Clown Alley Black History Month: James Holyfield

 

James Holyfield attended Clown College in 1991. He is related (a cousin I believe) to the famous boxer, Evander Holyfield who had part of his ear bitten off by Mike Tyson.

I'm pretty sure James still has all of his ears....

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Robert Dunn "Onionhead"

 

Robert Dunn created his clown character of Onionhead long before he became synonymous with the Universoul Circus.

Robert joined the Universoul Circus at the age of 56 as a cook, but eventually was able to step into the ring as a clown, his initial ambition.

He has performed with the Universoul Circus for over 13 years, and is well known and beloved by their audiences. 

Learn more about Onionhead at the Uncle Jr. Project:

https://www.unclejrproject.com/onionhead

Clown Alley Black History Month: Sean Davis

 

Sean Davis fell in love with a beautiful circus dancer and joined the Ringling Blue Unit on the floor crew to pursue her.

He attended the Ringling Clown College in 1995 and toured with the Red Unit Clown Alley in 1996.

In 2009 Sean returned to the Red Unit Clown Alley, and left at the end of the 2012 season. He was the final Clown College graduate to perform in Clown Alley before Ringling's closing in 2017.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Jonathan Martin

Jonathan Martin attended the Ringling Clown College in 1996 and afterwards toured with the Universoul Circus along with Danise Payne. 

 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Brian Wright

 

Brian Wright saw the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus for the first time as a very small child. His family took him to see the Arianna the Human Arrow tour at Madison Square Garden in 1996, and from that moment on, his path in life was clear: Brian was going to be a Ringling clown.

Brian and his wife both worked on the backstage crew on the Ringling Red Unit before he attended the Mooseburger Clown Arts Camp. That year there was a large group of young clowns who all wanted to work for Ringling, and several of them were hired, including Brian.

Brian toured with the Ringling Red Unit from 2014 through the show's closing in 2017. Brian was the only clown in the Alley who did all "three" years of the Circus Xtreme show, and at the moment holds the title of the last African American clown on Ringling. 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Gregory Parks

 

Gregory Parks wanted to be a clown from a young age, and both he and his brother got to perform as Guest Clowns on Ringling in the 1980s.

Greg attended the NY Goofs program in NYC in 1999, and performed with the Ringling Blue Unit for the 2001-2004 seasons. I was lucky to be cast with Greg in a very fun pancake cooking gag my First of May year.

After leaving Ringling Greg performed around the world as a clownish Hunny Helper in the Feld produced Winnie The Pooh Live show.

Greg also performed solo and with Neal Skoy at Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI (pictured above).

He spent many years at Kinoshita Circus in Japan clowning alongside Kelly Van Cleave and Jessi Hoffschildt.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Danise Payne

 

A very early picture of Danise Payne, most likely from when she attended the Ringling Clown College in 1978. (Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo)

Danise performed on the Red Unit in 1979 and 1980, and returned to the Blue Unit in 2002 and 2003, which is when I was lucky enough to work with and learn from her.

In the time between Danise performed many places, notably Gerry Cottle's Circus in the UK and the Universoul Circus in the United Staes.

You can find out more about Danise by visiting the Uncle Junior project:

https://www.unclejrproject.com/danise-payne

Clown Alley Black History Month: Darren Wilson

Darren Wilson attended the Ringling Clown College in 1993, the first year the program was held in Baraboo, WI.

 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Lea Abierra

Lea Abierra was the final African American graduate of the Ringling Clown College in 1997. She began as a dancer on the Ringling Red Unit before attending Clown College. After graduating she performed as a clown with Universoul Circus. 

 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Tom Blackmon

 

Tom Blackmon graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1985. He was the only African American CC student to use a whiteface makeup.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Kathryn Jones

 

Kathryn Jones graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1982. I do not know any information on her beyond that, so please chime in if you know more.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Stephanie Parks

 

Stephanie Parks graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1981 and toured with the Red Unit in 1982 and 1983.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Andrea Waller

 

Andrea Waller graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1979 and toured with the Blue Unit's 110th Edition in 1980 and 1981.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.