Charles Chaplin

In terms of fame, popularity and legacy to cinema, Chaplin could easily claim to be Britain's greatest screen actor. Born to music hall producers, he was already on stage at 5 years old. While touring the US in 1912, Mack Sennett, the head of Keystone Studios signed him up. After a missable screen debut, Chaplin began work on the internationally loved talisman of the disenfranchised and downtrodden  The Little Tramp. Having made 35 films for Keystone (writing and directing over half), he eventually joined Mutual, where he earned $10,000 a week  the equivalent in todays money of over $2 million. Chaplin wasn't sidetracked by material rewards - it was here that he created films like The Immigrant and Easy Street, which are recognised as some of the greatest comedies ever. With Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and D.W. Griffith, he founded United Artists, the first modern production and distribution company. In 1925, he made what is generally considered his greatest film, The Gold Rush, and then the timely The Great Dictator in 1936. His career dipped post-war, abetted by personal problems and a paternity suit, but his best 'talkie', Limelight, won an Oscar for best picture.