Khaotic
The Fred Karno Story
The Home Of Fred Karno On The Web
Welcome to ‘Khaotic!’
the website dedicated to the greatest comedy impresario of the music hall age
Fred karno

On this site you can learn about the great impresario and, via the contact page, order a signed author copy of the book: Fred Karno, the Legend Behind the Laughter.

Karno was a music hall acrobat who went on to launch the careers of hundreds of famous comics; including most notably charlie chaplin, stan laurel, will hay, and sandy powell.

‘It’s like Fred Karno’s Army’ - a phrase to describe any chaotic circumstance, still survives in the English language – Karno was the King of madcap comedy and the father of slapstick.

 

Described as charismatic and vicious; mean and generous; shy and flamboyant; ruthless and benevolent; Karno was certainly a man of contradictions. A creative genius, his success came at a cost. He was generally not well liked by his artists or fellow managers (although there are notable exceptions) and he is left with a tainted reputation, his influence on comedy and popular culture largely uncredited.