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How did Charlie Chaplin give the Little Tramp a voice in Modern Times?
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Charlie Chaplin
The iconic British comedian Charlie Chaplin as the Little Tramp.
In the 1936 film Modern Times, Charlie Chaplin gave his iconic character, the Little Tramp, a voice by performing a gibberish song.1
While Chaplin remained a staunch advocate for the silent film format and resisted the industry's shift toward "talkies," Modern Times was a hybrid production that incorporated music, sound effects, and brief passages of dialogue. This performance marked the only time the character spoke on-screen and served as the final appearance of the Little Tramp.21