When I was 11 years old I wrote Gene Lewis a fan letter. That one letter led to our becoming pen pals during the 1950s and 1960s. Gene was a great gentleman and talented clown. He began in vaudeville with Frank Faylen, who later moved to Hollywood and became a noted character actor. Gene stayed with the circus. I last saw Gene in the late 1960s in New York during Ringling's Madison Square Garden date. Gene posed for the artist Veres (Mrs. Dane Clark) and she produced several wonderful portraits of him. One of these portraits is called "Pensive" and the other I believe is called "Cut Away." I have been trying to locate one of these portraits of Gene but as yet have had no luck. The last I heard of Gene he was retired and living in California. If anyone has any additional information on Gene, when he passed away and where he is buried, I would very much like to hear from you.
Gene passed away in the mid 70's. He was very good friends with Jim Parker and left all his circus trunks, wardrobe, wigs and personal scrapbooks to Jim. When Jim passed, Tim Tegge recieved the Diamond Jim collection and now they are part of the Tegge Circus Archives here in Baraboo.
When I was 11 years old I wrote Gene Lewis a fan letter. That one letter led to our becoming pen pals during the 1950s and 1960s.
ReplyDeleteGene was a great gentleman and talented clown. He began in vaudeville with Frank Faylen, who later moved to Hollywood and became a noted character actor. Gene stayed with the circus. I last saw Gene in the late 1960s in New York during Ringling's Madison Square Garden date.
Gene posed for the artist Veres (Mrs. Dane Clark) and she produced several wonderful portraits of him. One of these portraits is called "Pensive" and the other I believe is called "Cut Away."
I have been trying to locate one of these portraits of Gene but as yet have had no luck.
The last I heard of Gene he was retired and living in California.
If anyone has any additional information on Gene, when he passed away and where he is buried, I would very much like to hear from you.
Rick Whelan
Gene passed away in the mid 70's. He was very good friends with Jim Parker and left all his circus trunks, wardrobe, wigs and personal scrapbooks to Jim. When Jim passed, Tim Tegge recieved the Diamond Jim collection and now they are part of the Tegge Circus Archives here in Baraboo.
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