"The Circus"
A Comedy
Written, Directed and Produced
by
Charlie Chaplin
"The Circus" © MCMLXVIII
The Roy Export Company Establishment
Photography by
Rollie. H. Totheroh
Laboratory Supervision by
William. E. Hinckley
Music Composed by
Charlie Chaplin
Title Music Sung by
Charlie Chaplin
Music Arranged by
Lambert Williamson
Musical Associate
Eric Jones
Cast
| The Circus Proprietor and Ring Master | Allan Garcia | |
| His Step-Daughter, A Circus Rider | Merna Kennedy | |
| Rex, A Tight Rope Walker | Harry Crocker | |
| A Magician | George Davis | |
| An Old Clown | Henry Bergman | |
| The Head Property Man | Stanley J Sanford | |
| An Assistant Property Man | John Rand | |
| A Pickpocket | Steve Murphey | |
| A Tramp | Charlie Chaplin | |
"The Circus"
"So you missed the hoop again."
"Father, I couldn't help it."
"For that you don't eat tonight."
"And you're supposed to be funny!"
"Look at that house; empty!"
Around the Side Shows hungry and broke.
"Here you are, sir."
"Count it."
"Is it all there?"
Mirror Maze
"Say, gimme that money!"
Ham
"How d'you get out of here?"
Noah's Ark
Tickets
"Rotten!"
"Get off!"
"Where's the funny man?"
"Bring on the funny man!"
The Funny Man.
Meal-time after the Show.
Stella
the
Sword Swallower
"Father won't let me."
"Do you want a job?"
"Be here in the morning, and we'll try you out."
Early the next morning.
Hungry.
"Run along home!"
"I live here."
"Excuse me, my cane."
The Tryout.
"Go ahead and be funny."
"That's awful!"
"Put on the William Tell act."
"Now then, watch this and see if you can do it."
"Go ahead and try it."
"Put on the barber-shop act."
"Now I must hit you."
"Now hit me!"
"I can't see."
"Just a moment!"
"We haven't talked terms yet."
"Get out and stay out!"
"Show's starting!"
"Aren't you coming in?"
"You're not leaving?"
"You see, we couldn't come to terms."
"Thank you for the egg."
The Show on.
Trouble with the Property Men.
Dressing rooms
"How about our back pay?"
"Get to work!"
"We quit!"
"They've quit."
"Get anybody!"
"Do you want a job?"
Lopy
the
Juggler
"Don't touch that button!"
Prof. Bosco Magician
"He's a sensation but he doesn't know it, keep him on as a property man."
The Circus prospered, but not the property man; and the girl led the same hard life.
"Keep him busy and don't let him know he's the hit of the show."
Prof. Bosco
Magician
A Sick Horse.
"Blow this pill down the horse's neck!"
"The horse blew first—"
Keep away dangerous
"Open the door, quick!"
"I told you the lions were dangerous!"
"Where's that pill?"
"Come here!"
"I've got to see a doctor!"
"It's a shame the way they make you work——and you the hit of the show."
"Why of course! All the crowds, all the applause is just for you."
"I knew it!"
"If you strike that girl, I'll quit!"
"And what's more I want what I'm worth—"
"I'll give you fifty dollars a week."
"Sixty!"
"I'll double it!"
"Nothing less than a hundred."
The Next Show.
The success of the Tramp made life easier for the girl and himself.
"Oh, Merna, you must have your fortune told!"
"I see love and marriage with a dark, handsome man who is near you now."
Rex
King Of The Air
A New Added Attraction, Rex, a tight-rope walker.
"Pardon me."
"Go right ahead."
"I'll give you Five Dollars for it."
"It's happened; I'm in love!"
"He's a tight-rope walker; I've just met him."
"Hurry up, you're on!"
The Act Over.
"What's the matter? You hardly got a laugh!"
"This is my friend."
"I don't like tight-rope walkers."
Time brought many changes to the Circus; New Hopes and New Ambitions.
His New Ambition.
"Never mind the rope; you'd better try and be funny again or you'll go!"
The next performance—and not a smile.
"I've had enough of this; you get one more chance."
"Where's Rex?"
"Rex, the tight-rope walker, hasn't shown up."
"Is Rex here?"
"You can do the act, can't you?"
"You'll do it or quit!"
"I'll do it; find his clothes!"
"There's the clothes!"
"You follow her!"
"He'll kill himself."
"That's all right; I've got him insured."
"Take your time, there's another act to go on."
"Why, what is the meaning of this?"
"I am taking his place on the rope."
"You'll get killed."
"Oh, no, I have a charmed life."
"I'll give you five dollars if you'll do it."
"Not a word to anybody."
"Please don't do this."
"You've forgotten your tights."
"You're on!"
"You're through!!!"
That Night.
"I've run away from the circus."
"I'll never go back."
"Can't you take me with you?"
"I've got an idea."
"You stay here."
"Have you seen Merna?"
"She's run away—"
"I can do nothing for her——"
"Now, there's one way out."
"She's there now?"
"Take me to her!"
The Next Morning.
NoticeCourt HouseJ. Sprigg
Justice of the PeaceNotary
Public
The Circus ready to leave.
"So you've come back—You—!"
"You're speaking to my wife!"
"Will you go on with the show?"
"——if you take him."
"The end wagon for you."
"Come in with us."
Ciro's Circus
The
End
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in 1928, before the cutoff of January 1, 1929.
Copyright law abroad tends to consider the following people authors of a film:
- The principal director
- The screenwriter, and/or other writers of dialogue
- The composer/lyricist (if the film is accompanied by sound)
- The cinematographer
- By extension, the authors of any works that may serve as the basis for a film's plot
The longest-living of these authors died in 1977, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 46 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
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