#667) Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914)
OR “Chaplin, Start Your Engines!”
Directed by Henry Lehrman
Written by Lehrman and Charles Chaplin
Class of 2020
The Plot: It’s race day at a junior soapbox car derby in Venice, Los Angeles. A director and cameraman (Henry Lehrman and Frank D. Williams – the film’s actual director and cameraman) are there to capture all the excitement. Well…at least they would be if it weren’t for a little tramp (Charlie Chaplin) that keeps walking in front of the camera and hogging the attention. That’s about it plot-wise, as the Tramp does his comic schtick in front of an increasingly frustrated director as the cars race by in the background. But in these brief moments of silliness we are witnessing the first film ever released to star Chaplin’s famous Tramp character.
Why It Matters: The NFR calls the film a “milestone in film history” and quotes a contemporary review in The Cinema which called this new guy Chaplin “a born screen comedian”.
But Does It Really?: The only thing surprising about “Kid Auto Races” being added to the NFR is that it didn’t make the cut until 2020. This one is a no-brainer: It’s Chaplin’s debut as the Tramp, and while nowhere near as funny or iconic as Chaplin’s later fare, it’s still the first, and that’s good enough for NFR induction.
Everybody Gets One: Henry Lehrman started off as an actor at Biograph Studios, where he met another young actor named Mack Sennett. When Sennett left Biograph to form Keystone Studios, Lehrman jumped ship as well, and started directing as well as acting. As evident from “Kid Auto Races”, Lehrman had zero regard for actors or their safety, earning him the nickname “Mr. Suicide” in the industry.
Wow, That’s Dated: I was gonna say soap box derbies, but research has proven me wrong. Turns out soap box derbies are still a thing, with the official one that started in 1934 still going strong, only skipping 2020 due to COVID. I can only assume that modern soapbox racing is far safer than the one depicted in “Kid Auto”, and probably with less actual soapboxes.
Other notes
- Before we go any further, an oversimplified biography of Charlie Chaplin and the origins of the Tramp. Born in England and growing up with an absentee father and institutionalized mother, Charles Spencer Chaplin started performing in his teen years, first as a singer and dancer, quickly pivoting to more comedic roles in burlesque and vaudeville. Finding success quickly, Chaplin signed with Fred Karno (the same music hall impresario who discovered Stan Laurel), and Chaplin found himself on a North American tour with Karno’s company. While in Los Angeles, Chaplin attracted the attention of Keystone Studios, who signed the young actor to appear in their comedy shorts. While preparing for his second Keystone short, “Mabel’s Strange Predicament”, Chaplin grabbed what he described as “contradictory” clothing (loose pants and a tight coat, etc.) and invented the character of the Tramp on the spot, proving an instant success with Mack Sennett. Chaplin reprised the role in his next assignment, “Kid Auto Races at Venice”, which was filmed a few days later, but released two days before “Mabel’s”, making “Kid Auto Races” the Tramp’s official introduction to the viewing public.
- “Kid Auto Races” was filmed on January 11th, 1914 at an actual soap box derby race, the junior version of the Vanderbilt Cup being held that year in nearby Santa Monica. Allegedly the entire thing was shot in 45 minutes, with Chaplin and Lehrman improvising as they went along in a bit of guerilla filmmaking. I suspect everyone that isn’t Chaplin, Lehrman, or cameraman Frank D. Williams is an actual spectator, as noted by people constantly looking into the camera, as well as two women who are hiding their faces, presumably so as not to be seen on camera. Your loss, ladies.
- Yeah, I don’t have a lot to say about the actual film, other than it did make me laugh a few times (Chaplin’s timing is already in fine form as he coordinates a few bits of business with the passing racers). I don’t think anyone could have guessed that the Tramp, depicted here as an annoying vagrant, would go on to star in some of the greatest movies ever made.
Legacy
- Unfortunately the most well-known thing about Henry Lehrman after “Kid Auto Races” is a personal tragedy. In the early 1920s, Lehrman was engaged to Virginia Rappe, the actress whose death in 1921 led to the heavily publicized trial and career downfall of Roscoe Arbuckle, who was accused of raping and murdering Rappe. Lehrman continued directing throughout the 1920s, but never successfully adapted to directing talkies, and his career quickly dried up.
- But of course, this film’s legacy is and will always be the Tramp. For the next five years, Chaplin would rarely play anyone but the Tramp in his short films, fleshing the character out as the little guy who stands up to antagonistic authority figures, and making him an internationally acclaimed movie star. Starting with “The Kid” in 1921, Chaplin would play the Tramp (or a version of him) in seven features, retiring the character for good in 1940’s “The Great Dictator“. And now you know the rest of the story!
Bonus Clip: The origins of the Tramp, and the filming of “Mabel’s Strange Predicament” were recreated for Richard Attenborough’s “Chaplin” with Robert Downey Jr.
The Horse's Head 