SUSO: Movie Gag

What an original gag! Absolutely brilliant!

But I can't help feeling as though I've seen it done much better somewhere before ; )

If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work right now on my very original Charlie Chaplin on trapeze impersonation and I still haven't worked all of the kinks out of my very original 4 pie plate come-in gag yet but my midget car gag with Frankie Saluto is all ready for next season.

Unless he was working for Cirque du Soleil and directed by Shiner at the time this was filmed, Suso should probably have done this gag in a black and white striped shirt and a little black mask so that everyone would know he was SUPPOSED to be a thief.

FUNAMBOLIKA 2007: Gensi

From Circus Roncalli's website, translated by Alta Vista Babelfish...

Gensi, White Clown:

Around a further element Roncallis Clownerie is enriched in this year. The Catalan theatre clown Gensi bezaubert in his nostalgic costumes as a poetic white clown. It only as Pantomimen to designate, became not fair it, because Gensi bezaubert with a kribbelnden mixture from darstellerischem talent and musical intuitive feeling. Gensi visited first a Spanish theatre school, before he itself the clown Trio „Monti & Cia.“ attached, which was to be seen in the past year with Roncalli. Now the clown with the red peruecke leads alone like a red thread by the program. In its spare time the 40jaehrige dedicates itself to the art likewise, then museum and ballet attendance stand on its personal program.

HARD DRIVE CRASH

I had my hard drive crash two weeks ago and lost all of the photos that I'd scanned for the blog.

I know, I'm a big dope. I should have been backing them up but I just haven't had the time.

If anyone has been downloading the photos here and wouldn't mind burning them to disc for me you'd save me a LOT of time this summer.

Please contact me at cashincomedy@yahoo.com

EMMETT KELLY JR.

Photo courtesy of John Peters


Emmett Kelly Jr. and friend at the Shrine Circus in Rochester, NY sometime in 1964.

MAD MAX DANIELS

Former Ringling clown, now Hollywood stuntman, Max "Mad Max Daniels" Levine.

During the Las Vegas Clown College reunion in 2001 several of us met up at a place called the Peppermill, a little nightspot that Joel Heidtman hipped me to that still had that "Ring-A-Ding-Ding" air of the Rat Pack era.

Max casually walked in and shattered the vibe in the place all to pieces by throwing a 108 that scared the patrons and staff half to death. We, of course, greeted it with a standing ovation.

FUNAMBOLIKA 2007: Jango Edwards

Photos courtesy of Raffaele di Ritis



Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

A l'e poque ou Jean-sans-Terre
De' Angleterre etait Roi
Funambolika, notre Pere
Combattit les Albigeois

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Certain jour un heretique
Par des ronces le conduit
Mais notre pere Funambolika
Par sa joie le convertit

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Ni chameau
Ni diligence il parcout l'Europe a pied
Scandinavie ou Provence
Dans la sainte pauvrete

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Enflamma de toute ecole filles
Et garcons pleins d'ardeur
Et pour semer la Parole inventa
Les Freres-Precheurs

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Chez Funambolika et ses freres
Le pain s'en vint a manquer
Et deux anges se presenterent
Portant de grands pains dores

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Funambolika vit en reve
Les precheurs du monde entier
Sous le manteau de la Vierge
En grand nombre rassembles

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Funambolka, mon bon Pere
Garde-nous simples et gais
Pour annoncer a nos freres
La Vie et la Verite

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

ELMO REMEMBERS: Blue Show Alley '77-'78

Taking a cue from Bill Strong's blog, who can name all four of these '77-'78 era Ringling Blue Show clowns?

LOCKE LORRAINE

Photos and comments courtesy of Jerry Jacobson






From Jerry Jay...

_______________________________________________________


Pat,

Here are three photos of Bob "Locke" Lorraine. I worked with him in 1963 on the Rudy Bros. Circus. He was a the "Hollywood" clown on the show. Others in the photos are Candy Dickson, Jerry Jay (Me), Locke and Rex (Count De Boxcar) Young. I believe he stayed with Rudy for at least a few seasons after this. He lead me to believe that there was a degree of tension between Ernie Burch and himself. They both wore glitter, long lashes, and enjoyed working in drag. I believe he was out of the Los Angeles area.


You mentioned in Bill Strong's blog you didn't know much about Locke so I hope this little bit helps.
Jerry Jay

-----------------------------------------------

Thank you Jerry!

FUNAMBOLIKA 2007: David Larible

Photos courtesy of Raffaele di Ritis

DAVE CARLYON REMEMBERS: The Ballet Gag

Here's a picture of the participants in the Blue Show's '78 ballet gag: Ed "Smitty" Smith, Rick "Rick" Davis, Peter "May I Lick Your Face" Pitofsky, Dave "David" Carlyon, Jon "John" Wilkinson, and Lenny "My Back Hurts" Ciaccio, plus showgirls Susu, Jeannie, and (?) Janet. I think Kenny "Gumby" Colombo was in the gag too. I was a backup for all the parts but between the regulars' genuine ailments and self-granted "personal days," I ended up doing it every performance.

The second photo is mostly to show off my legs.

RINGLING: Clown Alley 1915

SHRINE CIRCUS: Detroit, MI 1951

Photo courtesy of John Peters, comments courtesy of Jackie LeClaire



The Clown Alley of the 1951 Orin Davenport Shrine Circus in Detroit, MI.



From Jackie...

______________________________________________________________

Photo taken in the early 1950's.

Standing left to right...

Oscar Lawanda: He had been a famous bareback rider in his younger days. He was probably in his late 70's or early 80's at that time.

Percy Rademacker: From Sheboygan, Wis. He was an outstanding auto thrill show clown doing tramp during the summer. I worked with him on the Aut Swenson show.

George LaSalle: Very clever in reproducing clown props and was responsible for the larger clown production numbers.

Jackie LeClaire: Notice over the years I kept making different types of clown costumes. Note the unusual collar on this one.


Sitting left to right...

Smoky Rouse: Tramp. Very good tramp clown

Dick Lewis: With white Fratellini-style make up. Longtime clown and veteran of many circuses. Lived in Baraboo, WI towards the end of his life and worked at the Circus World Museum. Died while doing his table rock act at a date in Texas. When he fell, he just missed the padding and hit the floor. He was a big circus fan.

Earl Shipley: He was always the Boss Clown as he was a Shiner and very close to Orin Davenport who produced the Detroit show. I bought his house trailer in l96l. He also recommened me to replace him as advance Ringling clown when he wanted to leave the road. Had been on a circus with my Father in 1913.

Joe Lewis: Married to Eva May who had been the first wife of Emmet Kelly. His photo was on a Ringling program cover back in the late 30's.

Hope this helps,

Jackie LeClaire

________________________________________________

Thank you for your invaluable info Jackie!

HAGENBECK-WALLACE 1937

Photos courtesy of Bill Strong






Joe "Ko-Ko" Coyle was a longtime Chicago event clown and that he is most likely the person pictured at the far right of the Alley shot, bending down, with the pancake hat. The clown standing next to him was on the Cole Bros. Circus and appears (along with Emmett Kelly, Otto Griebling and Freddie Freeman) in the short film HERE COMES THE CIRCUS.

Other than that, I don't know who is who, which is which and what I can add.

That train looks pretty cool though, huh?

PETER PITOFSKY: Comedy Boot Camp

A short film by Brian Haley about Comedy Boot Camp. This aired on the Fox TV show The Sunday Comics. Note Brian's pals in the line up including (notably) Peter Pitofsky, Billy Elmer, Peter Gaulkie and Drew Carey in his first acting roll! Some small edits to cut down on time. This was taken off an old demo reel of Brian's.

GENE LEWIS

Photos courtesy of John Peters


Gene Lewis with Jeannie, the tiniest elephant on RBBB in the mid 60s. The showgirl is Ms. Evy Karoly.


A 50s era photo of Gene, signed in 1968.