It was a lovely looking tin, according to Morace Park. Certainly worth the £3.20 he paid for it on eBay.

But when Mr Park, an Essex antique hunter, opened it he found a reel of film which has thrilled Hollywood.

Mr Park had discovered Charlie Chaplin in Zepped, a previously unknown seven-minute film. “I couldn’t find any sign of it on the internet,” he said.

He tried to unravel the mystery with his neighbour, John Dyer, formerly head of education at the British Board of Film Classification.

Times Archive, 1921: 'Charlie' Chaplin In London

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The film, a mixture of Chaplin footage and animation, features images of a Zeppelin attack in the First World War.

Early on there is a mention of the Essanay film company, with which Chaplin had a contract in 1914, before falling out with the company

Chaplin’s biographer, David Robinson, believes Essanay tried to exploit film it had of Chaplin by adding extra footage. Chaplin then took legal action, which may explain why Charlie Chaplin in Zepped never appeared.

Mr Park is now in Los Angeles making a documentary about the quest.

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