Jack Bologna facts for kids
John Peter Bologna (1775–1846) was an Italian actor and dancer. People knew him as Jack Bologna when he performed on stage. He spent a lot of time in England. He became famous for playing Harlequin in Georgian pantomimes. These were popular shows in the early 1800s. He performed at famous places like the Sadler's Wells and Covent Garden Theatres.
Jack arrived in England with his family in 1787. He first performed in London at the Covent Garden Theatre. He played Harlequin in a pantomime called Niobe; or, Harlequin's Ordeal. After touring England with his family, he became a star. He also helped create pantomimes and plays. Some of his big successes were at the Royal Circus. These included The Cloud King and Black Beard.
In 1806, he worked with the famous Clown performer Joseph Grimaldi. They performed in Harlequin and Mother Goose; or, the Golden Egg. This was Bologna's biggest success. Bologna also enjoyed building machines. He often used his own mechanical designs in his shows. He mostly stopped performing around 1820. He died at age 71.
Biography
Early life
Bologna was born into a family of performers. His father, Pietro Bologna, was a famous Italian clown. He could play the flute with his nose! He also played the drum while walking on a tightrope. Bologna's mother was an actress. His brother Louis and sister Barbara also performed with the family.
Jack first performed in Italy when he was 11. Soon after, in 1787, he came to England. There, he met ten-year-old Joseph Grimaldi. Grimaldi was also performing in pantomimes. The two young performers became close friends. Bologna first appeared on the English stage with his family's tumbling act. They toured theatres around the country.
The Bologna family became very popular. In 1792, they performed at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London. They appeared in shows like Medea's Kettle; or, Harlequin Renovated. In 1794, the Bolognas moved to Norwich. There, Jack learned tightrope walking from his father. When he was 21, he returned to London. He starred as Harlequin at the Covent Garden Theatre. His first show there was Niobe; or, Harlequin's Ordeal in July 1797. The show was a hit. The theatre hired him for more productions.
Career
In November 1797, Bologna performed in The Round Tower. In 1798, he went back to Norwich for a short time. On June 3, 1800, he married Harriet Bath Barnewell. She was a dancer and singer. In 1801, Bologna created the dances for Rinaldo Rinaldini. He also played the main character in this show at London's Royal Circus.
From 1802, he performed as Harlequin at Sadler's Wells. He and his brother Louis starred in Edward and Susan. Jack also wrote the music for this show. Joseph Grimaldi was also in the cast. He played the Clown. Bologna and Grimaldi often worked together. They remained friends for life.
In 1805, Bologna became the main Harlequin at the Covent Garden theatre. The next year, he and Grimaldi starred in Harlequin and Mother Goose; or, the Golden Egg. This show was a huge success. It ran for ninety-two nights and sold 300,000 tickets. Bologna and Grimaldi were so popular together. Between 1807 and 1814, they earned a lot of money from their shows.
Bologna also created many successful pantomimes and plays. These included The Cloud King and Black Beard. In 1807, the actor John Philip Kemble saw Bologna perform. He said that if Bologna could speak as well as he acted, he would be amazing.
In 1808, Bologna entertained guests at a party. There, he met Lord Byron. Byron was a big fan of pantomimes. He even based his poem Don Juan on a pantomime character. Byron was so impressed by Bologna. He asked Bologna to save him a seat at all his future shows.
Playing Harlequin was very physical. In 1813, Bologna broke his collar bone during a show. Bologna's wife, Harriet, died in 1814. In 1816, he married Louisa Bristow. She was a dancer and Grimaldi's sister-in-law. Bologna had met Bristow in 1810. She was playing Columbine in one of Grimaldi's shows. Bologna performed at the Covent Garden Theatre in 1815–16. He left in 1817.
After ten years, Bologna returned to Sadler's Wells in 1819. He appeared in The Fates; or, Harlequin's Holy Day. This was the only pantomime Grimaldi ever wrote. Bologna played Harlequin. The show did not do well. This was mainly because Grimaldi was not well and left the show. Bologna then got a good contract to perform at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London. He earned more than £6 per week.
Designer and engineer
Bologna was interested in machines. He helped design many mechanical parts for shows. For example, he worked on Harlequin's Tour in 1801. He also played Harlequin in that show. In 1803, he showed off a machine he invented. He called it a Phantoscopia. He received extra money for his mechanical work in shows like Harlequin in his Element. In 1810, Bologna was allowed to show his inventions at the Sans Pariel Theatre. People called his mechanical show "very clever."
Later years and death
Bologna mostly stopped performing in 1820. He only returned for special shows to help himself and Grimaldi. By 1840, his machine shows were not popular anymore. He briefly taught choreography. In 1841, he joined a magician named Anderson. Bologna played Anderson's sidekick, Ebony. They performed in public houses. Bologna stayed with this act until he died.
Bologna died in Glasgow, Scotland, at age 71.
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