In a new regular feature, Jess O’Kane, Screen Editor delves into the archives of Exeter’s own Bill Douglas Centre, which houses one of the largest collections of film-related objects in Britain.
These gold coins branded with Charlie Chaplin’s “Tramp” persona offer a fascinating glimpse into his influence amongst early cinema-goers.
By the initial release of The Gold Rush in 1925, Chaplin was the pre-eminent performer in silent film. More than that, he had achieved the financial and creative independence he so craved during his early career, having established United Artists in 1919 and thus taken control of almost every element of his productions.
The Gold Rush was to be his most ambitious project yet, shot on location in the Truckee Mountains with an enormous $1 million budget. In it, Chaplin stars as a down-trodden prospector seeking fortune and serendipity, opposite the effervescent beauty Georgia Hale. It features some of his most iconic scenes, including the famously farcical moment in which he eats his own boots.
Perhaps ironically, the film earned a then-staggering $5 million at the box office, and is still considered amongst the quintessential Chaplin films, capturing the melancholic humour and transiency of the California Gold Rush.
These particular coins were handed to audience members at Grey Street cinema in 1926, and display both ingenious marketing and the exceptionally broad place of Chaplin in popular consciousness, here quite literally made currency.
For more information on The Bill Douglas Centre, click here. The collection also houses books, programmes, stills and sheet music relating to The Gold Rush.
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