Charlie Rivel in Vienna 1940, the moment just before he yells, "Hey you dang kids! Get off of my lawn!" ; )
If you could judge a clown based on nothing more than the snug fit of his skullcap Rivel would STILL be legendary. Just look at that fit!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Rivel in Vienna
Charlie Rivel in Vienna 1940, the moment just before he yells, "Hey you dang kids! Get off of my lawn!" ; )
If you could judge a clown based on nothing more than the snug fit of his skullcap Rivel would STILL be legendary. Just look at that fit!
Friday, November 24, 2006
And Then There's Maude
Photo courtesy of Robin Estes, from the Estate of Harold Ronk
Ms. Maude Flippen
Right On, Maude!
Ms. Maude Flippen
Right On, Maude!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving
Yeeeeesh! Thanks again Macy's.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
The Cashin Family
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The Beatles and Cirque
If you aren't familiar with the Beatles, this is a good introduction.
If you are, the production quality of this is absolutely amazing. It's incredible how far we've come in terms of digital technology in that we can now take 40 year old masters and make them sound as though they were recorded this morning.
AND it's the soundtrack to a circus!!!
Cirque at the Garden Beginning In 2007
In a season filled with big circus news, this story is easily the BIGGEST!!!
Click the title of this post for the link to the story.
Rex "Boxcar" Young
Photo courtesy of Bill Strong
Rex "Boxcar" Young, a man I tried to call yesterday but wasn't home and didn't have an answering machine to leave a message on. If he's still in Holland, MI (there IS a Rex Young still listed there) somebody let me know and I'll send ol' Boxcar an answering machine for Christmas ; )
Rex "Boxcar" Young, a man I tried to call yesterday but wasn't home and didn't have an answering machine to leave a message on. If he's still in Holland, MI (there IS a Rex Young still listed there) somebody let me know and I'll send ol' Boxcar an answering machine for Christmas ; )
"Smiley" Daly
Photos courtesy of Bill Strong
John "Smiley" Daly from the program of the 1971 Ararat Shrine Circus in Kansas City MO.
Smiley a few years later (with a look that's a few years ahead of it's time) at Circus America with John McKay
Smiley's makeup and costume here remind me of Mike Smith, one of my Clown College instructors and a very funny person.
John "Smiley" Daly from the program of the 1971 Ararat Shrine Circus in Kansas City MO.
Smiley a few years later (with a look that's a few years ahead of it's time) at Circus America with John McKay
Smiley's makeup and costume here remind me of Mike Smith, one of my Clown College instructors and a very funny person.
George LaSalle
Photo courtesy of Bill Strong
Click the title of this post to visit Bill Strong's circus blog YESTERDAY'S TOWNS
Click the title of this post to visit Bill Strong's circus blog YESTERDAY'S TOWNS
Monday, November 20, 2006
Slapstick! on eBay
Clicking the title of this post will link you to an eBay auction (if you don't win don't worry. The book comes up pretty regularly)for Tony Staveacre's book SLAPSTICK!: THE ILLUSTRATED STORY OF KNOCKABOUT COMEDY, a great book featuring some of the giants of physical and visual comedy; circus clowns are discussed side-by-side with stars of stage and screen from both sides of the Atlantic.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
He's Just a Gigolo...
Photos courtesy of Ron "Toto" Johnson
Apparently Rocco Paris wasn't only married to Dana Nelson (as seen in our photo from the Red Show's Clownbusters gag the other day) but has, in fact, been married several times. Here we see a pair of photos from his brief May/December marriage with another wife, Ron "Toto Johnson.
From the 2nd photo I think it's obvious why they split ; )
Apparently Rocco Paris wasn't only married to Dana Nelson (as seen in our photo from the Red Show's Clownbusters gag the other day) but has, in fact, been married several times. Here we see a pair of photos from his brief May/December marriage with another wife, Ron "Toto Johnson.
From the 2nd photo I think it's obvious why they split ; )
Paul Jerome and Company
Paul Jerome, in his "happy hobo" makeup and "Janitor" hat, accompanied by an unidentified but similarly garbed "Boss".
All Hail the King
Who is the King?
King Kong?
Burger King?
King Crimson?
Nope!
The King of Rock and Roll?
The King of Pop?
The King of All Media???
Brother, the only place that they all rule is in Squaresville, man!
They all pale before the one true king, the King of Clowns, Frank B. "Felix" Adler!
Long live the King!
Lone Ranger and Popeye
Once upon a time in America, a much less litigious time, a trip to the circus meant seeing your favorite cartoon and radio stars brought to life. This was before the age of the theme park, where costumed characters are a now common sight. Even Cecil B. DeMille's GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH contains scenes of Paul Jung's "big head" mascot costumes of famous Disney characters included in Ringling's spec.
Try that today and a team of corporate copyright lawyers would eat you alive in ring two.
Oh, you might meet an unlicensed Spiderman or Spongebob at intermission on some shows, but you'll pay $10. a Polaroid for the privilege.
Here we see the Lone Ranger and Popeye happily rounding end track. It would be nice if we could still do stuff like this. I wish Shrine shows still had appearances by TV celebrities like they did in the 60s where you might see the Three Stooges, the Munsters, Bozo or Batman and Robin. Nowadays all we get are the morning zoo team from the local radio station.
"Moo-Head Manny" and "The Poo Guy" are no Batman and Robin. Believe me. What kid cares about morning zoo radio?
Sunday Night at the Movies: Curly Howard and Lou Costello
Two of the all-time great American screen clowns face off against oysters...
Jerome "Curly" Howard battles an oyster in the Three Stooges short DUTIFUL BUT DUMB (1941)
Lou Costello seems to have ordered the exact same stew a few years later in Abbott and Costello's HERE COME THE COEDS (1945)
Curly Howard and Lou Costello: Compare, contrast and discuss.
Jerome "Curly" Howard battles an oyster in the Three Stooges short DUTIFUL BUT DUMB (1941)
Lou Costello seems to have ordered the exact same stew a few years later in Abbott and Costello's HERE COME THE COEDS (1945)
Curly Howard and Lou Costello: Compare, contrast and discuss.
Sunday Morning Art Gallery w/ Bill Ballantine
Photo courtesy of Robin Estes
Felix Adler and one of his many performing pigs by former Ringling clown and later Clown College dean, Bill Ballantine
Felix Adler and one of his many performing pigs by former Ringling clown and later Clown College dean, Bill Ballantine
Sunday Morning Art Gallery w/ Mike Keever
Artwork, photo and memories courtesy of Mike Keever
Cowboy Mike Keever sez: "This very near and dear to my heart..."Eye of the Clown". It is the painting that I did from my logo that I had designed...as in I want to show everyone... the view of the world....through....the...Eye of the Clown."
"Baby Cowboy Mike...my first season...'77-'78 I later came out of the clown car with this hat on and would lasso Lou. It was fun everyday because Lou would for real try to make me miss him, which I did some. He always had that sparkle in his eye...that of a big kid out there playing...which I could also see from Ring 1 (Mule Gag) all the way down to Ring 3 (Hunting Gag)...Eric Braun between us in Ring 2 (Comedy Dog) It was a game for both of us. When I would catch him...and I would see him at the back curtain as we exited, backstage...Lou would say...
'Oh Jeez, Ya' got a lucky shot!'. and we would both smile and laugh. Good time!!! Very Good Times!!!"
__________________________________________
Thanks for sharing, Mike!
Clicking on the title of this post will take you to more info on Mike's artwork from the Cel-Ebration Art Gallery in Red Bank, NJ
Cowboy Mike Keever sez: "This very near and dear to my heart..."Eye of the Clown". It is the painting that I did from my logo that I had designed...as in I want to show everyone... the view of the world....through....the...Eye of the Clown."
"Baby Cowboy Mike...my first season...'77-'78 I later came out of the clown car with this hat on and would lasso Lou. It was fun everyday because Lou would for real try to make me miss him, which I did some. He always had that sparkle in his eye...that of a big kid out there playing...which I could also see from Ring 1 (Mule Gag) all the way down to Ring 3 (Hunting Gag)...Eric Braun between us in Ring 2 (Comedy Dog) It was a game for both of us. When I would catch him...and I would see him at the back curtain as we exited, backstage...Lou would say...
'Oh Jeez, Ya' got a lucky shot!'. and we would both smile and laugh. Good time!!! Very Good Times!!!"
__________________________________________
Thanks for sharing, Mike!
Clicking on the title of this post will take you to more info on Mike's artwork from the Cel-Ebration Art Gallery in Red Bank, NJ