Charlie Cairoli

{{Short description|Italian-British clown (1910–1980)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}} {{Use British English|date=June 2014}} {{Infobox comedian | name = Charlie Cairoli | image = Photograph of The Cairolis Brothers - DPLA - 512683521773b1b7115be2c5e0bebac8.jpg | image_size = | caption = Cairoli Brothers | pseudonym = Carletto | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1910|02|15}} | birth_place = Affori, Milan, Italy | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1980|02|17|1910|02|15}} | death_place = Blackpool, England | medium = Circus, theatre, television | years_active = 1917–1979 | genre = | subject =  | spouse = Violetta Fratellini | notable_works = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Hubert Jean Charles Cairoli'''<ref name=Circopedia>[http://www.circopedia.org/Charlie_Cairoli Charlie Cairoli], by Dominique Jando, at Circopedia; retrieved 9 July 2014</ref> (15 February 1910 – 17 February 1980) was an Italian-English clown, impressionist and musician.

==Background and career== Born in Affori, Milan, Italy to a travelling circus family of French origin, he began his performing career at the age of seven, under the name ''{{'}}Carletto{{'}}''.<ref name=Circopedia/> He met Violetta Fratellini, who was also from a circus family, in 1934 when they were both working at the Cirque Medrano at Montmartre: he was with his father, Jean-Marie Cairoli (1879–1956), in a clown act as ''{{'}}The Cairoli Brothers{{'}}'', and she was in a knockabout acrobatic act, ''{{'}}The Tomboys Girls{{'}}''. While she watched him perform he spotted her, and serenaded her on his clarinet. By Christmas that same year they were married.<ref name="telegraph1416730">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1416730/Violetta-Cairoli.html|title=Obituaries: Violetta Cairoli|date=20 December 2002|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2009-03-06}}</ref>

In early 1939 the Cairolis appeared at the Circus Krone in Munich, in a special performance attended by Adolf Hitler, who afterward presented Cairoli with a watch. In September, when the Second World War broke out, Cairoli was performing at the Blackpool Tower Circus for the first time; in response to the news of war, he walked to the end of North Pier in Blackpool and threw the watch into the Irish Sea. He chose to stay in the town, where he lived for the rest of his life.<ref name="telegraph1416730"/>

In 1943 he appeared in ''Happidrome'' a film based on the radio series of the same name, with his father. In 1952 he appeared in the crime drama film, ''Secret People''. On 11 and 25 November 1962 he performed his clown act on the American television variety show, ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' on CBS. On 1 January 1966 he appeared on ''David Nixon's Comedy Bandbox''. He also appeared on the American television variety show on ABC ''The Hollywood Palace'' twice in 1966, first on 8 January, performing as Charles Cairoli and Company then on 7 May when he was introduced as a "British Comic Pantomimist".<ref name="imdb0129097">{{cite news|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0129097/|title=Charlie Cairoli|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=2009-03-06}}</ref>

Cairoli was distinguished in his act by wearing a red nose and a Charlie Chaplin-style bowler hat, eyebrows, and costume, and a moustache slightly larger than Chaplin's. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom in the 1970s owing to his frequent television appearances, not least on his long-running children's show ''Right Charlie!''. He was possibly the best-known clown on British television at one time, and had a career that spanned well over forty years.

He was the subject of ''This Is Your Life'' in 1970 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at London's Wembley Arena.

He performed at Blackpool Tower Circus every summer season for forty years, a world record for the most performances at a single venue. Out of season he also performed on stage in variety shows and pantomime, including the Grand Theatre in Leeds and Alhambra in Bradford. His appearance in ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' in 1972 was the most successful pantomime at Leeds City Varieties and later that year he brought Christmas shopping to a standstill as he led hundreds of youngsters through the streets of Leeds and herded them to the City Varieties where he gave a special show to 600 invited children.<ref name="yep3439954"/>

In June 1979, ill health forced his withdrawal from the Tower Circus ring<ref name="telegraph1416730"/> and he was admitted to hospital suffering from exhaustion. He finally announced his retirement in November of that year; he was 69.<ref name="yep3439954">{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/features/Years-of-a-clown-Leeds.3439954.jp|title=Years of a clown: Leeds panto star Charlie Cairoli|last=Thorpe|first=John|date=2 November 2007|newspaper=Yorkshire Evening Post|accessdate=2009-03-06}}</ref>

==Awards== In February 2000 in Blackpool, Cairoli was awarded a posthumous Lifetime Achievement award from the World's Fair circus newspaper. It was presented to his widow Violetta by ventriloquist Keith Harris, in the presence of the television personality Jeremy Beadle.<ref name="telegraph1416730"/>

==Personal life== Cairoli had three children with his wife, Violetta.<ref name="telegraph1416730"/> He died peacefully in his sleep at his home, 129 Warley Road, North Shore, Blackpool, on 17 February 1980, aged 70. Five days later he was cremated at Carleton Crematorium in Poulton-le-Fylde,<ref name="gazette180280">{{cite news|title=The Clown Prince Is Dead|date=18 February 1980|newspaper=Blackpool Gazette}}</ref> where he is commemorated at rose bed 64.

His son, Charlie Cairoli Junior, adapted the role his father had made famous, although performing more cabaret and pantomime rather than in the circus. Violetta died in Blackpool on 16 November 2002.<ref name="telegraph1416730"/>

==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 compared 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".<ref name="bushell">{{cite news|url=http://www.garry-bushell.co.uk/box/index.asp |title=Bushell On The Box (via the Internet Archive)|publisher=Gary Bushell|accessdate=2009-03-07 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070303042535/http://www.garry-bushell.co.uk/box/index.asp |archivedate = 2007-03-03}}</ref> Welsh pop group The Hepburns recorded a song entitled, "Charlie Cairoli's Ghost".<ref name="hepburns">{{cite news|url=http://www.last.fm/music/The+Hepburns|title=The Hepburns|publisher=Last.fm|accessdate=2009-03-06}}</ref>

In July 2008, Blackpool Council cabinet member, Tony Williams called for the erection of a statue of Cairoli in the resort, saying, "I have always wanted a statue of Charlie Cairoli in the town; after all he was the most famous clown in the world and brought more visitors to the town than any other single entertainer. Charlie has never been truly recognised for his massive contribution to Blackpool and we should honour our local heroes."<ref name="gazette4286994">{{cite news|url=http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/Blackpool-sculpture-takes-funny-turn.4286994.jp|title=Blackpool sculpture takes funny turn|last=Dunthorne|first=Steve|date=July 2008|newspaper=Blackpool Gazette|accessdate=2009-03-06}}</ref> The statue was subsequently erected in Blackpool's Stanley Park, but became the target of constant vandalism; on 23 October 2013, the statue was moved to within Blackpool Tower.<ref>[http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/what-s-on/going-out/towering-comedy-genius-where-he-belongs-1-6176040 Towering comedy genius where he belongs], by Shelagh Parkinson, in the Blackpool Gazette; published 23 October 2013; retrieved 23 October 2013 after a child who wrote to the Blackpool Gazette asked for it to be moved to a safer place</ref>

Cairoli is mentioned in the 2014 television film ''Marvellous'' due to his friendship with the film's subject Neil Baldwin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/mar/16/marvellous-review-neil-baldwin-life-story-gets-more-amazing|title=Marvellous review – Neil Baldwin's life story gets more amazing|date=16 March 2022|work=The Guardian|access-date=5 July 2022}}</ref> Baldwin himself is a registered clown and used to perform in the circus which helped him to land his dream job as kitman at Stoke City.

In October 2018 Cairoli was honoured with his own Blackpool Heritage Tram - Boatcar 227 in red and ivory livery restored by the Civic Trust to its 1934 condition, with an image of his face on it, and nicknamed "Charlie's Tram".<ref name=Tram>[https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/all-hands-on-deck-for-charlie-s-blackpool-tram-1-9414805 All hands on deck for Charlie's Blackpool tram], by James Graves, in the ''Blackpool Gazette''; published October 26, 2018; retrieved October 26, 2018</ref>

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0129097}} *[http://www.circopedia.org/index.php/Charlie_Cairoli Charlie Cairoli] at Circopedia

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cairoli, Charlie}} Category:1910 births Category:1980 deaths Category:English clowns Category:Italian emigrants to the United Kingdom Category:Italian clowns Category:People from Blackpool