Friday, January 01, 2021

Happy Lou Year!

Happy New Year from the International Clown Hall of Fame and Pat Cashin's Clown Alley! 

January 1st is not only the start of a new year, it is also the birthday of arguably the most recognized circus clown in the world, Mr. Lou Jacobs.

In honor of Lou's birthday and (hopefully) a much better year, we are proud to share with you some extremely rare photos generously sent to us by Gloria Wilkinson, long time Ringling Blue Unit head of wardrobe and friend of the clowns.

These photos were taken on Lou's birthday in 1990 when the Blue Unit was in Winter Quarters for the 120th Edition (the Flavio Togni show for you non edition-alists). Many thanks to Gloria for these wonderful moments from history, and many thanks to all of you who visit this blog and support the ICHOF.

And in honor of Mr. Jacobs, let there be no spaghetti served on this day!

Lou, Sean Conklin, and Ruthie Chaddock
Mike "Hillbilly" Weakley, Johnny Peers, Frosty Little, Dolly Jacobs, and Lou
Frosty, Dolly, and Lou


Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Quidam: Toto and Voki

 




    From Le Grand Chapiteau: In 2004, with subversive, crazy audience participation numbers, Toto (Guillermo Castineiras) and Voki (Voki Kalfayan) brought a contemporary North American vision of clowning to the show by bringing some of David Shiner's best acts. In the "Film Scene" (as seen in Nouvelle Experience) Voki plays an embittered film director who tries to guide four audience members through a few routines for a shocking scene in his film. The dictatorial director grows increasingly frustrated with his actors’ abilities (or inabilities), and hence the comedy. Another is the re-introduction into what has become a crowd-favorite in "The Car", in which Toto selects a female audience member to go on a drive-date with. {NOTE: Sometimes it's just Voki, sometimes it's just Toto; In 2006, Voki left and and others have played opposite Toto, such as: Ambrose Martos (2006), Eric Davis (2007-2008), and Fabio Esposito (2010) amongst others.}


Tuesday, December 29, 2020

More Clowns From Ralph Pierce



A couple more program scans from the collection of Ralph Pierce. In the first you can see a white faced Tom Sink, better known as "Popcorn", who performed on mud shows for many years. I know him best from his stint on Kelly Miller. Also a photo of Buck Nolan, long time Clyde Beatty clown, sporting a makeup that's new to me.

The second page.....that's anybody's guess. I'm guessing the pair in the upper left corner are Roberto & Eleazar....just rolls off the tongue.
Any info on any of those clowns (or the show they're on) would be most appreciated!

Additional info from Dan McCallum and Greg DeSanto: Also pictured in the first photo are Walt and Millie Stimax, who in addition to being clowns had a chimp act.
The first photo is most likely from a Hoxie Bros. program.

Monday, December 28, 2020

Jigalov & Morinov: Le Plus Grand Cabaret Du Monde


Andrey Jigalov was born on April 21, 1966 in Chelyabinsk. He grew up on the CHP. From an early age he was engaged in music. At the age of 13 he composed his first song and since then, according to him, he has not parted with the guitar. "The courts still remember my "concerts,"" he said. 


After graduating from the eighth grade of school, he studied at the Chelyabinsk Vocational School, having received a specialty of welder. Then he worked at the Chelyabinsk tractor factory. 


In 1984-1986 he served in the Soviet Army and served in Shuya. In 1987 he entered the GUCEI (State School of Circus and Variety Art by M. Rumyantsev (Pencil). 


He became widely known in 1990, when he played the main role - Kolya - in the tragicomedy of Nikolai Dostal "Cloud-paradise". Thinking of the film "Cloud-paradise", Nikolai Dostal was looking for an actor similar to Yuri Nikulin in his youth. The candidacy of Andrei Jigalov was prompted by actress Alla Kluka. 


In the plot of the film loitering in the yard from idleness Kohl annoys neighbors with stupid conversations. Not finding interlocutors on the street, he goes to his friend Feda. Meet him tired and indifferent. Wanting to attract attention, Kolya says that he is supposedly going to go to a friend - the Far East. This decision finds universal support, Kolya becomes a local hero, all the neighbors participate in his gatherings and wires. Under the dictation of Fedi he writes a statement of dismissal, Valya collects his suitcase, enterprising neighbors buy his furniture. For the decision to leave boring monotonous life Kolya gets respect and even good envy of friends. And when he says that the story of leaving - just a fiction, no one believes him. Kolya is put on the bus, and he leaves his hometown and the people who became his closest for that day. 


According to a survey of film critics and journalists, "Cloud-Paradise" was recognized as the best film of the year, the role of Andrey Jigalov - the best male role. 


For his work in this film, he received the Prize "For breaking the barrier between films for the chosen and cinema for all" at the first film festival "Kinotavr" in 1991. In 1992 he was awarded the Golden Aries Prize. He was also awarded the "Silver Leopard" - a special grand prize of the jury and the second prize of the city of Locarno, the prize of the ecumenical jury, the prize of the youth jury, the prize of the International Confederation of Experimental Cinema in Locarno. He also won the Grand Prix II MFEC (France) and the Special Jury Prize for the Cast of the Young Actors Film Festival in Geneva. Andrey Jigalov in the film "Cloud-paradise" 


In the 1990s he played in several more films - "Body," "The Hermit," "Education of Cruelty in Women and Dogs," "It's Not Serious" and others. He worked as a clown with Eduard Alekseenko at the Center of The Eccentrics of Alexander Jerome. In 1992 he was awarded a gold medal at the prestigious circus festival "Circus of Tomorrow" in Paris. 


In 1993 he left under a circus contract for Germany, where he settled. With his variety-circus "Jigalov-show" performed in the best circuses in Europe. Recognized as one of the best clowns in the world. He received almost all the highest awards in the field of circus arts, including the "Chaplin Cup" at the international competition in Canada. In 2003 he received the highest award of the circus world - "Silver Clown" at the circus festival in Monte Carlo from the hands of Princess Stephanie. 


In 2005, he starred with Nikolai Dostal in the sequel to the film "Cloud-Paradise" - the picture "Kola-roll the field". This is a new story about the same heroes. Once accidentally thrown in front of witnesses phrase forced Kolya to leave his house and her girlfriend. Overcoming the seas and oceans, Kolya returns to his hometown, unaware of the changes that occurred in his absence. For fellow countrymen such a surprise - a complete surprise, splashed out a storm of emotions and escalated into panic, because the arrival of Kohli - the real threat of their measured life. Like ten years ago, Kolya invents a story that turns everything upside down. At the 2005 Window to Europe Film Festival, the film "The Rolling Field" was awarded the Special Jury Prize "Golden Rook". Andrey Jigalov in the film "Kola-roll-up field" 


In 2007, jigalov starred in the joint production of Kazakhstan, Germany, Russia and France "Songs of the Southern Seas." In 2011 he played the role of Vasi Skvortsov in the crime series "Comrades Cops". In 2016, he shot a video "Ranetki" about a Chelyabinsk guy. The text was composed by Yuri Kosintsev, his colleague by profession and countryman. 


Andrey Jigalov lives in Berlin,Germany, and continues to work as a clown. His performance of La Clown on the German NETWORK's GOP variety show for 15 years has been the leader in the number of viewers who have visited it. He performs with the Jigalov and Friends Show in well-known circuses and variety shows - Roncalli, Knie, variete Wintergarten, etc.