Born in Affori, Milan, Italy to a travelling circus family of French origin, he began his performing career at the age of seven, under the name "Carletto". He met Violetta Fratellini, who was also from a circus family, in 1934 when they were both working at the Cirque Medrano at Montmartre: he was with his father, Jean-Marie Cairoli (1879–1956), in a clown act as "The Cairoli Brothers", and she was in a knockabout acrobatic act, "The Tomboys Girls". While she watched him perform he spotted her, and serenaded her on his clarinet. By Christmas that same year they were married.