Joseph Grimaldi

Joseph Grimaldi (December 18, 1779 - May 31, 1837), the most celebrated of English clowns, was born in London, the son of an Italian actor.

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).

His Memoirs in two volumes (1838) were edited by Charles Dickens.