--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What guided Chaplin was the proper…" description: "\"What guided Chaplin was the proper protection of self-interest (or craziness). So Chapling, Douglas Fairbanks, and Mark Pickford, with DW Griffith and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/edward-jay-epstein-28064_alliances_what-guided-chaplin-was-the-proper-prote_558796.jpg" --- # What guided Chaplin was the proper protection of… ![“What guided Chaplin was the proper protection of self-interest (or craziness). So Chapling, Douglas Fairbanks, and Mark Pickford, with DW Griffith and William S Hart, made an alliance, called United Artists, whereby they would own a distribution company that would market their pictures, allowing…” quote by Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/edward-jay-epstein-28064_alliances_what-guided-chaplin-was-the-proper-prote_558796.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/edward-jay-epstein-28064_alliances_what-guided-chaplin-was-the-proper-prote_558796.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65c/edward-jay-epstein-28064_alliances_what-guided-chaplin-was-the-proper-prote_558796.jpg) > “What guided Chaplin was the proper protection of self-interest (or craziness). So Chapling, Douglas Fairbanks, and Mark Pickford, with DW Griffith and William S Hart, made an alliance, called United Artists, whereby they would own a distribution company that would market their pictures, allowing them a greater return than if they leased the movies to some outside distributor.” [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Chaplin and peers formed United Artists to control distribution and secure better profits, protecting their creative and financial interests. **In simple terms:** They created their own company to keep more earnings and control. Key Takeaway Own your work to protect your interests. Themes entrepreneurship creative control collaboration Mood determined pragmatic Type historical business. When to use this quote - independent filmmaking - negotiating contracts - building partnerships - protecting intellectual property Key Concepts business strategy artist rights film history Questions to Reflect On - How does ownership affect artistic risk? - What are the trade‑offs of self‑distribution? A Different Perspective May limit creative freedom due to business pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alliances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alliances/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Craziness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craziness/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) ## Related quotes > [In my day, the only people who achieved real independence were my father, Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin, who, with D. W. Griffith, formed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-fairbanks-jr/in-my-day-the-only-people-who-achieved-real-independence-were-my/) [Douglas Fairbanks, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-fairbanks-jr/) > [“There’s a Douglas Fairbanks picture at the Strand. A swashbuckler. You love those.” Evie closed one eye. “You’re telling me not to lose hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/there-s-a-douglas-fairbanks-picture-at-the-strand-a-swashbuckler-you/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [Naturally, I was thrilled but being the first year, the Academy Awards had no background or tradition, and it naturally didn’t mean what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-gaynor/naturally-i-was-thrilled-but-being-the-first-year-the-academy-awards/) Janet Gaynor > [In my grammar school years back in the 1920s I used my ten-cents-a-week allowance for Saturday matinees of Douglas Fairbanks movies. All that swashbuckling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/in-my-grammar-school-years-back-in-the-1920s-i-used-my-ten-cents-a/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I watched a lot of Douglas Fairbanks movies. He always played the same role with a mustache. Zorro had a mustache. The Musketeer had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dujardin/i-watched-a-lot-of-douglas-fairbanks-movies-he-always-played-the-same/) [Jean Dujardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dujardin/) > [United Artists wanted to do records with me. I had no idea, what a rare thing that was... to make an album. And they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-astin/united-artists-wanted-to-do-records-with-me-i-had-no-idea-what-a-rare/) [John Astin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-astin/) > [No, United Artists was a very extraordinary organization, because once they had agreed on the director, they believed in letting him have his way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-schlesinger/no-united-artists-was-a-very-extraordinary-organization-because-once/) [John Schlesinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-schlesinger/) > [Being on United Artists was almost as bad as not being on any label at all. They were the crappiest in the business. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/being-on-united-artists-was-almost-as-bad-as-not-being-on-any-label/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Because when the film was first mooted, the Beatles didn't like the idea at all. In fact they wouldn't have any part in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-martin/because-when-the-film-was-first-mooted-the-beatles-didn-t-like-the/) [George Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-martin/) > [Still, the film nearly didn't happen a number of times. There were great arguments with United Artists about how to reduce the cost because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-schlesinger/still-the-film-nearly-didn-t-happen-a-number-of-times-there-were/) [John Schlesinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-schlesinger/) > [“On Friday evening Martin and Mona went to the United Artists Theatre to see a film already being mentioned for the Academy award. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-boucher/on-friday-evening-martin-and-mona-went-to-the-united-artists-theatre/) [Anthony Boucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-boucher/) > [In 1972 Charlie Chaplin was allowed back to America to receive an honorary Oscar, 'for the incalculable he had on making motion pictures the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/in-1972-charlie-chaplin-was-allowed-back-to-america-to-receive-an/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [Luck is an equal opportunity distributor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/luck-is-an-equal-opportunity-distributor/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“Contributors and distributors tend to do better at personal branding than takers and fakers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/contributors-and-distributors-tend-to-do-better-at-personal-branding/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) > [As I've indicated, most books go out of print within one year. The same is true of music and film. Commercial culture is sharklike.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/as-i-ve-indicated-most-books-go-out-of-print-within-one-year-the-same/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) ## More by Edward Jay Epstein > [The discrepancy between what actually happened and the version of what happened provided by sources is an enormous gray area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/the-discrepancy-between-what-actually-happened-and-the-version-of/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [We have a thriving subculture of 'independent' American movies that makes an impact on America as a whole roughly equivalent to that of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/we-have-a-thriving-subculture-of-independent-american-movies-that/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [Who can now deny the loss of natural light, of skin tones, of real place, and common but precious things in our movies, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/who-can-now-deny-the-loss-of-natural-light-of-skin-tones-of-real/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [“Snowden’s penetration went beyond whistle-blowing, however. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/in-the-first-week-of-the-showings-of-the-the-matrix-revolutions-the/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [“Unless one is willing to believe that the Putin regime acted out of purely altruistic motives in exfiltrating this American intelligence worker to Moscow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/unless-one-is-willing-to-believe-that-the-putin-regime-acted-out-of/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [“Greenwald told the Associated Press that the documents that Snowden had taken from the NSA constituted “the instruction manual for how the NSA is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/greenwald-told-the-associated-press-that-the-documents-that-snowden/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [I regret the way that America has elected to make films for its bluntest section of society and in ways that flatter them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/i-regret-the-way-that-america-has-elected-to-make-films-for-its/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [“He further disclosed that before leaving the NSA, he had gained access to the lists of computers that the NSA had penetrated in foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/he-further-disclosed-that-before-leaving-the-nsa-he-had-gained-access/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [“would strain credibility that such privileges would be awarded to an intelligence defector who had refused to cooperate with Russian authorities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/would-strain-credibility-that-such-privileges-would-be-awarded-to-an/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [Louis B. Mayer is one of those with a claim to posessing the equation... he began to buy up nickelodeon arcades in the years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/louis-b-mayer-is-one-of-those-with-a-claim-to-posessing-the-equation/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [The Deer Hunter is securely on my list of American movie events, by which I mean those films that aspired to the whole equation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/the-deer-hunter-is-securely-on-my-list-of-american-movie-events-by/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [Bonnie and Clyde became not just a big hit, but a movie that went through young audiences like a first slug of Scotch. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/bonnie-and-clyde-became-not-just-a-big-hit-but-a-movie-that-went/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [I dislike The Exorcist, and I found it a warning sign of the dangers in a furious cinematic talent putting the audience through it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/i-dislike-the-exorcist-and-i-found-it-a-warning-sign-of-the-dangers/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) [Explore all 20 Edward Jay Epstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) ## More Alliances quotes > [ \[U\]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together-and-on-alliances-of-self/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [Men since the beginning of time have sought peace...military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn have failed, leaving the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/men-since-the-beginning-of-time-have-sought-peace-military-alliances/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [The U.S. always needs an enemy. It comes and goes. Today it is Islam. According to this plan or ideology of the born-again Christians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walid-jumblatt/the-u-s-always-needs-an-enemy-it-comes-and-goes-today-it-is-islam/) [Walid Jumblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walid-jumblatt/) > [I would be quite happy to see the Northern Alliance steam across northern Afghanistan and take Kabul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-hoon/i-would-be-quite-happy-to-see-the-northern-alliance-steam-across/) [Geoff Hoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-hoon/) > [We are very wrong to think that some fault or other can exclude virtue, or to consider the alliance of good and evil as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/we-are-very-wrong-to-think-that-some-fault-or-other-can-exclude/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Love and friendship, two of life's abiding rewards, are endangered species in Hollywood. People crave both, mistaking alliance for friendship, lust for love, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/love-and-friendship-two-of-life-s-abiding-rewards-are-endangered/) [Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/) > [...to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/to-befoul-the-unholy-alliance-between-corrupt-business-and-corrupt/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I prayed for the first time in a very long time today. I explained to God that unless he wanted the Marxist-Islamic alliance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-behring-breivik/i-prayed-for-the-first-time-in-a-very-long-time-today-i-explained-to/) Anders Behring Breivik > [You cannot lead an alliance if you say you're going alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-cannot-lead-an-alliance-if-you-say-you-re-going-alone/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [An alliance is like a chain. It is not made stronger by adding weak links to it. A great power like the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/an-alliance-is-like-a-chain-it-is-not-made-stronger-by-adding-weak/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. 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