Rone & Gigi: Big Ears Show

The Art of Tommy Cooper

A documentary about the life of Tommy Cooper.

From Wikipedia: 

Thomas Frederick Cooper (19 March 1921 – 15 April 1984) was a British prop comedian and magician. As an entertainer, his appearance was large and lumbering at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m),^[1] and he habitually wore a red fez when performing. He initially served in the British Army for seven years, before eventually developing his conjuring skills and becoming a member of the The Magic Circle. Although he spent time on tour performing his magical act, which specialised on magic tricks that appeared to "fail", he rose to international prominence when his career moved into television, with programmes for London Weekend Television and Thames Television.

By the end of the 1970s, Cooper slipped into heavy smoking and drinking, which affected his career and his health, effectively ending offers to front new programmes and relegating him to performing as a guest star on other entertainment shows. Ill health eventually claimed his life when, on 15 April 1984, Cooper died of a heart attack live on television.

James "Tiny" Lambros

Photos courtesy of David Powell.

Tiny has had a life full of varied jobs, including circus clown. He performed with Culpepper Merriweather for the 2003 season and Kelly Miller for the 2004 season. 

Ringling: Charivari 1980

Members of the 1980 Blue Unit Clown Alley perform an Olympics themed charivari for the 110th Edition's television special, hosted by Michael Landon.

I see Michael Goudeau, Andrea Waller, "Tuba" Heatherton, Tom and Tammy Parish, Lenny Ciaccio Dennis Struve, Gary Peare, Skip Lackey, Bob Kramer, Tom Dougherty, Joe Wesson, Jeff Darnell, and Peter Pitofsky.

There are two I'm not certain of. One might be Ron Quagiliata or Kelly Tansey, and the other is possibly Tommy Sheeter. 

Joe Dieffenbacher-The Trap

http://joedieffenbacher.com

Obituary of Glenna "Polly" Chase

Thanks to Andrea Lynne Emeigh for the heads up. 

Glenna “Polly” Chase, passed away peacefully Sunday morning, Jan 31, 2021.

In a September 2020 interview with the Daily Sun, Chase said she had seen much in her 95 years, but she never expected to be counted as one of the world’s oldest living little people.

Growing up, Polly said she had wonderful parents, four brothers and two sisters, all of average height and all of whom she outlived.

She said she was never bullied or picked on but admitted having four brothers may have had something to do with it.

She graduated from Corsicana High School in 1944 and worked various jobs around town, as a secretary at Northside Baptist Church, in the offices at Sears, Roebuck and Collin Street Bakery and as a manicurist in a beauty salon.

She did not know any other little people until one fateful day when the circus came to town.

She met her future husband Clayton when he was working as a clown for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

“It was love at first sight,” she said.

The couple married in 1948 and there was a story and photo of the front page of the Corsicana Daily Sun.

Clayton got a job at Chance Vought Aircraft and they moved to Dallas for about five years until heart trouble forced him to retire.

They moved back to Corsicana and started Clayton Chase Grocery and Market at 403 S. 20th St.

Polly was a resident at Legacy Rehabilitation and Healthcare and said she enjoyed it there, but could have used a little more room.

She considered her former caregiver and CNA Shawnda Witherspoon as one of her best friends.

Polly and Clayton

Clayton Chase on Ringling 

The Acromaniacs

The comedy acrobatics of the Acromaniacs featured on the very strangely conceptual television show The Slammer in 2006.

Grock: Circus Performance

An excerpt from the film Au Revoir Monsiuer Grock, made in 1950, showing him performing his entreé with his partner, Maïss, in a circus setting.

Kelly Miller: Dead and Alive

Ted "Zippo" Tutwiler and.....maybe "Skippy" (?) performing that old circus clown chestnut, Dead and Alive, in the 1985 Kelly Miller Circus program.

Clown Karandash

Yes, I know this is in Russian......there's plenty of great footage to enjoy.

Clown Karandash, a documentary by Victor Golyvinov is a film dedicated to the outstanding Russian clown Rumyantsev Mikhail Nikolaevich - Karandash. When Karnadash was asked if he was happy with his fate on the arena, he smiled: "Never ask such a question to a man who for forty years I joked at the arena.  Every art form, every artist has his own way of knowing the truth. I chose the funny way."

Ringling: Tooth Fairy Gag

Danise Payne and Gregory Parks rehearsing their Tooth Fairy gag in Winter Quarters for the Blue Unit's 132nd Edition.

Bill Irwin: Tony Awards 1989

Bill Irwin and the cast of Largely New York (which included fellow clown Jeff "Gordoon" Gordon; however, I did not spot him in this video) performing an excerpt on the 1989 Tony Awards broadcast.

The show was nominated for several Tonys, including Best Play and Best Actor for Bill Irwin, and the show won a Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. 

At the end of the video Bill Irwin has a brief exchange with Steve Martin, who he worked with in the film My Blue Heaven, and in a production of Waiting For Godot also starring Robin Williams. 

Ringling Red Unit Girl Clowns 1990

 

The Girl Clown Alley of the second year of Gunther Gebel-Williams' Farewell Tour. Pam Leonard Ramirez, Julia Thudium, Lara Heidtman Smith, Peggy Pozdol Hudert, Sara Lehman Laskey, and Nicole Marsh Portwood.

Foottit et Chocolat: Six Short Films

Six silent short films of the famous French clowning duo, Foottit et Chocolat filmed by the Lumiere brothers. 

Charlie Cairoli Appreciation Society

A BBC interview from 1994 with Charlie's wife, son, and renowned ringmaster, Norman Barrett, discuss the launch of the Charlie Cairoli Appreciation Society. 

Clyde Beatty Clown Alley

 

From the collection of Ralph Pierce. I'm gonna guess this is from the 1970s. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Would love to hear more about John Block and Larry Lawrence, as I haven't heard of them before. 

Tina Aguirre-Groff

 

Tina Aguirre-Groff, photographed by long time Ringling Blue Unit Clown Alley Wardrobe man, Bill Swift.

Tina graduated from Ringling's Clown College in 1995 and toured with both the Red and Blue Units from 1996-1999. This photo was most likely taken in 1997.

After Ringling Tina continued clowning, notably with the Kinoshita Circus in Japan and with a troupe of theater clowns from L.A. who called themselves The Funky Punks. 

Dick Monday and Tiffany Riley: The Laughter League

From the Laughter League Website:

Dick Monday and Tiffany Riley have been life partners and performing partners for the past twenty years, during which time they have headlined at circuses and festivals worldwide including Circus Sarasota, The Big Apple Circus, The Lone Star Circus, Hanneford Circus, Circo Atayde and Ringling Bros., and Barnum & Bailey.

They created the clown troupe, The New York Goofs, Slappy’s Puppet Playhouse, and the Funnyatrics Clown Program. They have now brought all endeavors under the label, Laughter League, which is a non-profit organization. You can currently see Laughter League clowns at Boston Children’s Hospital, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Cook Children’s Medical Center, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, and at public schools and libraries across Texas.

They most recently co-produced The Petite Palace, Big Fun in a Tiny Tent on the banks of White Rock Lake in collaboration with the Bath House Cultural Center in Dallas. You can often find them performing Goofballs Cabaret at the Pocket Sandwich Theatre, or you can listen to their podcast, This American Goofball on iTunes. Monday and Riley’s mission is to prove that not only is laughter the best medicine, but that clowns are one of the best ways to inspire laughter and help people’s health improve. 

The Piccolini Trio: Circus in a Trunk

Highlights of the Piccolini Trio's show, Circus In A Trunk, performed by Josh Shack, Joy Powers, and John Stork at the Canal Park Playhouse in New York City in the winter of 2012.

Karen Bell: The Red Skelton Follies

Karen Bell performing at the 2010 Red Skelton Clown School Follies in Vincennes, IN, the birthplace of Red. 

Karen graduated from Ringling Clown College in 1985 and performed for many years with the Ringling Red Unit, as well as a year with the Gold Unit in Japan.

In addition to being a wonderful prop builder, she is also currently the Outreach Education Manager for the Circus Arts Conservatory in Sarasota, FL.