Friday, April 27, 2007

LES FRANCESCOS: Military Entree



Paul Jung wasn't the only clown with an Army Gag way back when. Even though his was VERY widely imitated in America, this one is entirely different and doesn't seem to reference it at all. I do have to say that, as good as this one is, I think Jung's had a MUCH better blow-off. The alien/boogeyman just doesn't compare with loading Prince Paul into a canon and firing him up into the rafters.

One day I'd like to take Jung's gag. this one, Abbott and Costello's and the one Joe Besser did in Olsen & Johnson's show SONS O' FUN and combine them with new material to create an "ultimate" military style gag.

But then, how would I do it when most producers never hire more than one clown anymore?

And does anyone know if Francesco, who is back in France recovering from a surgery while his son covers for him on Big Apple, is related to these Francescos?

Anyone know how Francesco is doing? I'm hoping that he's doing well and will be able to return by the end of the season.



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

wauw great to see this.

finally I see an old video of les fransescos.

wel fransesco who is at the big aplle his not related to les fransescos.

how are these fransescos??

this is the caroli family.
with the white face fransesco caroli: yes fransesco who was in roncalli for so many years!!! ( I simply adored that guy: the perfect european whiteface)
and his brothers enrico and ernesto.

usually they worked as a trio. the fourth clown in this entree I dont know. in the middle is ernesto and at the right with the blonde wig and moustache is enrico.
but who's on the left??

les fransescos where very famous and worked in every big circus:
krone, barum, knie, sarassani,....
we all of them.

when enrico died in the 80's they ended there 40 years of clowning career ( they also had a horse act with there whole family).

fransesco went to teach at a french circusschool, but bernhard paul persuaded him to come to roncalli and he stayed there. until his 80!!

they were also in america and performed 24 different entrees and were at the ed sullivan show a few times and other tv shows

he spoke italian, englisch, german, french and russian all perfect!!

and could play saxophon, clarinette, trumpet, guitar and piano.

he also was the uncle of the circusfamilly: when you had problems you could go to fransesco and odette. he was a very warm nice kind person.

he died in mai 2004

alberto caroli the white face in cirque d'hiver from bouglione is a son of enrico.

and also enrico how was in knie and togheter with angelo munoz at monte carlo is a son.

also at knie are tino caroli doing the lights and stefano how is doing sound.

more pictures of les fransesco's and specially fransesco you find here:

http://www.cirkusskandinavia.dk/happy_birthday.htm

thanks for posting this clip!!

do you have more of les fransescos?? ( they have produced over 25 entrees: much more then other european clowns have)

also nice:
http://www.zirkusduft.de/html/fotoserie_caroli.html

lots of pictures of fransesco in roncalli.

fransesco at the big apple circus

i believe it is this one:
http://coco.punt.nl/upload/DSCF0014.jpg

is a french clown and not at all related with the carolis.

Anonymous said...

Francis Brunaud (the Francesco working on Big Apple Circus) has had his back surgery in France and is now recuperating at his home there. While he is away from the show, his son, Melchior Brunaud, is performing his role at Big Apple Circus.

Don Covington

Pat Cashin said...

Don,

Thanks for the update and please pass along our wishes for a complete and speedy recovery.

~Pat