Charles Prince

Born in France in 1872, Charles Prince Seigneur had been a stage comedian for years when he made his first films at Charles Pathé's studio in 1909. He quickly became the one film comedian of the time who could compete with Max Linder in terms of popularity, known as Rigadin in France, Moritz in Germany, Whiffles in England, and Tartufini in Italy. However, whereas Linder remains a relatively well-known name among silent film enthusiasts, Prince appears to have been forgotten since his popularity faded after the first world war. Swedish film historian Rune Walderkrantz pointed out that Prince used less refined methods than Linder, being more of a clown in the traditional manner. Prince kept on performing until his death in 1933, however, appearing mostly in bit parts on film.