Monday, February 16, 2026

Ringling: Moroccan Tumbling Parody


This footage is taken from a television special that was done when the 125th Edition of Ringling played Mexico City in 1996. 
The Red Unit clowns featured in this video are Darren Cooper (purple hair and hat), Max Richardson (red mohawk), Brad Aldous (curly brown hair), Edzui Szumowski or Edge (gray wig), Jonathan Taylor (whiteface), Gina Alayne (pink wig), Steven Hogue (parted red wig), and Troy Wunderle (blue wig). 
Almost all of them are still performing. Darren Cooper is famous on social media as The Gooch, where he has a huge following, Edge is currently touring with Venardos Circus, which he has done for years now, Brad has had a career as an actor, Jonathan and his wife, Anne, are currently performing comedy on Mr. Swindle's Traveling Peculiarium (which Brad also performed in playing the part of Doctor Elixir), Gina performs at events all over the Tampa area, and Troy Wunderle still performs and was an integral part of Circus Smirkus for years. I know Max performed on cruise ships for years, but not sure about now, only that he's in Vegas. Steve Hogue has a career in the pharmaceutical industry and a beautiful family with his wife, Sandra, also a former clown.  

Tell me what I forgot or got wrong. The great and all knowing Copeland is middle aged and starting to forget.....

Friday, February 13, 2026

Gardi Hutter and Ueli Bichsel Circus Knie 2000


A segment on the German program Next talking with Gardi Hutter and Ueli Bichsel about their upcoming debut with Circus Knie for the 2000 season.



Monday, February 09, 2026

Trio Juanito Moreno

Thanks to Chase Culp for turning me onto these guys. No, not like that you sickos...

Here's some info I found about these three: 

"Hey, watch out!" became a catchphrase in Switzerland; 
father Juanito Moreno [56] with son Luis [25] as a whiteface clown and Luisito, a former circus musician; 
Juanito and his brother Uge, also a whiteface clown, worked as Hermanos Moreno in the 1940s and 50s, first in Spanish and Portuguese circuses, then from 1946 in Cuba, Mexico, the USA, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, and gained a foothold in Venezuela – Juanito became a restaurateur for six years and a children's TV favorite! 
The trio was rediscovered (facilitated by the juggler and agent Edoardo Raspini!) in March 1968 at the Circus Krone Building in Munich with August Luisito and (at that time) the whiteface clown Kike. 
Juanito Moreno died in 1986.






A list of their engagements:

1968 • March • KRONE Building Munich • German debut, discovered by impresario Edoardo Raspini (juggler with KNIE in 1964) 
1969 • March • KRONE Building Munich • Circus KRONE • Director Frieda Sembach-Krone • Summer season Germany/Austria 
1970 • Circus KRONE • Director Frieda Sembach-Krone • Summer season 
1971 • Circus KNIE • Summer season 
1972 • Circus BOLTINI • Director Tony Boltini • Netherlands 
1973 … 
1974 … 
1975 • Circus SARRASANI • Director Fritz Mey • Summer season • Germany 
1976 • Antwerp Circus Festival • Binnendijk/Edoardo Raspini • February 24 – March 7 • Teller entrance 
1976 • Circus SARRASANI • Director Fritz Mey • Summer Season • Germany 
1977 • March 1 – April 3 at the KRONE Building, Munich • Sembach-Krone Management 
1977 • BENNEWEIS • Schumann Building, Copenhagen • Summer Season 
1978 • CENTER CIRCUS • Brighton, UK • Summer Season 
1978 • December • HANSA Theater, Hamburg (Performance in Tuxedo!) 
1979 • January • HANSA Theater, Hamburg (Performance in Tuxedo!) 
1980 … 
1981 • Circus SARRASANI • Director: Fritz Mey • Summer Season 
1982 • October • Double Circus CORTY & GIOVANNI ALTHOFF in Düsseldorf 
1983 • GRAN CIRCO MUNDIAL • Director: José Maria González Villa • Summer Season in Spain (Operating as LOS HERMANOS MORENO) 
1984/85 • Circo RUSO • Director: Angel Christo • Valencia, Spain • December 22 1984 – January 6, 1985 • (named LOS HERMANOS MORENO)


Thursday, January 22, 2026

Emmett Kelly Jr. Circus

 


A flyer from the Emmett Kelly Jr. Circus, which was produced by Leonard Green, Kelly Jr's manager. This date was in Port Huron, MI in either 1972 or 1973, which according to my research are the two years that the show toured.
Anyone out there have any memories of this show?

Saturday, January 03, 2026

Big Shoe Revue: Jay Stewart and Mike Smith


Jay Stewart and Mike Smith performing warm up comedy before The Big Shoe Revue at the Texas State Fair in 1997.
A select group of students from the Clown College class of 1997 were taken to Dallas to perform in a thirty minute show comprised of acts from the 1997 graduation. 
It is my understanding that this was an attempt to show Kenneth Feld a way that Clown College could bring in money during the year, but unfortunately the idea went no further and there was no Clown College in 1998, much to the dismay of fourteen year old me!