Charlie Cairoli
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charlie Cairoli (February 15, 1910 in Milan - February 17, 1980 in Blackpool) was a famous British clown, impressionist and musician. Born to a travelling circus family of French origin, he began his performing career at the age of seven, and, after visiting the Blackpool Tower Circus in 1939, chose to stay.
Cairoli was distinguished by his red nose and bowler hat, and came to prominence in the UK in the 1970s owing to his frequent television appearances. He was possibly the best known clown on TV at one time, and had a career that spanned well over forty years. He was the only clown to have been the subject of 'This is Your Life', where he was introduced as the "king of clowns".
He performed at the Blackpool Tower Circus every summer season for thirty-nine years, a world record for the most performances at a single venue.
He died at his home, 129 Warley Road, Blackpool, FY1 2RW, on 17 February 1980. He was cremated at Carleton Crematorium, Blackpool, where he is commemorated at rose-bed 64.
His son, Charlie Cairoli Junior, is likewise a famous clown.
[edit] Cultural legacy
Charlie Cairoli's name entered popular usage as a reference for clowns in general: the 2004 Chumbawamba song Just Desserts (about pieing) explicitly compares Cairoli's clown behaviour to the anarchist viewpoints espoused by Peter Kropotkin; similarly, when Garry Bushell criticised The Verdict, he said that "to call it Clown Court would be an insult to Charlie Cairoli". [1]
