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Season 3, Episode 1 15:26 running time

Joseph Grimaldi

In this episode, we explore the life of the man who changed the face of clowning forever - Joseph Grimaldi.

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Hosted by

Stephen Fry

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Sound Editing

Jon Jardine

Listen now:
  • Sadlers Wells Theatre, Roseberry Avenue, Clerkenwell, London

He Swung Joseph with the Utmost Velocity

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Written by

James Rampton

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Performed by

Dame Joanna Lumley

About this story

Joseph Grimaldi began his stage career as a child, a sidekick to his father, resident buffoon at the Sadlers Wells Theatre. He came to fame in 1781 when a trick went spectacularly wrong

Delve Deeper

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The Victoria and Albert Museum has many depictions of Grimaldi, including one by Cruickshank and one by Cooper. Project Gutenberg has Charles Dicken’s Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi. Cruickshank’s illustration of Joseph’s flight into the orchestra pit can be found in the Memoirs (Chapter 1).

  • Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London

Make ‘Em Laugh

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Written by

James Rampton

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Performed by

Dame Joanna Lumley

About this story

Joseph Grimaldi’s famous tearful clown make-up is the result of his father Giuseppe’s brutal beating during a performance in 1782.

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Wikipedia has an article with several pictures of Grimaldi, including him NOT in clown make-up.

  • Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London

"I make you laugh at night, but I’m Grim-all-day"

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Written by

James Rampton

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Performed by

Dame Joanna Lumley

About this story

The sad, painful ending in 1837 of the life of Joseph Grimaldi, creator of the ‘modern’ clown.

Delve Deeper

Learn more about this story’s themes with these links:


The Londonist has an article about Holy Trinity Church, Dalston, Hackney, which includes photos of the church’s Grimaldi glass window, and the clown museum there, including a picture of some of its collection of clown eggs (you’ll have to read it). Joseph was buried in a St James’s Chapel churchyard, Pentonville, London. The chapel no longer exists, but the burial ground has been made into a park, The Joseph Grimaldi Park. Here you can see his actual grave, and also ‘dance on his (not actual) grave’ – a coffin shaped object with musical tiles tuned so that you can recreate Grimaldi’s famous song: ‘Hot Coddlins.’ Andrew Whitehead’s blog has photos of the site, and a short video of the ‘grave’ playing notes. YouTube has several versions of the song Hot Codlins, including this one by The Grimaldi Band, which has the lyrics on screen (a snippet is featured in the episode).