Best known by his nickname "Charlie Chaplin" (16 April 1889 - 25 December 1977), was an English comedian, director, composer and screenwriter who rose to fame in the era of silent films. Chaplin became an icon all over the world through his famous "tramp, tramp", and is considered one of the most prominent figures in the history of the film industry. His career spanned more than 75 years, from his early Victorian childhood until a year before his death, involving adulation and controversy.