Limelight
The masterpiece of laughter and tears from the master of comedy!
1952 | 137m | English
Popularity: 3 (history)
| Director: | Charlie Chaplin |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Charlie Chaplin |
| Staring: |
| A fading music hall comedian tries to help a despondent ballet dancer learn to walk and to again feel confident about life. | |
| Release Date: | Oct 16, 1952 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Charlie Chaplin |
| Writer: | Charlie Chaplin |
| Genres: | Drama, Romance, Music |
| Keywords | clown, ballet dancer, black and white |
| Production Companies | United Artists, Celebrated Productions |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $1,000,000
Budget: $900,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Jul 30, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Charlie Chaplin | Calvero |
| Claire Bloom | Thereza 'Terry' Ambrose |
| Nigel Bruce | Postant |
| Buster Keaton | Calvero's Partner |
| Sydney Chaplin | Neville |
| Norman Lloyd | Bodalink |
| Andre Eglevsky | Dancer - Harlequin |
| Melissa Hayden | Dancer - Columbine |
| Marjorie Bennett | Mrs. Sybil Alsop |
| Wheeler Dryden | Thereza's Doctor |
| Barry Bernard | John Redfern |
| Stapleton Kent | Claudius |
| Molly Glessing | Maid |
| Leonard Mudie | Dr. Blake - Calvero's Doctor |
| Loyal Underwood | Street Musician |
| Harry 'Snub' Pollard | Street Musician |
| Julian Ludwig | Street Musician |
| Billy Lee Aimone | Little Boy (uncredited) |
| John Alban | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Benjie Bancroft | Music Hall Patron (uncredited) |
| John Barton | Music Hall Patron (uncredited) |
| Ray Beltram | Actor Backstage (uncredited) |
| Paul Bradley | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| James Carlisle | Music Hall Patron (uncredited) |
| Charles Chaplin, Jr. | Clown (uncredited) |
| Geraldine Chaplin | Little Girl on Steps (uncredited) |
| Josephine Chaplin | Child on Steps (uncredited) |
| Michael Chaplin | Child on Steps (uncredited) |
| Oona O'Neill Chaplin | Extra (uncredited) |
| Bud Cokes | Music Hall Patron (uncredited) |
| Harry Crocker | Music Hall Patron (uncredited) |
| Oliver Cross | Music Hall Patron (uncredited) |
| Billy Curtis | Midget in Agent's Office (uncredited) |
| Jack Deery | Emissary - Dress Circle (uncredited) |
| Cyril Delevanti | Griffin - Clown Outside Stage Door (uncredited) |
| Tim Durant | Music Hall Patron (uncredited) |
| Tom Ferrandini | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Dorothy Ford | Patrician Lady in Dress Circle (uncredited) |
| Curt Furberg | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Rudy Germane | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Marion Gray | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Frank Hagney | Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited) |
| Charlie Hall | Newsboy (uncredited) |
| Stuart Hall | Reception Guest (uncredited) |
| Sam Harris | Socialite (uncredited) |
| Stuart Holmes | Dinner Guest (uncredited) |
| Jimmie Horan | Restaurant Patron (uncredited) |
| Kenner G. Kemp | Pub Extra (uncredited) |
| Colin Kenny | Music Hall Performer (uncredited) |
| Judy Landon | Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited) |
| Perk Lazelle | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Billy Lee | Little Boy (uncredited) |
| Maurice Marks | Stagehand (uncredited) |
| Harold Miller | Dinner Guest (uncredited) |
| Frank Mills | Man in Music Hall Audience (uncredited) |
| Sherry Moreland | Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited) |
| George Nardelli | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Milicent Patrick | Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited) |
| Jack Perry | Stagehand (uncredited) |
| José Portugal | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Edna Purviance | Mrs. Parker (uncredited) |
| Paul Ravel | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Charley Rogers | Man in Saloon (uncredited) |
| Victor Romito | Empire Theatre Patron (uncredited) |
| Elizabeth Root | Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited) |
| Cap Somers | Music Hall Patron (uncredited) |
| Gus Taillon | Derelict (uncredited) |
| Valerie Vernon | Extra in Dress Circle (uncredited) |
| Eric Wilton | Major Domo at Dinner (uncredited) |
| Florence Wix | Reception Guest (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Frank Testera | Gaffer |
| Riley Thorne | Wardrobe Designer |
| Dorothea Holt | Production Illustrator |
| Roland Totheroh | Camera Supervisor |
| Wallace Chewning | Camera Operator |
| Elmer Ellsworth | Wardrobe Supervisor |
| Ray Rasch | Music Arranger |
| Russell Garcia | Music Arranger, Orchestrator |
| Melissa Hayden | Choreographer |
| Joe Inge | Editor |
| Ted Larsen | Makeup Artist |
| Florence Avery | Hairstylist |
| Jack Verne | Assistant Director |
| Harold E. McGhan | Sound Editor |
| Dick Johnson | First Assistant Camera |
| W. Eugene Smith | Still Photographer |
| Ted Tetrick | Tailor |
| Keith Williams | Conductor |
| Jerome Epstein | Production Assistant |
| Hal Court | Stand In |
| Maurice Marks | Stand In |
| Edward Phillips | Assistant Editor |
| Lonnie D'Orsa | Production Manager |
| Hugh McDowell Jr. | Sound |
| Monroe P. Askins | Second Assistant Camera |
| George Hommel | Still Photographer |
| Drew Tetrick | Wardrobe Supervisor |
| Larry Russell | Music Arranger |
| Alfred Lewin | Production Accountant |
| Kathleen Pryor | Production Secretary |
| Lisl Valetti | Stand In |
| Karl Struss | Director of Photography |
| Eugène Lourié | Art Direction |
| Robert Aldrich | Assistant Director |
| Wheeler Dryden | Production Assistant |
| Andre Eglevsky | Choreographer |
| Oona O'Neill Chaplin | Stand In |
| Harry Crocker | Unit Publicist |
| Charlie Chaplin | Original Music Composer, Choreographer, Director, Screenplay, Original Story |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Charlie Chaplin | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 16 | 26 | 11 |
| 2024 | 5 | 20 | 32 | 12 |
| 2024 | 6 | 16 | 30 | 10 |
| 2024 | 7 | 16 | 32 | 9 |
| 2024 | 8 | 15 | 28 | 9 |
| 2024 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 9 |
| 2024 | 10 | 13 | 18 | 9 |
| 2024 | 11 | 18 | 57 | 8 |
| 2024 | 12 | 14 | 39 | 8 |
| 2025 | 1 | 13 | 28 | 8 |
| 2025 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 182 | 619 |
barrymost
10.0
Chaplin's masterpiece about the bittersweet romance between an aging, washed-up comedienne and the suicidal ballet dancer he rescues and takes under his wing is one of the greatest dramas I have ever seen. It's a marvelous turn by Chaplin, who also directed, wrote the story and composed the score. ... Claire Bloom is simply wonderful as Chaplin's despondent lover. Also notable is the singular teaming of the two Silent Era greats, Chaplin and Buster Keaton, who appears late in the film. The striking backstage story just gets better and better as it goes on, and every moment of the film is utterly worth it. When it comes to its heartbreaking crescendo of love, comedy, drama and one last give-it-your-all chance to shine in the spotlight, only the dourest of viewers could fail to shed a tear.
Jun 23, 2021