Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, a British comic actor and filmmaker who rose to fame in the silent era. Chaplin became a worldwide icon through his screen persona "the Tramp" and is considered one of the most important figures of the film industry. His career spanned more than 75 years, from a child in the Victorian era to close to his death at the age of 88, and encompassed both adulation and controversy. Raised in London, Chaplin's childhood was fraught with poverty and hardship. His father was absent, and his mother was committed to a mental asylum. Chaplin was sent to a workhouse twice before the age of nine. The council housed him at the Central London District School for paupers existence. Chaplin began performing from a young age, touring music halls and later working as a stage actor and comedian. At 19 he was scouted by American film industry, and made his first appearances in 1914 with Keystone Studios. He soon developed the Tramp persona and formed a large fan base. Chaplin directed his films from an early stage, and continued to hone his craft as he moved to the First National corporations. However, the 1940s was a decade marked with controversy for Chaplin, and his popularity declined rapidly. He was accused of communist sympathies, while his involvement in a paternity suit and marriages to much younger women were considered scandalous. An FBI investigation was opened on Chaplin, and he was eventually forced to leave the United States and settle in Switzerland. Chaplin wrote, directed, produced, edited, scored, and starred in most of his films. His films are characterized by slapstick combined with pathos, and often feature the Tramp struggling against adversity. Many contain social and political themes, as well as autobiographical elements. In 1972, as part of a renewed appreciation for his work, Chaplin received an Honorary Academy Award for "the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century."