Geraldine Chaplin to talk about Charlie at CIFF event

THE CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL calls it a once in a lifetime event Oct. 15 when actress Geraldine Chaplin — the daughter of Charlie Chaplin, who started his illustrious film career in Chicago in 1915, and Oona O’Neil, daughter of writer Eugene O’Neil during the Oct. 13-27 festival.

For “A Night with the Chaplins,” Geraldine Chaplin will appear onstage at the original Essanay Studios, on the exact soundstage where the Little Tramp shotHis New Job,” his first and only film in Chicago.

She will have a wide-ranging conversation on his life, work and family with festival founder Michael Kutza.

Charlie Chaplin worked in Chicago for George Spoor and MaxBronco BillyAnderson of Essanay at their Uptown studio built in 1907 at 1345 W. Argyle. Limited tickets, $75, available at chicagofilmfestival.com or call the hotline, 312/332-3456.

A CHANGE IN TRISECT’S CONAGRA ACCOUNT recently caused a staff reduction of 25%, according to an agency spokesman, which meant that between 20 and 30 staffers were let go.

The spokesman wrote: “The action while difficult was a proactive step to ensure the agency is well aligned with rapidly shifting client needs and their demand for leaner more nimble partners … and is more centered on its core growth of digital marketing, social media and cross-channel content production.”

DOWNTON ABBEY’SRobert Bathurst, who portrayed Sir Anthony Strallan (Lady Edith’s last hope for a husband), will be in Chicago playing the title role in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Nov. 5-Jan. 15 production of “King Charles III,” about a future king and not one of Shakespeare’s English monarchs.

The hit British play by Mike Bartlett imagines the reign of Charles, current Prince of Wales, with wife Camilla at his side, who has succeeded his mother, Queen Elizabeth, as sons William and Harry and William’s wife Kate anxiously look on.

AT CHICPUG’S SEPT. 28 MEETING, Gary Adcock will summarize the recent International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam; Anders Utterstrom shows how to use Apple Motion for complex animations in very little time and Dan Montgomery of Imagine Products will share what’s new with ShotPut Pro 6 and its use for media and DIT needs.

At Future Media Concepts, 200 S. Michigan, 6:15-9 p.m. Free but attendees must register here.

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