Character is a weak element in Charlie Chaplin's movies. This is forced by their being silent thus cutting out most of the room for characterization. The result of this is that the Chaplin shorts rely on stock character archetypes and the aspect of Spectacle to further the humour of the short instead of active character interplay.

Common archetypes in Chaplin's shorts include those played by Edna Purviance. She plays the romantic interest to Chaplin's character and is typically a sweet and well-meaning Victorian female. Examples include the coy demonstrations of her character in The Immigrant, the vapid and polite Miss Moneybags in The Count, and the kind church pianist in Easy Street.

Chaplin's characters are always poor, down-on-his-luck, but still plucky American hero archetypes, immigrants, poor who pull through, tricksters. His characters always manage to get by, if only barely, and manage to achieve at least part of their goals; this is also a common trait in many comedic heroes. Examples are the irrepressible immigrant in The Immigrant, the poor vagrant how cleans up Easy Street in Easy Street, and the poor freeloader who romances Miss Moneybags in The Count. Chaplin is always the most complex character in his shorts, who is the most rounded, although even then not very. He seldom shows more facets than the usual kindly trickster. He is chivalrous towards women and crafty towards his rivals. We root for him not because he is a complex character but because his character role, the cunning but essentially good trickster is one we have been taught to admire from our youth.

Eric Campbell's characters are one-dimensional as they are very physical and usually violent characters that use Eric's size to stress their villainous aspect. Good examples include the restaurateur in The Immigrant who violently throws a patron out for being a dime short and the bully in Easy Street who violently attacks everyone. They are also the blocking characer to Charlie Chaplin. Flat, stereotypical, strong. These are elements we will often see in the blocking role that Campbell fills so well in these shorts.

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