Monday, September 03, 2007

CLOWN ALLEY: Bakery Gag, Garden Bros. Circus 1986


Roger "Rumpy the Clown" Prystanski and company perform a Bakery Gag based on the humor of "escalating reciprocal violence" (or "tit for tat"), similar in structure to the Washer Woman Gag and the basis for many of the best Laurel & Hardy shorts, on the Garden Bros. Circus in 1986.

7 comments:

24-HOUR-MAN said...

I have a very "strong" feeling that Co. here is Jack Cook!

Anonymous said...

The clown partner for Rumpy in this gag is Jack Cook. Jack worked on Garden many times over the years with his comedy car. He worked with Rumpy, John "Smiley" Daily and Billy Vaughn during his stays on Garden Bros. Circus. I fondly remember watching this gag while growing up in Canada. It was a great gag for simplisity. One action triggered a response followed by another set. It was great and a ton of memories flood back just watching this video clip. Rumpy was a true original and a great clown. His great style was a great influence on me persuing my dream of being a circus clown.

Pat Cashin said...

It very well could be Jack Cook.

The announcer sounded to me like he was saying that it was "Rumpy" and "Kooky".

Did Jack ever bill himself as "Kooky"? Maybe it's just someone with a Canadian accent pronouncing "Cookie"?

The comedy car act wasn't part of the 1986 show, or at least not part of the video that I have.

24-HOUR-MAN said...

The faces are pretty bright on my "infernal machine", but every once in a while I see a tramp face, & I just feel that he moves like Jack. They always worked well together, and I would loved to have seen Johnny with them. By the way for those who never saw Bumpsy, the next time you are around Johnny, ask him to do Bumpsy,,,,he is the only one I've ever seen do him,"to a T"!

Pat Cashin said...

Bill,

Don't blame you computer, the details are pretty washed out on the video.

It's a dub of a dub of a 1,000th generation dub. Once again, we have to be thankful to have even that.

Showfolk, do us all a favor and make sure you tape as often as possible!

~P

Anonymous said...

Scott and Bill you guys are 100% right it is Jack Cooke !! Ian Garden Sr. was the Ringmaster during these years and always refered to Jack as Cookey when he worked the ring gags BUT always as Mr. Jack Cooke when he worked the car act, Which WAS on the show that year. My son Alexander was born on the show that year. ANY GUESSES ON THE THIRD CLOWN??? MR. Lee....ps.. good luck with your new position Scott!!

Anonymous said...

Third clown in gag is DORIS GALUMBO !!!!!Mr. Lee