Description

The Pawnshop was Charlie Chaplin’s sixth film for Mutual Film. Released on October 2, 1916, it stars Chaplin in the role of assistant to the pawnshop owner, played by Henry Bergman. Edna Purviance plays the owner’s daughter, while Albert Austin appears as an alarm clock owner who watches Chaplin in dismay as he dismantles the clock; the massive Eric Campbell (actor)’s character attempts to rob the shop.
This was one of Chaplin’s more popular movies for Mutual, mainly for the slapstick comedy he was famous for at the time.

Primary cast

• Charles Chaplin: Pawnshop assistant
• Henry Bergman: Pawnbroker
• Edna Purviance: His daughter
• John Rand (actor): Pawnshop assistant
• Albert Austin: Client with clock
• Wesley Ruggles: Client with ring
• Eric Campbell (actor): Thief

Sound version

In 1932, Van Beuren Studios of Van Beuren Studios, purchased Chaplin’s Mutual comedies for $10,000 each, added music by Gene Rodemich and Winston Sharples and sound effects, and re-released them through RKO Radio Pictures. Chaplin had no legal recourse to stop the RKO release.