Joseph Grimaldi

Background

Grimaldi was born in London on the 18th of December 1778, the son of an Italian actor.

Education

From the age of two, Grimaldi was taught to act the characters in the harlequinade by his father.

Career

When less than two years old he was brought upon the stage at Drury Lane; at the age of three he began to appear at Sadler's Wells; and he did not finally retire until 1828. As the clown of pantomime he was considered without an equal, his greatest success being in Mother Goose, at Covent Garden (1806 and often revived). Grimaldi died on the 31st of May 1837.

Joseph expanded the role of Clown in the harlequinade that formed part of British pantomimes, notably at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the Sadler's Wells and Covent Garden theatres. Grimaldi originated catchphrases such as "Here we are again!", which continue to feature in modern pantomimes. He took leading parts in "Valentine and Orson" (1794) and "The Talisman"; or, "Harlequin Made Happy" (1796), the latter of which brought him wider recognition.

Achievements

• He became so dominant on the London comic stage that the harlequinade role of Clown became known as "Joey", and both the nickname and Grimaldi's whiteface make-up design were, and still are, used by other types of clowns.

References

• The Pantomime Life of Joseph Grimaldi: Laughter, Madness and the Story of Britain's Greatest Comedian
• Clown Grimaldi (German Edition)
• The Life Of Joseph Grimaldi: With Anecdotes Of His Contemporaries
• Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi - Edited by Boz - With Notes and Additions by Charles Whitehead - 2009 Facsimile of the 1853 Routledge Edition