Years of a clown, Leeds panto star Charlie Cairoli

Charlie Cairoli and the City of Leeds

The Christmas shoppers thronging the busy streets of Leeds had never seen anything quite like it. Winding its way through the city centre was a swaying line of giggling children, following one another Pied Piper–style towards an unknown destination.

At the head of the procession—bowler hat gleaming, red nose shining, and smile unmistakable—strode the legendary clown Charlie Cairoli. By then, Leeds had become a second home to him, and the city welcomed him with warmth every time he returned.

More than forty years had passed since his first visit, yet Charlie still cast a spell over Leeds and its people. Born in Milan in 1910 into a travelling circus family of French origin, he was destined for a life in the ring. His father was a juggler, and Charlie always maintained that he got his first taste of clowning at around the age of seven. Over time, he became one of Europe’s finest clowns, a star of international television, and a beloved figure to Leeds audiences of all ages.

Charlie’s first appearance in Leeds appears to have been in the late 1930s when he trod the boards at the Grand. It may have been his first season in the city, but he quickly developed an affection for the place—and the affection was mutual. He returned many times, appearing at the world-famous City Varieties, the Leeds Empire, and even crossing the city boundary into Bradford to appear at the Alhambra.

Wherever he went, he received a warm and wholehearted reception. He once said he felt “among friends” whenever he visited Leeds, and the city seemed to feel the same about him.

Michael Joseph, who with his brother Stanley owned and operated the Leeds City Varieties, knew Charlie well. They never regretted booking him for pantomime. “He had the most successful season with us in Jack and the Beanstalk in 1972,” Michael recalled. “It was our most successful pantomime ever.”

It was during that 1972 season that Charlie brought Christmas shopping in Leeds to a standstill. Hundreds of excited children followed him through the city centre as he led them to the City Varieties, where he gave a special performance to an invited audience of 600 youngsters.

During the same season, Charlie made several personal appearances throughout West Yorkshire. In Wakefield, he visited Fieldhead Hospital, where he presented a boating pool equipped with three radio-controlled model boats—a gift from bookmaker Ladbrokes to the children there.

Indeed, the 1970s marked the period when Charlie’s career truly soared in Britain. Television brought his unique brand of humour to millions, transforming him into one of the best-known clowns in the country—a megastar of his day. Yet he was more than a clown. Charlie was a gifted impressionist and musician, and his professionalism endeared him to theatre managers and impresarios across the nation.

“He was steeped in the traditions of circus and panto,” Michael Joseph remembered. “A superb performer and a tremendous crowd-puller.”

But above all, it was his natural warmth—his ability to win the affection not only of children but of the adults watching them—that made him unforgettable.



“Off stage,” Joseph said, “he was a perfect gentleman with a marvellous sense of humour.”