Cairoli, Charlie, 1910 - 1980
Dates
- Existence: 15 February 1910 - 17 February 1980
Biography
Hubert Jean Charles Cairoli was an Italian-English clown, impressionist and musician.
Cairoli was 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'. In his twenties, he was performing around Europe with his father as The Cairoli Brothers, a knockabout acrobatic act.
Cairoli first appeared at the Blackpool Tower Circus in 1939 just as the Second World War broke out and became the Tower’s resident clown for the following forty years.
Cairoli achieved worldwide fame appearing in circuses, films, television, theatres in the UK America and Europe and regularly performed in variety shows and pantomime.
He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1970 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at London's Wembley Arena.
Cairoli retired in November 1979 at 69 due to ill health and died a year later on 17 February 1980.
In February 2000 in Blackpool, Cairoli was awarded a posthumous Lifetime Achievement award from the World's Fair circus newspaper.
His son, Charlie Cairoli Junior, adapted the role his father had made famous, although performing more cabaret and pantomime rather than in the circus.
Found in 8 Collections and/or Records:
Blackpool Tower Circus Programme, 1974
Charlie Cairoli and Company, The Flying Alizes trapeze, Trio Hoganas wire act, Max Morris and His Californian Sea Lions, The Three Siegfrieds thrilling perchists, Jean Claude and Yvette puppeteers, The Wychwoods and their poodles, Billy Smart’s Elephants, The Six Benis swing act, The Kludsky trick cycling, Jerry, Jimmy and Johnny bareback riding, Paul and Barry Harman. Colour illustration of clown on cover, photos. Notes of times handwritten on programme, 12p.p.
Charles Taylor Collection
The Charles Taylor collection is a fine example of Taylor’s of Wombwell printers’ posters, which highlight changes in printing techniques, fashion and taste within the popular entertainment industry. Included are examples of posters for pantomimes, fairs and circuses. The collection also contains handbills and other advertising material.
Christopher Palmer Collection
Circus programmes and VHS tapes from Billy Smart’s Circus and Chipperfields’s Circus collected during the 1970s and early 1980s by the TV producer, Christopher John Palmer. There are also a number of promotional photographs of artistes and other ephemera related to the circus.
Cyril Critchlow Collection
Hamilton Kaye Collection
Programmes, handbills, photographs and a digital copy of Hamilton Kaye's notebook which contained jokes and stories that he kept for using in his act.
Posters, c1937 - 1989
A collection of posters printed by Taylor's of Wombwell for music hall and variety, circus, pantomime and fairgrounds.
Programmes, 1970 - 1981
Programmes for various British and international circuses including Billy Russell's, Blackpool Tower, Fossett's, Chipperfield's and the Toni Boltini's Circus.
Programmes for Circus, Magic and Variety Shows, c1890 - 1999
Circus, magic and variety show programmes including the Great Ohmy Circus, John Sanger Circus, Bertram Mills Circus and variety shows at various locations in Blackpool, London, Manchester and other theatres in England. Some of the variety performers showcased are Morecambe and Wise, Hetty King, Mae West, Bob Hope, Shirley Bassey, Larry Lamb and Cliff Richards.