George L. Fox (clown)

George L. Fox (1825-77) was an American comedian, born in Boston. He made his first appearance in the Tremont Street Theatre in that city at the age of five as part of the sibling act "The Little Foxes." In New York, where he played for some time (after 1850) at the National Theatre in Chatham Street, he became popular as a low comedian. In the Civil War he was a lieutenant in the Eighth New York Infantry.

Inspired by the famous Ravel Brothers to undertake pantomime, he created a distinct place for that kind of entertainment in New York City, first at the National Theatre and later at the New Bowery Theatre, of which he was for a time both lessee and manager. His principal rôle was the clown in "Humpty Dumpty", the first American pantomime to be performed in two acts, and no one has ever equaled him in this character. He was scarcely less distinguished in his burlesques on famous tragedians of the day, especially Edwin Booth in the character of Hamlet.

Bill Irwin paid tribute to George L. Fox by creating the stage show "Mr. Fox: A Rumination" which premiered in 2004 at the Signature Theatre.

Publications

* "George Fox: An Autobiography" (two volumes, Philadelphia, 1904)
*NIE