Prior to becoming a famous silent film star, Charlie Chaplin arrived in America from London in 1910, touring with the Karno American company as a vaudeville actor for seventy-five dollars a week. He became good friends with one of the fifteen people in the troupe: “a handsome young Texan” that couldn’t decide if he wanted to perform on a trapeze or become a prize fighter. Chaplin would put on gloves every morning for friendly bouts with the Texan, and in discussions at lunch and other outings, both of them came up with an idea for making money.

“Very soon we were talking ourselves into leaving show business and going into partnership, raising hogs.