Limelight (Charlie Chaplin, USA, 1952): Starring Marjorie Bennett (1896–1982), b. York, WA

Marjorie Bennett commenced her career in Hollywood, like so many actors of her generation, as a silent film star.

Touted as a potential Oscar nominee for her role as Chaplin’s landlady in Limelight, her hopes were dashed when pressure from the American Legion affected the film’s opening during the McCarthy era. Chaplin’s alleged Communist connections meant that Limelight did not screen in Los Angeles for another 20 years.

Written, produced, directed by, and starring Chaplin, it’s not surprising that his name and image dominate the poster, even if the design tells us little about the film itself. This was Bennett’s second collaboration with Chaplin, after Monsieur Verdoux (1947).

Notes by Michelle Davenport