Charlie Chaplin - By The Sea (1915) - Filming Locations
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Historical Production & Location Reference
| Film: | By The Sea (1915) |
| Artist: | Charlie Chaplin |
| Studio: | Essanay Studios |
- Abbot Kinney Venice Pier: The original iconic amusement pier, captured before its destruction by fire in 1920.
- Palisades Park (Santa Monica): Vintage coastal parkland as it appeared in the early 20th century.
Production & Preservation Note: By The Sea serves as a vital time capsule, capturing the Southern California coast over a century ago. The contrast between the 1915 landscape and today's urban environment—particularly the evolution of the Venice coastline—is profound. These locations remain essential for understanding the transformation of the Los Angeles area from a nascent tourism destination into a global cultural hub.
The Plot
Step back in time to 1915 with By The Sea, a classic silent short starring Charlie Chaplin in his legendary "Little Tramp" persona, causing mayhem in the Los Angeles area beach communities of Santa Monica and Venice Beach.
Discover Venice Beach & Santa Monica History
As the oldest film covered on our site, this production offers an unparalleled look at the Southern California coastline over a century ago.
Where exactly was By the Sea filmed? Chaplin utilized two iconic California destinations:
Venice Beach, Los Angeles: See the original Abbot Kinney Venice amusement pier before it burned down in 1920 and was rebuilt in 1921. The rebuilt pier was used as a filming location in the 1933 Our Gang / The Little Rascals movie Fish Hooky.
Santa Monica, California: Explore the vintage Palisades Park as it appeared over 100 years ago. This same park was also used as a filming location in the opening scene of the 1932 Laurel and Hardy movie Pack Up Your Troubles.
Time travelling to these filming locations provides a fascinating then and now comparison of these world-famous tourist spots, highlighting how much the Los Angeles landscape has transformed since the early 1900s.
More Filming Locations From The Three Geniuses Of Silent Comedy Here!
Buster Keaton, along with Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd are widely considered to be The Three Geniuses of Silent Film Comedy, and there's more filming locations then and now videos and photo galleries from their movies on the site here:
The Three Geniuses of Silent Film Comedy - Filming Locations Then and Now Videos and Photo Galleries
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Charlie Chaplin - By The Sea - Filming Locations
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