Page "Charlie Chaplin" Paragraph 13

Karno selected his new star to join a fraction of the company that toured North America's vaudeville circuit ; he also signed Chaplin to a new contract, which doubled his pay.

The young comedian headed the show and impressed American reviewers, being described as " one of the best pantomime artists ever seen here.

" The tour lasted 21 months, and the troupe — which also included Stan Laurel of later Laurel and Hardy fame — returned to England in June 1912.

Chaplin recalled: " I had a disquieting feeling of sinking back into a depressing commonplaceness ", and was therefore " elated " when a new tour began in October.