11. Charlie Chaplin
There are few figures in the early days of cinema who would make quite an impact as Charlie Chaplin. Rising to prominence through his screen persona, the Tramp, Chaplin quickly became a worldwide phenomenon and one of the earliest true icons of cinema. With that early success, he would use his newfound influence and power to co-found (along with D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks) the distribution company United Artists, which gave him complete control over his films.
Given the opportunity to write, star in, produce, direct and even edit his own films, his level of passion and commitment to the craft would see him become one of Hollywood’s first cinematic auteur’s. Ever the perfectionist, he would continue to make classics that showed just how unique and untouchable a talent he was. He was accused of being a communist and was banned from the United States in 1952. However, he would return to accept an honorary award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1972 for his contributions to cinema where he would receive a 12-minute standing ovation, the longest in the Academy’s history.
