Chaplin and the duck he did not get enough of

On 6 May 1954, the story goes, Zhou Enlai — in Geneva for the conference — gave a dinner at his hotel for the film artist Charlie Chaplin. When the crisp, fragrant duck reached the table, Chaplin shook his head: he had a special feeling for ducks and never ate them. Asked why, he explained that he had based his comic persona on the way ducks walk, and so, out of gratitude for the inspiration, he did not eat duck.

Zhou, the story goes, apologised at once. Then Chaplin changed tone with a smile and said that this time would be an exception, because it was not an American duck, and the table laughed. After dinner the comedian said, still wanting more, that the only fault of the evening was that there had been too little duck. Zhou had the cooks prepare two more ducks and gave them to Chaplin and his wife as they left.