Joseph Grimaldi, "Father of Clowns" (1778-1837)

Inducted into the 1990 Clown Hall of Fame, Joseph Grimaldi was one of the greatest English pantomimes. His father was Giuseppit Grimaldi (died 1788), an Italian dancing master and pantomimist. Joseph's stage debut was at 3 years old in a dance at Sadler's Wells, London's famous variety theater. Grimaldi never performed in a circus ring, but spent most of his life performing in full-length pantomimes. He had the most to do with the development of the pantomime character of Clown. He also was the one to give clowns their most enduring nickname, "Joey." Grimaldi used a substantial amount of color to his mouth, cheeks, and eyebrows over his painted white face. The most striking aspect of his make up were the large red triangles. His image was followed closely for the next 50 years by most British clowns. Grimaldi is known for being a master in the use of expressions of the body and face, unique sense of comic timing, imaginative byplay, and his overall comic abilities. He was famous and influential enough in his time to have had Charles Dickens write his biography. For example, here is a short anecdote about the healing power of humor in Joseph Grimaldi's life.

Emmett Kelly (December 9, 1898 – March 28, 1979)

a native of Sedan, Kansas, was an American circus performer, who created the memorable clown figure "Weary Willie," based on the hobos of the Depression era. Kelly began his career as a trapeze artist. By 1923, Emmett Kelly was working his trapeze act with John Robinson's circus when he met and married Eva Moore, another circus trapeze artist. They later performed together as the "Aerial Kellys" with Emmett still performing occasionally as a white face clown.