Grock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grock
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Grock in 1903
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| Born |
Charles Adrien Wettach
January 10, 1880 |
| Died | July 14, 1959 (aged 79) Imperia, Italy
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| Occupation | Clown, music hall performer |
| Years active | 1890s–1954 |
Grock was the stage name of Charles Adrien Wettach. He was born on January 10, 1880, and passed away on July 14, 1959. Grock was a famous Swiss clown, a talented composer, and a musician. People often called him "the king of clowns" or "the greatest of Europe's clowns." At one point, Grock was the highest-paid entertainer anywhere in the world.
Contents
Life of Grock: The Famous Clown
Early Years and First Performances
Grock was born in a small village called Loveresse. This village is in the Bernese Jura area of Canton of Bern, Switzerland. He started performing at a very young age. His father taught him how to play music and do acrobatic tricks.
Later, he joined a group of traveling Roma. With them, he learned to play even more instruments. He also became much more confident on stage. In 1894, he had his first public show with Fiame Wetzel's traveling circus.
Becoming the Clown Grock
Grock decided to become a clown. In 1903, he started working with another clown named Brick. This is when he chose his famous stage name, "Grock." After that, he teamed up with a well-known clown named Antonet (whose real name was Umberto Guillaum).
They worked together to create an act that would be good for music hall stages. Music halls paid more money than circuses. At first, their act was not a big hit. But Antonet and Grock eventually got a chance to perform in London in 1911. They kept making their shows better based on what the audience liked. Grock became the main star of their act, and eventually, they went their separate ways.
Grock's Rise to Fame
By 1913, Grock was very famous. His act was a special mix of silent acting (pantomime) and funny musical mistakes. This is what he is best remembered for today. When World War I began, he stayed in Britain until 1924. After that, he went back to Europe.
He performed all over Europe and even in the United States. He earned more and more money because he was so popular. His success allowed him to start his own circus in 1951. He toured with his circus until his very last show. This final performance was in Hamburg on October 30, 1954.
Grock then retired to his large house in Imperia, Italy. He had built this 50-room house, called Villa Bianca, in the 1920s. It is now known as "Villa Grock." He passed away there in 1959.
Grock in Movies and Books
Some of Grock's performances were saved on film. He made a silent movie in 1927 called What For?. He also made French and German versions of a movie simply titled Grock in 1931.
A movie about his life, called Au revoir, M. Grock (1950), even featured Grock playing himself. Other actors played him when he was younger. After he retired, he appeared on Italian television a few times. Grock also wrote several books, including his own life story.
Grock's Lasting Impact
Grock's amazing career is remembered through a special award. It was called the Grock d'Or. This was an annual competition for young circus artists. It started in 2003 but stopped in 2008.
Images for kids
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Signature of Grock
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Grock with his wife in Berlin, 1930
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Villa Grock in 2007
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The Grock d'Or statuette
See also
In Spanish: Grock para niños
