The Charlie Chaplin and Lita Grey Divorce

On August 27, 1927, Charlie Chaplin and Lita Grey divorced in Los Angeles at a settlement of $825,000. Chaplin is now deceased. He died in his sleep on Christmas Day in 1977 in Switzerland at 88 years old. Grey is also deceased. She died of cancer in 1995 in Los Angeles at the age of 87. At the time of their deaths, Chaplin was married to Oona O'Neill while Grey was married to Pat Long. 


According to divorce records, Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr, KBE was an English actor and comedian. He was known throughout the world for being an excellent mime and musician. He was widely talented and did a lot of influential works for Hollywood which include directing, producing, writing and scoring films. Many comedy actors during the era up to the present followed in his footsteps as he continued to star in films like The Tramp and The Kid among several others. He was named as one of the greatest entertainers who ever walked the earth.

Lita Grey was an actress who initially starred in The Kid with Chaplin. They first met on the set and got romantically involved resulting to Grey being pregnant and losing her role in the film The Gold Rush. The couple married in 1924. Grey was only 16 years old while Chaplin was 36 in marriage divorce records.

Data about Charlie Chaplin and Lita Grey from Divorce Records

After three years, Charlie Chaplin and Lita Grey decided to divorce. There were several controversies surrounding the issue despite the hefty $825,000 settlement that Grey asked for on top of over a million dollars worth of legal fees. Allegedly, Chaplin was having several extramarital affairs at a time and was caught on more than one occasion by his wife. His cheating habits have been rampant even before they got married which has been the cause of many of their arguments.

Chaplin retaliated by stating that Grey has been pulling money off of him ever since they got married. She would spend several thousands of his dollars throwing parties and buying extravagant things for herself. Behind his constantly smiling mask, the comedian was a very emotional person. He said that Grey always told him that she did not love him even though she married him.

His wife was difficult to manage in the house and at work where he was directing and producing. Chaplin estimates that he may have spoiled her too much but Grey answered back by saying the Chaplin was never in the house for too long a time since he was always with another woman according to divorce records search. The end result was Chaplin offered Grey a divorce petition which she immediately signed.

Divorce Records Aftermath

Chaplin and Grey never reconciled after the very publicized and scandalous divorce. The court granted them joint custody over their two children and provided Grey with the settlement she asked for which at the time was considered record-breaking. In public divorce records, Lita Grey married a total of four times while Chaplin continued enjoying the single life and was linked to dozens of women, remarried and divorced again a few times before settling down with O'Neill in 1943. He was knighted just a few years before his death.

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