Michael Staniforth television comedy series "Rentaghost". Staniforth played Timothy Claypole from 1976, when the show first aired, until 1984, and was the longest-standing member of the cast. Claypole was a bearded medieval jester, dressed in motley and bells. Claypole's longevity as a ghost meant that he had expert ghostly skills; coupled with his mischievous personality, and often boundless psychic energy, he caused mayhem for the rest of the "Rentaghost" cast. Danny Birchall at BFI Screenonline noted: The sheer energy of Michael Staniforth (who also performed the theme tune) as Claypole made it one of the longer-lasting children's television series, if not always
Jester storytelling, and physical comedy. It has also been suggested they performed acrobatics and juggling. Henry VIII of England employed a jester named Will Sommers. During the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I of England, William Shakespeare wrote his plays and performed with his theatre company the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later called the King's Men). Clowns and jesters were featured in Shakespeare's plays, and the company's expert on jesting was Robert Armin, author of the book "Fooled upon Foole". In Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", Feste the jester is described as "wise enough to play the fool". King James VI of Scotland