Richard Tarlton
Richard Tarlton (died September 1588) was an English actor of the
Elizabethan era. He was the most famous clown of his era, known for his extempore comic
doggerel verse, which came to be known as "Tarltons". He helped to turn Elizabethan theatre into a form of mass entertainment paving the way for the Shakespearean stage. After his death many witticisms and pranks were attributed to him and were published as ''Tarlton's Jests''.
Tarlton was also an accomplished dancer, musician and fencer. He was also a writer, authoring a number of
jigs, pamphlets and at least one full-length play.
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