Topic “Glen Close”

By Leba Hertz (San Francisco Chronicle)

Glenn Close studied Charlie Chaplin’s films in preparing to play a woman disguised as a male butler in the period piece “Albert Nobbs,” based on the short story by George Moore.

“I always felt there was a clownish element to Albert,” says Close, who won an Obie when she first played the character onstage 30 years ago.

“My...