 Born in London to an entertainer father , Grimaldi began to perform as a child , making his stage debut at Drury Lane in 1780 . He became successful at the Sadler 's Wells Theatre the following year ; his first major role was as Little Clown in the pantomime The Triumph of Mirth ; or , Harlequin 's Wedding in 1781 , in which he starred alongside his father . After a brief schooling , he appeared in various low @-@ budget productions and became a sought @-@ after child performer . He took leading parts in Valentine and Orson ( 1794 ) and The Talisman ; or , Harlequin Made Happy ( 1796 ) , the latter of which brought him wider recognition . 
