SYD CHAPLIN

Syd Chaplin was an English actor from the 1910s to the 1920s. He was the half-brother of Hollywood legend Charlie Chaplin (he was four years older, and they shared the same mother). He was born "Sydney Hawkes", but he took his mother's name and shortened his first name to "Syd", no doubt to capitalize on his brother's fame. Darryl F. Zanuck (who worked for him in the 1920s) said that Syd Chaplin was the greatest ladies' man Hollywood has ever known, even better than Errol Flynn! He appeared in many of his brother's movies, but also many of his own, and he is probably best remembered for starring in the silent version of "Charley's Aunt". He did not adapt to sound movies, and he retired in 1928, and spent the rest of his life in France and Switzerland, passing away in 1965.