Friday, April 10, 2009

CLOWN COLLEGE: Newsweek December 2, 1968

Quite possibly the first national coverage of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus' "College of Clowns" was a Newsweek article from the December 2, 1968 issue.


Pictured here is Danny Chapman teaching the class Mike "Coco" Polakovs' painters entree. No wonder Coco was none too keen on Clown College!

Students: (From left to right)

Obscured by Danny Chapman at far left: Unidentified

Scott Bryan

Phil Lace

Joey Matheson

Corky

Keith Crary

Umbrella Hat: Unidentified

Standing: Unidentified

Foreground: Glen "Frosty" Little, Louis DeJesus

Crouching at far right: Dalton Dearborn


Perhaps Michael Karp can help identify some of the others. Thanks to everyone for your contributions to identifying the performers in the photo so far!





8 comments:

  1. I think Leon went during the next year of CC. The little person is Luis DeJesus

    -Greg

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  2. Third from the left (not counting Mr. Chapman), with his arms crossed, is Joey Matheson. He's an old friend of mine. Although I knew he was in the first class, I had never seen a picture of him in this group.

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  3. Please tell Joey that Ron Jarvis say's hi. Eric used to torment Joey daily! He took it well. (kinda?) Keith is over a dozen Emmy's now. Good times... good people...

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  4. I posted this as a comment on another post... but what the heck.

    Boy... Ringling is really blowing it by not opening Clown College for 1 session just to get a reality TV show out of it.

    My CC experience in 72 was certainly a combination of 'Real World' and 'Road Rules' with all the drama (and laughs too.)

    Hello... hell-ooooo?

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  5. that's not eric braun but dalton dearborn on the far right.I'm scott bryan next to danny chapmen. next to me is phil lacey

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  6. left of frosty is Corky a hairdresser from Atlanta who went on blue show

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  7. Corky Corbett was from Lexington, Kentucky, not Atlanta.

    Just sayin'.

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  8. Jack, any idea who the unidentified folks in the photo are?

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