Subject
Re: Charlie Chaplin & Humbert Humbert (fwd)
Date
Body
From: ZOKUZMANOVIC@DAVIDSON.EDU
A computer disaster makes it difficult for me to find out whether or
not I have used this note in something I've written or thought about
writing on VN but its contents seem relevant to the reader who wants
the story on Chaplin and Lolita:
Lillita McMurray was born on April 15, 1908, was noticed by Chaplin
around 1915, used sparingly in _The Kid_ and in _The Idle Class_,
changed her name to Lita Grey around 1924, revealed her pregnancy on
the set of _The Gold Rush_, and married the 35-yer old Chaplin in
Mexico in November of 1924. (The shotgun for the marriage was provided
by the underaged bride's uncle who figured that a portion of Chaplin's
fortune could restore the McMurray family honor). Two children later,
in 1927, Lita filed for divorce from Chaplin, and the complaint
included, among others, charges that Chaplin preferred what Humbert
calls "a fancy embrace" over "manner that is usual between husband
and wife." Testimony revealed an even more hideous crime, Chaplin's
reading _Lady Chatterley's Lover" to his reluctant partner. In a
settlement, Chaplin paid $625,000 for "cruelty," and the other charges
were dropped.
Note on note: The marriage and the divorce were well covered both here and in
Europe. What pictures I've seen of (Lil)Lita did not lead me to posit
much of a connection between Lita and Dolores. The camera did not
seem to care for Mrs. Chaplin.
>
>EDITOR's NOTE. NABOKV-L is pleased to pass along Dmitri Nabokov's
>thoughts on the HH = CC proposal. And think of the field for scholarship
>opened by his counter proposal!
>________________________________________________________
>From: "Sandy P. Klein" <taxi@flinet.com>
>
>Dear Don,
>
>I sent the below to DN and he has asked I send the
>"Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@UCSBVM.UCSB.EDU>"
>the following:
>
> DN says: Sure. And Pnin was modeled
> on Rudolph Valentino.
>
>- - - - - - - -
>Donald Barton Johnson wrote:
>>
>> EDITOR'S NOTE. In partial response to the query below, the first place to
>> check would be Alfred Appel's book _Nabokov's Dark Cinema_ (OUP). VN does
>> mention Chaplin in several places but I don't recall seeing the idea that
>> Humbert Humbert is modelled on him. Does anyone has more specific
>> answers?
>> ------------------------------------------
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: FCaso@aol.com
>>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> I am in the final stages of reviewing an article that has been submitted to a
>> journal for publication. I need to determine whether anyone has explicitly
>> explored the idea that Humbert Humbert was modeled on Charlie Chaplin.
>>
>> Does this ring any bells?
>>
>> -Keti
A computer disaster makes it difficult for me to find out whether or
not I have used this note in something I've written or thought about
writing on VN but its contents seem relevant to the reader who wants
the story on Chaplin and Lolita:
Lillita McMurray was born on April 15, 1908, was noticed by Chaplin
around 1915, used sparingly in _The Kid_ and in _The Idle Class_,
changed her name to Lita Grey around 1924, revealed her pregnancy on
the set of _The Gold Rush_, and married the 35-yer old Chaplin in
Mexico in November of 1924. (The shotgun for the marriage was provided
by the underaged bride's uncle who figured that a portion of Chaplin's
fortune could restore the McMurray family honor). Two children later,
in 1927, Lita filed for divorce from Chaplin, and the complaint
included, among others, charges that Chaplin preferred what Humbert
calls "a fancy embrace" over "manner that is usual between husband
and wife." Testimony revealed an even more hideous crime, Chaplin's
reading _Lady Chatterley's Lover" to his reluctant partner. In a
settlement, Chaplin paid $625,000 for "cruelty," and the other charges
were dropped.
Note on note: The marriage and the divorce were well covered both here and in
Europe. What pictures I've seen of (Lil)Lita did not lead me to posit
much of a connection between Lita and Dolores. The camera did not
seem to care for Mrs. Chaplin.
>
>EDITOR's NOTE. NABOKV-L is pleased to pass along Dmitri Nabokov's
>thoughts on the HH = CC proposal. And think of the field for scholarship
>opened by his counter proposal!
>________________________________________________________
>From: "Sandy P. Klein" <taxi@flinet.com>
>
>Dear Don,
>
>I sent the below to DN and he has asked I send the
>"Vladimir Nabokov Forum <NABOKV-L@UCSBVM.UCSB.EDU>"
>the following:
>
> DN says: Sure. And Pnin was modeled
> on Rudolph Valentino.
>
>- - - - - - - -
>Donald Barton Johnson wrote:
>>
>> EDITOR'S NOTE. In partial response to the query below, the first place to
>> check would be Alfred Appel's book _Nabokov's Dark Cinema_ (OUP). VN does
>> mention Chaplin in several places but I don't recall seeing the idea that
>> Humbert Humbert is modelled on him. Does anyone has more specific
>> answers?
>> ------------------------------------------
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: FCaso@aol.com
>>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> I am in the final stages of reviewing an article that has been submitted to a
>> journal for publication. I need to determine whether anyone has explicitly
>> explored the idea that Humbert Humbert was modeled on Charlie Chaplin.
>>
>> Does this ring any bells?
>>
>> -Keti