John Theodore Tussaud

Born in Kensington on May 2, 1858, John Theodore Tussaud was a British sculptor, artist, and author from the family behind Madame Tussaud's. He became deeply involved in the exhibition's work and went on to serve as its manager and chief artist, continuing the family connection into a new era.

Alongside his museum work, he wrote books that drew on that heritage, most notably The Romance of Madame Tussaud's. His writing is especially appealing because it combines family history, popular biography, and behind-the-scenes knowledge of the famous waxworks.

Tussaud died in London on October 13, 1943. For listeners interested in the people and stories behind Madame Tussaud's, his books offer both firsthand perspective and a strong sense of the theatrical world he helped preserve.