I've gotten a kick from watching "Mr.Bean" for years...first we saw him on PBS, then i found it on YouTube. My oldest son, an Aspie, is very much into silent comedy, and works up skits like Chaplin and Keaton, and watching him watching all these comedians, makes me wonder if they might also be somewhere on the autistic spectrum. Atktison/MrBean, for instance has an obsession with collecting semi trailer trucks (had to look up what 'lorry' meant,), and was aghast with the sheer size of that obsession. makes the kid in this country with his vacuume collection sound like nothing. i've heard of Aspies being called' trainspotters' in England, but this is ridiculous.
Charlie Chaplin had to have OCD, from his nitpickyness while making his films. wouldnt trust anyone to be director or producer, so he wore all three hats of actor/producer/director, and his films had scenes that often were shot hundreds of times. Keaton had many of the same traits..
makes me wonder ...to be a good silent actor/comedian, is being on the spectrum a prerequisite?
_________________
Gail