LIVE AUCTION: To Benefit the International Clown Hall of Fame

The first item up for bid is a Leon "Buttons" McBryde doll, generously donated by Leon himself.

Leon is a graduate of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, performed with the Greatest Show on Earth and became the first Clown College graduate to become the circus' Advance Clown. He was trained in the job by none other than Michael "Coco" Polakovs.

Leon McBryde became a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus clown after graduating from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in 1969.  

Following his apprentice year with the Blue Unit of the Greatest Show on Earth, was selected as the show's Advance Clown (trained by Michael "Coco" Polakovs) and named Ringling's Goodwill Ambassador. Leon devised many promotional concepts, which he later taught as a Clown College instructor.  

In 1980 he created the "Ronald McDonald School Safety Show" and the "Big Red Shoe Review"for the McDonald's corporatation and in 1983 began appearing on "Toddlers Friends", a weekly TV show in Chicago, and with wrote and produced 100 segments.

Today Leon is known for creating the ProKnows clown noses that virtually all professional clowns wear (as well as other ProFace makeup supplies) and is one of America's premier Santa Clauses.

The doll is unsigned and the bidding starts at $40.00 plus shipping.

The bidding starts now and continues through 11:59 PM (EST) Sunday night. Simply place your bid in the comments section of this post.