Charlie Chaplin, real name Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889 – 1977) was a British actor, director, screenwriter and composer. He was one of the world's most famous filmmakers of the 20th century. He was the main creator of his tragicomic films, which he mostly created himself from the themes to the script, direction, and sometimes also composed the music for them. Above all, however, he acted in them in leading roles, and in the silent film period as a tramp with a cane and bowler hat.