Edna & The Louse (Conclusion)
In the Last Episode: The other shoe dropped that evening when Edna showed up at my office wearing a very sad face. Her news was she'd decided to go back to The Louse, so it would have to strictly business between us from then on. It seemed strange she felt that way when Chaplin chased skirts no matter who he was "seeing."
Everybody at Warner Brothers Pictures, my current employer, was walking around with their fingers crossed. So far, our Vitaphone talkie, The Jazz Singer was doing a land office business, but the studio risked everything to produce the film, so it had to keep going as a top box office draw a little longer just to break even.
Trying to take my mind off of the pins and needles I was on, I spent the afternoon catching up on the motion picture industry news as reported in a half-dozen trade journals I'd been neglecting while working as a second unit director on The Jazz Singer. That's where I ran across Edna's name in an article about the release of a French film in which she played a role. The main subject of the article, however, was her announced retirement from acting.
Prior to making the French film, Edna was still working for The Louse. Counting the films she made at Essanay, and then at Mutual and First National, Edna appeared in 33 films with Chaplin between 1915 and 1917. One of those was Chaplin's biggest hit to date, The Kid.
Interestingly, Chaplin had married twice since 1915. Since both of his wives were actresses, but neither was named Edna, I had to wonder if she went back to Chaplin in 1915 because she loved him or because he told her she had to play the game his way if she wanted to keep making films as his leading lady, or both. Remembering her face when she came into my office that afternoon in April of 1915—and yes, I remember her face and that final meeting very well—I suspected The Louse expected a lot more than acting from her in exchange for her paychecks.
The article about her retirement mentioned Edna had not married. For a moment I thought about tracking her down and sending a note. When I thought about it further, though, I decided to let sleeping dogs lie. Edna Purviance made a choice twelve years ago and she was living with the consequences. I hoped she was happy with her decision.
As for The Louse, I hoped his comeuppance would catch up with him someday, but it seemed unlikely. According to Variety Charles Spencer Chaplin was thought to be the richest man in the world. Still, money isn't everything.
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, locations, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Story and design © Steve Eitzen
Header Graphic & HPO Logo © HPO Productions
Edna Purviance image modified from photographs in the public domain
WB Sunset Studio image © Water & Power Associates