“The best autobiography ever written by an actor. An astonishing work.” —Chicago Tribune

Chaplin’s heartfelt and hilarious autobiography tells the story of his childhood, the challenge of identifying and perfecting his talent, his subsequent film career and worldwide celebrity. In this, one of the very first celebrity memoirs, Chaplin displays all the charms, peculiarities and deeply-held beliefs that made him such an endearing and lasting character.

Re-issued as part of Melville House’s Neversink Library, My Autobiography offers dedicated Chaplin fans and casual admirers alike an astonishing glimpse into the the heart and the mind of Hollywood’s original genius maverick.

Take this unforgettable journey with the man George Bernard Shaw called “the only genius to come out of the movie industry” as he moves from his impoverished South London childhood to the heights of Hollywood wealth and fame; from the McCarthy-era investigations to his founding of United Artists to his “reverse migration” back to Europe, My Autobiography is a reading experience not to be missed.

“For a star who made his fortune in the silent movies, Charlie Chaplin has a surprising way with words. His ’My Autobiography,’ published in 1964 and recently reissued, moves along at a quick clip, lit up throughout its many pages by bright anecdotes, easy humor, and a confident way with a good yarn.” –Biographile

“The best autobiography ever written by an actor. An astonishing work.” —Chicago Tribune

“A moving picture of the hero himself. A truly fascinating book.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“The most original, virile book about the theater in a long, long time.”
—Atlantic Monthly

“It holds the reader entranced. Every page can be read with pleasure.” —The Times (London)

“The crucial artist of the twentieth century.” —The New Yorker

“Among the greatest geniuses of film.” —Roger Ebert

“Few men in this century in any field attained his stature with the public.” —The New York Times

“Chaplin was not just ‘big,’ he was gigantic. In 1915, he burst onto a war-torn world bringing it the gift of comedy, laughter and relief while it was tearing itself apart through World War I. Over the next 25 years, through the Great Depression and the rise of Adolf Hitler, he stayed on the job. . . It is doubtful any individual has ever given more entertainment, pleasure and relief to so many human beings when they needed it the most.” —Martin Sieff

“For me, comedy begins with Charlie Chaplin. I know there were screen comedies before he came along . . . But none of them created a persona as unique or indelible as the Little Tramp, and no one could match his worldwide impact.” —Leonard Maltin