Biography

Darryl F. Zanuck, who worked for Syd Chaplin for a couple of years in the 1920s, referred to him as "the greatest ladies' man in Hollywood history -- better even than Errol Flynn."

British film comedian, half-brother of Charles Chaplin.

Son of Hannah Chaplin. Sydney's biological father may have been a bookmaker named Sydney Hawkes, Sr., but there is no record of Hannah's marriage to a Mr. Hawkes. There is a mystery as who was Sydney's father.

Worked as a steward on a ship while a teenager, financially supporting both his mother and brother. Member of Fred Karno's music hall troupe from 1906. He introduced Charles to Karno two years later. In 1914, Sydney followed Charles to Hollywood and secured a contract with Mack Sennett. He acted for some time as Charles's manager and appeared as straight man in his films. Later, Sydney struck out on his own and was given starring roles. His best film is regarded to be the silent version of Charley's Aunt (1925). Syd made his last films in Britain, but did not take to sound pictures and left the business in the early thirties, spending the rest of his life in happy retirement between Nice in France, and Montreux in Switzerland.

He was the uncle of Charles Chaplin Jr., Sydney Chaplin, Geraldine Chaplin, Michael Chaplin, Josephine Chaplin, Victoria Chaplin, Eugene Chaplin, Jane Chaplin, Annette Chaplin, Christopher Chaplin and Spencer Dryden.