According to documents released Friday, the real name and birthplace of legendary silent-film star Charlie Chaplin is shrouded in mystery, Reuters reported.

In 1952, British MI5 agents were asked by the FBI to investigate Chaplin's background, as the bureau believed he was using an alias and that his real name was Israel Thornstein.

Chaplin, one of Hollywood's first and greatest stars, famed for his "Little Tramp" character, believed he was born on April 16, 1889, in south London.

But, an exhaustive search by MI5 found no record of his birth anywhere.

(China.org.cn, CNTV February 22, 2012)

据路透社报道，一份文件周五解密称，默片传奇影星查理·卓别林的真实姓名和出生地一直隐藏在迷雾中。

1952年，美国联邦调查局曾经向英国军情五处的特工询问并调查卓别林的背景，因为当局认为卓别林一直在用化名，而他的真实姓名是以色列·索尔斯坦。

卓别林因为电影《小流浪汉》而名声大噪，是好莱坞第一代也是最伟大的明星之一。人们一直认为他于1889年4月16日在伦敦南部出生。

但是，根据英国军情五处全面的调查发现，没有资料显示他出生于何方。