Charlie Chaplin’s Divorce Papers Reveal Shocking Treatment of Teenage Bride

Charlie Chaplin's divorce papers have recently come to light, uncovering the disturbing treatment he inflicted upon his teenage bride during their short-lived marriage.

The renowned film star married Lita Grey, who was nearly twenty years his junior, in 1924.

However, their union lasted a mere three years before ending in divorce.

According to the divorce papers, Chaplin seduced the impressionable sixteen-year-old by promising her marriage, only to try to convince her to have an abortion when she fell pregnant.

On their wedding night, he confided in friends that the marriage was preferable to prison.

The original copy of the fifty-page divorce papers, which has been found in America, is estimated to fetch around £15,000 when it goes up for auction.

It sheds light on the turbulent relationship between Chaplin, then thirty-five, and Lita, sixteen, at the time of their marriage.

In the papers, it is alleged that Chaplin engaged in s**ual relations with the “virtuous and inexperienced” Lita when she was barely sixteen, after promising to marry her.

Friends claim that on their wedding night, Chaplin even remarked to Lita that their marriage would not last long, stating that he would make her so miserable that she would no longer want to live with him.

Another shocking detail revealed in the divorce papers is that Chaplin deliberately delayed marrying Lita after discovering her pregnancy, hoping she would agree to have an abortion.

He also referred to his young wife as a “gold digger” who tried to ruin his career and stood in the way of his professional success.

Furthermore, the divorce papers contain an order preventing Chaplin from moving his assets before the settlement, ensuring they would not affect the court proceedings.

It is believed that only about sixteen copies of the divorce proceedings were made, with one sent to Chaplin himself and the others distributed to various film companies and banks involved in the case.

After nearly a century, these historic documents are now being sold by Parade Antiques in Plymouth for £15,000.

Lita's claims of “cruel and inhumane” treatment by Chaplin have left a lasting impact on his reputation.

John Cabello, owner of the antiques shop, remarked that people who were aware of the details considered Chaplin to be quite unpleasant.

The revelations brought forth in the divorce papers give readers a glimpse into the unstable relationship between Chaplin and Lita.

It is believed that the inclusion of such intimate details was an attempt by Lita's lawyers to tarnish Chaplin's reputation and secure a larger settlement.

Ultimately, in 1927, Lita and Chaplin divorced, with Lita receiving a settlement of $800,000, a remarkable sum at the time.

Despite the scandalous nature of their marriage and subsequent divorce, Chaplin went on to have a successful career in the film industry.