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I had the pleasure of spending an Evening with Al Hirschfeld at the Academy theater last Thursday. It was the kickoff event for a show of his work, Hirschfeld's Hollywood, on display until Jan. 20 (AMPAS, 8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills). Included are a beautiful charcoal drawing of Jackie Coogan from The Kid, a 1924 Pathe reissue window card for Sunnyside (billed as one of his first caricature drawings), and a Dictator pressbook along with Hirschfeld's diary from Bali talking about Chaplin's 1932 visit.
At 98, Hirschfeld is still sharp and it's easy to see him as arguably the most talented artist at distilling the essence and character of his subjects of the 20th century.
Especially telling, I think, specifically for those who load so much meaning into every word of Chaplin's casual utterances, is Hirschfeld's description of Chaplin from a 1942 visit: 'I watched this man who dared to be simple, as fascinated and amused as the first time I saw him in the movies. He talked and thought pictorially, knowing every second how he looked and not caring what he said.'
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