The Charlie Chaplin of international repute died in 1977 at 88 years old, having dominated the film industry for the better part of his life.
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| Richard Patrick Bennett (right), better known as Charlie Chaplin, acknowledges Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller at the National Honours and Awards Ceremony at King's House yesterday |
There is another Charlie Chaplin, born Richard Bennet, who has made his mark. Not the same kind of mark, mind you, but one for which the Jamaican Government found important enough to honour him with the Order of Distinction (Officer rank).
While the honour is undoubtedly well earned, there are many, especially of a younger generation, who do not know who Charlie Chaplin is.
Bennet's career began 33 years ago when he began working with U-Roy's Stur-Gav Hi-Fi Collective. Interestingly, his popularity climbed inJamaica because he avoided the classic dancehall route of glorifying the more debauched elements of the environment.
His cultural bent made him an enigma, and by the time he released his first album, Presenting Charlie Chaplin, in 1982, he was already a household name. read more
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