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Frederick John Westcott (26 March 1865 – 17 September 1941), best known by his stage name Fred Karno, was an English theatre impresario of the British music hall. As a comedian of slapstick he is credited with popularising the custard-pie-in-the-face gag . [2]
Fred Karno died penniless in 1941, after buying Taggs Island and building a hotel which also included a casino and naming it “The Karsino”. His grand houseboat the Astoria survives and has now been adapted as a recording studio by its present owner, Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.
Oct 11, 2019 · Learn about Fred Karno, the music hall impresario who nurtured Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel and other comedy legends. Discover his rise and fall from fame, from Nottingham to Hollywood, and his impact on British comedy history.
Nov 22, 2021 · From dance troupes and small plays to a breakout gig under the Vaudeville mainstay Fred Karno, an undeniable showmanship carried him out of abject poverty and across the Atlantic for a shot in...
Fred Karno was well known for a chaotic and buffoonish style of comedy which resonated with the soldier's experiences of the disorganised nature of the war. He was also an ambitious and initially successful showbusiness entrepreneur whose fondness for the river at Molesey was to be his undoing.
Among comedy buffs, Fred Karno will be forever remembered as the man who discovered Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel, but his career involved much more than this. In the days of music halls, Karno crafted a new type of sketch comedy, and remained hugely influential for a long period of time.
Fred Karno was born on March 26, 1866 in Exeter, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for Mother, Don't Rush Me (1936), The Bad Companions (1932) and My Old Duchess (1934). He was married to Marie T. L. Moore and Edith Cuthbert. He died on September 18, 1941 in Dorset, England, UK.
