George Romondo - the most eccentric mimic of the 18th century (5 photos)

When the film “Police Academy” was released, one of the characters that audiences loved was Larvell Jones, a police officer who could imitate almost any sound with his voice. He was played by the talented Michael Winslow.





But it turns out that mimics—characters capable of copying the traits and behavior of others—existed long before Winslow. And one of the brightest and most talented in this regard was George Romondo.



Sergeant Jones from "Police Academy"

Romondo was born around 1765 in Lisbon, Portugal. Romondo's unusual talent was combined with his unusual appearance. He was three and a half feet tall (about 1 meter 7 centimeters), with bent legs, and wore a large hat.





According to Kirby's Wonderful and Eccentric Museum, or a Journal of Remarkable Characters (Vol. 3, 1820), "there is scarcely any sound which he is not able to imitate." This applies to donkeys, pigs, dogs, and almost all other types of animals.

The Italian showman noticed his unique abilities and persuaded the talented dwarf to go with him to England, where they would put on performances and earn money. The impresario achieved the promised success, but cheated Romondo of his share. Far from home and friends, the little artist had to leave his fraudulent partner and find his own path.



Kirby reports that he did just that:

Romondo quietly entered the brothel and, uttering a menacing roar of a lion, plunged the company into extreme alarm. However, they soon recovered when they saw the grotesque figure of our hero, with whom they soon became so delighted that a drinking party was organized in his favor, and the memories of the treacherous Italian were soon erased from his memory.



Bartholomew's Fair in London

From then on, he made it a rule to visit brothels on deserted streets in the evenings, where he managed, by demonstrating his talents, to get quite a tolerable meal. In 1804, he spoke about his travels and impressions at the Bartholomew Fair to numerous curious people.

Success seemed to follow him, and "Kirby" noted that he was "rarely seen without a smile on his face." The story of the mimic serves as clear proof that if you lack something in life, you can compensate for it with other qualities. You just need to identify them correctly.