now, independent film and production company Blumhouse Productions and film and production company Rideback Ranch. Neighborhoods east of Hollywood such as Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Echo Park and Highland Park have become home to many people in the entertainment industry, which Mihalka hopes will elevate the appeal of Occidental Studios. 'We've been seeing film and TV talent heading this way for a while,' she said, including executives who also live in those neighborhoods. The owner of of Occidental Studios said it's gotten harder for smaller studios to operate in the current economic climate that includes competition from major independent studio operators that have emerged in recent decades. 'Once upon a time, you did not have multibillion-dollar global portfolio companies swimming in the waters of Hollywood,' said Craig Darian, chief executive of Occidental Entertainment Group Holdings Inc., citing Hudson Pacific Properties, Hackman Capital Partners and CIM Group. 'They are not content producers, but have a long history of providing services for multiple television shows and features.' Competition now includes overseas studios in such countries as Canada, Ireland and Australia, he said. 'When production was really robust and domiciled in Los Angeles, it was much easier to remain very competitive.' Another factor threatening the bottom line for conventional studios is rapidly changing technology used to create entertainment including tools as simple as lighting. 'You used to know that equipment would last for decades,' Darian said. 'The new tools for production are becoming obsolete in far shorter order.' Nevertheless, Darian said, the potential sale 'is not motivated by distress or urgency. Nothing is driving the decision other than the timing of whether or not this remains to be a relevant asset to keep within our portfolio. If we get an offer at or above the asking price, then we're a seller.' Darian said he may also seek a long-term tenant to take over the studio. Occidental Studios at 201 N. Occidental Blvd. comprises over 69,000 square feet of buildings including four soundstages and support space such as offices and dressing rooms. It's among the oldest continually operating studios in Hollywood, used by pioneering filmmakers Cecil B. DeMille, D.W. Griffith and Pickford, who worked there as an actress and filmmaker in its early years. Pickford reportedly kept an apartment on the lot for years. More recently it has been used for television production for such shows as 'Tales of the City,' 'New Girl' and HBO's thriller 'Sharp Objects.' Local television production area declined by 30.5% in the first quarter compared with the previous year, according to he nonprofit organization FilmLA, which tracks shoot days in the Greater Los Angeles region. All categories of TV production were down, including dramas (-38.9%), comedies (-29.9%), reality shows -(26.4%) and pilots (-80.3%). Feature film production decreased by 28.9%, while commercials were down by 2.1%, FilmLA said.
South Wales Argus
23-06-2025
- South Wales Argus
Argoed driver jailed for killing dog walker in Nelson crash
Window cleaner Daniel Boucher, 28, lost control of his Peugeot 207 GTi on a bend on Ty Du Road in Nelson and hit 66-year-old David Chaplin – who had been walking his two dogs. Mr Chaplin died at the scene on April 18, 2023. Boucher pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of causing death by careless driving, but was found guilty by a jury of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. In a statement read to the court by prosecutor Owen Williams, Mr Chaplin's granddaughter Abby Hillberg said: 'My bampi was a fit and healthy 66-year-old man at the time of his accident. 'He was out doing something he loved – walking his dogs – when his life was taken from him. 'As a family, this is something we will carry with us forever. 'My bampi and I were inseparable. He was my father figure in life. 'When I lost my bampi, I lost a piece of myself. My spark disappeared.' Daniel Boucher crashed and hit David Chaplin as he was walking his dogs. (Image: Gwent Police) During the trial, prosecutor Owen Williams said Boucher bragged to colleague Scott Williams about the 165 and 170 horsepower of his "turbocharged" car as they finished work. He said the defendant was then "showing off" as he revved the engine with his workmate following in a car behind on the 30mph road. The court heard Boucher was driving "way too fast" as he rounded a bend and "oversteered". Mr Williams said the Peugeot mounted the pavement and collided with a lamppost before flipping onto its side and stopping on a grass verge. Boucher admitted speeding to police officers at the scene saying: "I lost control of the car." He later confessed: "What have I done? I'm sorry." The court heard evidence that it would take a speed in excess of 45-55mph to cause a driver to lose control round the corner in the conditions that day. Boucher, of New Road in Argoed, had no previous convictions and a previously clean driving record. 'There is nothing I can say to ease the pain and suffering caused,' said Hashim Salmman, mitigating. He said Boucher showed 'genuine remorse' for his actions, and had always accepted criminal responsibility for the crash. Mr Salmman added the defendant did not seek to minimise his offending and fully accepted the jury's verdict when speaking with the probation service. Mr Salmman said Boucher tried to aid Mr Chaplin immediately after the crash. Judge Vanessa Francis described the crash as 'a tragic miscalculation'. Boucher was jailed for four years. He has been disqualified from driving for a total of six years and two months, and must pass an extended retest to regain his licence. "This is a tragic case that has resulted in the needless loss of a life,' said Sergeant Shane Draper, the senior investigating officer. 'I would like to thank all those who assisted in our investigation and offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr Chaplin. "The importance of driving carefully and to your ability at all times is never more poignant than in this case; the collision was so unnecessary. Dangerous driving ruins lives.'
Wales Online
23-06-2025
- Wales Online
Heartbroken granddaughter says 'Bampi was my whole world' as 'show-off' killer driver locked up
Heartbroken granddaughter says 'Bampi was my whole world' as 'show-off' killer driver locked up Daniel Boucher was speeding and 'showing off' in his car when he knocked down and killed 66-year-old grandfather David Chaplin Daniel Boucher (Image: Gwent Police ) The granddaughter of a man killed by a speeding driver while walking his dog has described how her "bampi" was her "whole world" and losing him meant losing a part of herself. Daniel Boucher was driving too fast and was "showing off" when he lost control of his Peugeot 207 GTI on a bend causing the car to leave the road, flip onto its side, and hit 66-year-old David Paul Chaplin. Mr Chaplin was found unconscious on a grass verge beside the road and despite the best efforts of medics could not be saved. The defendant admitted causing the death of the grandfather by careless driving but denied the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving. The 28-year-old was convicted following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in May this year and sentencing was adjourned for a pre-sentence report. At the time of the fatal collision in April 2023 Boucher was working for a window-cleaning firm based in Nelson, Caerphilly. The trial heard that he left Whitebeam industrial estate at around 5.10pm on April 18 and was heard to be revving the car's engine for no obvious reason. A colleague described him as "showing off". A short time later Boucher took a bend "way too fast" and lost control of his car on Ty Du Road. The vehicle was travelling sideways when it left the road, crashed into a lamppost, flipped onto its side, and hit Mr Chaplin who happened to be walking his dog along the road having himself just finished work. The victim suffered multiple traumatic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Article continues below At trial the court heard that a crash investigator calculated the maximum safe speed for negotiating the bend in question was between 45mph and 55mph. The actual speed the Peugeot was travelling at when it left the road is not known. No mechanical issues were found on the car which could have caused the loss of control and the investigator concluded the cause was down to the speed the vehicle was travelling and the driver taking his foot off the accelerator in the bend which caused a shift in the weight distribution of the vehicle – a phenomenon known as "lift-off oversteer". At trial it was argued that the defendant's driving which caused the death had been careless rather than dangerous but that was rejected by the jury. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter Daniel Boucher outside Cardiff Crown Court during his trial (Image: John Myers ) Daniel Boucher, of New Road, Argoed, Blackwood, had previously been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving when he returned to the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions and at the time of the crash held a clean driving licence. In a statement read to the court by prosecution barrister Owen Williams a granddaughter of the victim described the impact of the death of her bampi on her and her family. She said when she lost her bampi she also lost part of herself and lost her "spark" which she doesn't think she will ever get back. She described her granddad as her "father-figure" in life and as "my best friend and my whole world". The granddaughter said Mr Chaplin was an "amazing man" who had a positive impact on the lives of all those he met and said the devastating consequences of what happened on the day still "haunt" the family. She said the family were left with so many unanswered questions about why their loved one died, adding: "I know if my love alone could save him he would have lived for forever." Hashim Salmman, for Boucher, said the defendant realised that no words could ease the pain and suffering he had caused to Mr Chaplin's family but said the defendant wanted them to know he was genuinely remorseful for his action. He said it was open to the court to find that as speed was the only factor in the case the defendant's driving was "just over" the threshold of being dangerous. Judge Vanessa Francis said the street on which the fatal crash happened was "wide and well-appointed" and said there were no other vehicles on the road at the time of the crash apart from that of a colleague of the defendant who was traveling behind him. She said it was "tragic indeed" that when the defendant lost control of his car Mr Chaplin was directly in his path as he walked his dogs after leaving work. She said: "This was a tragic miscalculation of what speed was safe to negotiate that bend and your ability to control the car and keep other road users safe as is your responsibility." The judge said she accepted the defendant stayed at the scene of the crash and was one of those who helped perform CPR on Mr Chaplin and she said she accepted the defendant's remorse was genuine. Article continues below Boucher was sentenced to four years in prison and was banned from driving for six years and four months The court heard the defendant is "likely" to serve 40% of his sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The defendant must pass an extended test before he can a licence.
