Clowns -- Great Britain -- Biography; Grimaldi, Joseph, 1779-1837
This was more than the deceased could bear. He jumped from the bier,
opened the shutters, threw off the sheet, and attacked his younger son
most unmercifully; while Joe, not knowing what might be his own fate,
ran and hid himself in the coal-cellar, where he was discovered some
four hours afterwards, by Black Sam, fast asleep, who carried him to
his father, who had been anxiously in search of him, and by whom he was
received with every demonstration of affection, as the son who truly
and sincerely loved him.
From this period, up to the year 1788, he continued regularly employed
upon the same salaries as he had originally received both at Drury Lane
and Sadler's Wells.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Giuseppe Grimaldi was really "Iron Legs;" of the grandfather no
particulars are known. The father of our Joe was originally a pantomime
actor at the fairs in Italy and France, at the time these fairs
supplied the French Theatre with some of the finest dancers that have
conferred distinction on that stage. His first employment in England
was at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, where the lighter kind of
ballet proving attractive, similar dances were introduced early in
the season 1758, 1759, on the boards of Drury Lane and Covent Garden
Theatres. At the former, under Garrick's management, a new pantomime
dance, entitled "The Millers," was performed for the first time,
October 12th, 1758; in which Signor Grimaldi, it was announced, made
his first appearance on the English Stage. A writer in the "London
Chronicle," in reference to this piece, observes, as regards the
debutant--"Grimaldi is a man of great strength and agility; he indeed
treads the air. If he has any fault, he is rather too comical; and from
some feats of his performing, which I have been a witness to, at the
King's Theatre, in the Haymarket, those spectators will see him, it is
my opinion, with most pleasure, who are least solicitous whether he
breaks his neck, or not." In reference to the dance of "The Millers,"
composed by Grimaldi, then deemed an innovation, he continues:--
"Some people hold dancing to be below the dignity of a regular theatre;
but I can by no means subscribe to their opinion, since one of the
principal ends of every theatre, is to delight; and everything that can
contribute to that purpose, under proper restrictions, has an undoubted
right to a place there. I shall not affect to show my learning, by
adding, the ancients not only admitted dancing, but thought it a
necessary ornament in the performance of the most celebrated tragedies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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