JOHN MCCONNELL MEMORIAL SERVICE: May 20, 2011

After a few deeply heartfelt words from John's son Eric McConnell, John's family and friends held a good thought or memory of John and released a multitude of balloons heavenward.

IN MEMORIAM: John McConnell

It is with deep regret that I inform you that friend and colleague John H.
McConnell passed away last night.


He had recently been ill with an undiagnosed ailment.


John is survived by his wife, Dolores, and three sons, two of whom, Eric and
Brian, were with him in the circus business, as well as his
daughters-in-laws.


Funeral arrangements are pending. Doyle Funeral in Morristown, NJ will be
handling the arrangements.
http://www.doylefh.com/


He was active for many years as a circus proprietor, manager and consultant.
He wrote many books including several on circus topics, including the
Hanneford family and the Shrine circus that originated in Detroit.


John was a long time member of the Circus Historical Society and was serving
as a trustee of the organization.


Fred Dahlinger

IN MEMORIAM: Fred Collins

I'm deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. Fred Collins. Anyone who ever worked in the variety arts in the NJ area knew Fred and his shop, Mecca Magic.

I've known Fred Collins since I was 13 years old and walked into a real magic shop for the first time. Mecca Magic was everything a real magic shop ought to be and Fred was everything you could ask for in a magic shop owner. A very talented, very generous man, he will be very sorely missed.

REMEMBERING CESLEE

2 Performers Die as Ringling Circus Train Derails
The New York Times
By GLENN COLLINS
Published: January 14, 1994

A Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus train derailed yesterday on a foggy stretch of track a mile east of Lakeland, Fla., killing a nationally known elephant trainer and a clown and injuring 15 people.

The Polk County Sheriff's Department said the cause of the derailment was unknown and is under investigation. The 53-car train, which derailed at 9:15 A.M., carried 200 performers and circus workers as well as 60 animals in the circus's Blue Unit, one of two Ringling shows that travel across the country in circus trains.

"It's Ringling's most serious train accident in more than 100 years," said a circus spokeswoman, Laura FitzGerald. The train was traveling 35 miles an hour, she said, adding that she did not know if fog had contributed to the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

Ms. FitzGerald identified the dead trainer as Theodore Svertesky, 39, of Bridgeport, Conn. A leading elephant trainer who headed the Ringling Elephant Farm, a research and breeding facility in Williston, Fla., Mr. Svertesky also performed in the center ring. He presented the Blue Show's headline attractions, Romeo and Juliet, 1-year-old Asian elephants who were making their debut with the show.

Officials said Ceslee Conkling, 28, of Fort Worth, Tex., a clown who performed in the show, was also killed. Animals Are Unharmed

Among the performers injured were a clown, a member of the band, two dancers and four members of a Chinese acrobatic troupe. All were treated for minor injuries at Lakeland Regional Medical Center and released.

No animals were in the 17 cars that derailed, and none was injured. After the accident, two members of a television news crew from Orlando were injured when their helicopter crashed behind a nearby high school.

The derailment occurred at a crossing at the intersection of State Route 92 and Fish Hatchery Road as the train traveled from St. Petersburg to an engagement in Orlando on Friday.

Ms. FitzGerald said it had not yet been decided whether the Friday performance in Orlando would be held. The show is scheduled to work its way north, traveling from city to city until its official world premiere in Madison Square Garden on March 24.

Ms. Ceslee Conkling December 6, 1965 - January 13, 1994
(Photo courtesy of The International Clown Hall of Fame)

Fourteen years have passed.

I get busy with life and stuff and only when I take the moment to stop and look do I see it. I dig through albums of photo's, looking for publicity pictures for the next gig. And then I see her. The memories are still very fresh, the pain just under the surface. We took everything for granted. Never think the end is near. The last thing I remember her saying to me in St. Pete on load out before the train run was to make me promise to watch her track gag in Orlando. Give her some new bits.

Then its over...

It was the defining moment for me...the one thing that changed everything forever. Nothing would ever be the same. The show, the clowns, my life. The whole thing about 'never growing up"...changed. We lost something. The show continued but it never quite felt the same. People were very kind, the show opened a day late in Orlando, and the routine began again. Props to be set, clown alley to be spotted. The dry cleaning came back and costumes were collected.

All but one.

That was the saddest moment out of ten years of touring.

To see her costume hanging by itself on a rack backstage... knowing.

The physical hurts healed, but the emotional ones linger. What happened that January morning made me a different person, I pray a better person.

I remember with a smile a pretty clown who loved to fall...

Greg DeSanto
January 13, 2008

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

Dear Ceslee,

I am not sure if you will receive this, as it is uncertain whether or not e-mail can reach all the way to heaven. But I'll try.

Things have changed, but probably not as much as you would think. Many of your friends are still on the Show, many have left, and many have decided that they didn't get quite enough of the life that we all so passionately love and have returned for more.

The Clowns on both shows are doing well. The Red Unit is hard at work in Winter Quarters on yet another incredible show, and the Blue Show Clowns are enjoying a rest before heading back out onto the Road. I assure you that they are up to the same old buffoonery in the Alley, and the No-Talent Talent Show and the Hot Dog Eating Contest continue to be highlights of both routes.

Technology has changed the Circus quite a bit. Most of the Clowns now have cellular phones, and I have to tell you, it is kind of strange to be in Clown Alley and hear a phone ringing! Also, Circus Management is on this computer network called the Internet, so any information regarding the Show is e-mailed to the Corporate Offices daily. Not a good idea to be late for the Show.

As you can imagine, most of the familiar things have not changed at all. Clowns still put off that makeup order, then scramble trying to find clown white. Early PR appointments still abound, and it is harder than ever to squeeze a few comps out of the Promoter. The frantic pace backstage minutes before opening night remains, and, of course, audiences around the country continue to be mesmerized by the splendor of The Greatest Show on Earth. That, dear friend, will never change.

My, how we miss you. I have seen your parents several times, and I know that they miss you more than you can possibly imagine. You name is spoken fondly, with laughter and tears, every single day. That as well, dear friend, will never change.

A few years ago I rode the Circus Train through that area of immense suffering in Lakeland. I wanted to avoid the trip altogether and drive, but I decided to take the train and find what I was seeking. Standing on the vestibule in the early morning fog, I recognized the location and returned to my room. Clutching the Bible that I have had for more than twenty years, I sat alone, overcome with emotion, in the privacy of my room as the train crawled through Lakeland. Then I found what I had so desperately needed for a long time; peace.

Gone, but not forgotten, you are loved. Rest well.

Your friend,

Joel Heidtman

December 6, 2000

(Photo courtesy of The International Clown Hall of Fame)

IN MEMORIAM: Jim Clark

Today marks the second anniversary of the passing of my friend, Jim Clark, one of the finest people that it has ever been my pleasure to know.

In all things, Jim's very thoughtful consideration and impeccable character were evident.

After two years, I am still not yet qualified to properly eulogize him. It is still too fresh, too painful, and nothing that I could say would do him the justice he deserves.

Suffice to say that my family and I continue to miss him terribly each and every day.

IN MEMORIAM: Ted Ferlo (March 15, 1963 - November 19, 2010)

Theodore ‘Teddy’ A. Ferlo

Theodore "Teddy" A. Ferlo Nov. 18, 2010 Theodore "Teddy" A. Ferlo, age 47, of Rome, passed away November 18, 2010, at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Syracuse, with his loving family at his side. He was born March 15, 1963, in Rome, a son of John T. and Dorothy Francescone Ferlo, and graduated from RFA and Mountain Vie...w Community College in Dallas, Texas. He formerly was a professional clown with Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey Circus, and currently is employed as the Special Events Manager at Turning Stone Casino and Resort. Teddy was united in marriage to the former Mary Beth Combs, whom he met while performing with the Circus, on March 16, 1991, in Rome. He was a member of St. Peter’s Church.

Ted was a loving husband, father, son, brother and uncle; he adored family. Ted’s greatest passion was performing, which now lives on in his boys. He was an excellent teacher; the three of them loved putting on a show wherever and whenever they could.

Ted will be greatly missed by friends and family all over the world. Each and every person meant so much to him.

Ted is survived by his wife, Mary Beth; his mother, Dorothy; two sons, Sebastian and Samuel; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Frances and Richard Galluppi of Rome, Deborah and Glenn Hand of Rome, and Dorothea and Paul Iselo of Floyd; a brother and sister-in-law, T. Robert and Nancy Ferlo of Clifton Park; a sister-in-law, Diane Ferlo, of Menifee, CA; a special friend, Mike Colangelo; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father, John T. Ferlo, a brother, John "Skip" Ferlo and a nephew, Christopher Ferlo.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 1:00 p.m. from the Barry Funeral Home, 807 W. Chestnut Street, and at 2:00 p.m. at St. Peter’s Church. Burial will be in St. Peter’s Cemetery. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home Sunday 2 to 6 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to a Scholarship Fund being established for Ted’s sons, Sebastian and Samuel, c/o Dorothea Iselo, 8394 E. Floyd Road, Holland Patent, NY 13354.

Ted was a wonderful person, a great clown and an exemplary father. 

He will be very sorely missed.

GLEN "FROSTY" LITTLE: Obituary, New York Times

Glen Little, Better Known as Frosty the Clown, Dies at 84

By DANIEL E. SLOTNIK

Published: November 4, 2010

Glen Little, better known as Frosty the Clown, who performed at the White House and was a teacher and mentor to a generation of clowns with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, died on Oct. 26 in Kimberly, Idaho, near his home in Burley. He was 84.

His wife, Patricia, confirmed his death.

Mr. Little was the last of four Ringling Brothers clowns to earn the circus’s “master clown” designation, and the last surviving member of that select group.

Peggy Williams, one of Mr. Little’s protégés, described him as “kind of a drill sergeant, but in a comedic way.”

“He insisted that you always look your best, even on a Saturday after three shows, that you never looked disheveled in front of the audience or ruin a kid’s fantasy of a clown,” Ms. Williams said.

Mr. Little was the circus’s executive director of clowns in 1986 when an About New York column in The New York Times described him meticulously inspecting his charges before a performance while wearing “full clown regalia.”

After scolding lackadaisical and inappropriately attired clowns, Mr. Little, perched on a tiger cage, said, “Sometimes it’s tough to get them to take me seriously.”

Glen Gordon Little was born on Dec. 5, 1925, to Elsie and Glen Little in Genoa, Neb. He was given the nickname Frosty because he loved playing in the snow as a child.

After high school he joined the Navy in 1944. An injury in 1945 led to the removal of part of his right lung and an honorable discharge.

Mr. Little married Shirley Moss in 1950; they divorced in 1970.

He began his capering career with the Joe King Circus in Colorado in 1956 and opened his own clown business in 1962.

Mr. Little’s persona combined two styles of clown: the whiteface, more dignified and usually the boss or straight man in a gag; and the auguste, prone to wearing garish, oversize clothing and more often the butt of physical jokes.

In 1968 he spied an opportunity for the big time: Ringling Brothers’ new Clown College in Venice, Fla. He graduated with the inaugural class in 1968 and landed a coveted job with the circus at the age of 44.

In 1970 he was promoted to boss clown, a job he held for the next decade.

He met his second wife, Patricia, in 1971 while the circus was in California, and they married three weeks later in Chicago.

Mr. Little became executive director of clowns in 1980 and held the job until he retired in 1991, the year he was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame. He taught at Clown College during most of his career.

In 1983 Irvin and Kenneth Feld, the owners of Ringling Brothers, designated Mr. Little a master clown. Only Otto Griebling, Bobby Kay and Lou Jacobs had received the honor before him. Mr. Little also performed repeatedly at the White House, where he met Presidents Richard M. Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Little is survived by a brother, Dixon Little, of Northport, Fla.; a daughter from his first marriage, Tawnya Wiseman, of Greeley, Colo.; and a daughter from his second, Roxanne Webster, of San Diego.

GLEN "FROSTY" LITTLE: From Steve Smith

Frosty Little - teacher; performer; mentor; Master Clown.

He entertained so many millions over the years; 

He helped show so many of us the way over the years;

He loved to blow things up; set things on fire - any kind of pyro effect. 

His list of CBOBS {Comic Bits of Business} was endless, and mostly questionable. 

He should have had stock in Sea Breeze.

He was a one-of-a-kind, true original - Hotorini!!! 

I imagine him now, and here is a thought or two: "I'll be there...when you look up at the sky at night. In one of the stars I'll be smiling...In one of the stars I'll be laughing....And so it will be as if all the stars in heaven are smiling & laughing when you look up at the sky at night. I'll be there. But, oh how we'll miss you down here... 

For all who know this life, know it too briefly, and all who leave this life, leave it too soon. May peace cup your heart and hold it gently.

love & light...

Rest In Peace

GLEN "FROSTY" LITTLE: Obituary, Sarasota-Herald

Glen "Frosty" Little taught others art of clowning

 

Glen Little, an early graduate of the Ringling Bros. Clown College, was known as "Frosty" the clown.

By Jay Handelman

Published: Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, November 1, 2010 at 8:42 p.m. 

 

( page of 2 )

In his off hours, Glen Little could easily go unnoticed, but when he spread white makeup all over his face and donned his trademark pointy red hat, thousands of circus lovers instantly knew him as Frosty.

One of the first graduates of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College who later mentored hundreds of younger clowns during a 23-year career, "Frosty" Little died Oct. 26 in Burley, Idaho. He was 84.

"We used to say that the Clown College was a salvation for American circus clowning, but I say Frosty was the salvation of circus clowning," said Chuck Sidlow, who studied under and worked with Little for several years.

Born in 1925 in Nebraska, Little developed a lifelong love for circus after seeing a performance as a child, Sidlow said. Friends said he got the nickname "Frosty" from a grandfather because he loved to play in the snow.

In 1968, he became part of the first class of Clown College, which was based for many years in Venice. He graduated at age 44, and quickly joined the newly created second touring unit. Within two years, he became the "boss clown," and for 11 years until his retirement in 1991, he served as "Executive Clown Director," overseeing clowns in both the red and blue units and helping to develop new clown gags. He also returned each summer to work with new Clown College students. He and his wife, Pat, lived in Venice during his Ringling circus years.

"He made young kids feel welcome and made sure the old-timers were treated with respect and honor," said Sidlow, who now works for Circus Sarasota. "He recognized their contribution to the circus and the art of clowning, and he carried the torch."

Sidlow said Little created more than 200 clown gags, designed and built props and taught many newcomers how to be better in the three-ring circus world.

"He was a father figure to almost everybody," Sidlow said. "He had a soft humane side that enabled him to mentor. He was such a giving person, and instead of teaching you about circus and clowning and comedy, you learned by osmosis, because it just came off him."

In 1983, Little joined Lou Jacobs, Otto Griebling and Bobby Kay as one of only four Ringling circus "master" clowns. He was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1991, around the time he retired and moved with his wife to Burley, Idaho, where he ran a circus museum.

He also worked privately with many clowns to develop and perfect their acts, Sidlow said. In 1996, he also wrote a book about his clowning experiences, "Circus Stories: Boss Clown on the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for More than 20 Years."

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his brother, Dixon, and a daughter, Tanya. No formal funeral is planned, but a celebration of life will be scheduled in Sarasota.

IN MEMORIAM: Thina Hansen

Mrs. Thina Hansen, wife of John Hansen and mother of Diana Hansen-Juchno and Shane Hansen, passed away quietly Saturday, surrounded by family. A longtime circus performer with the Rolling Diamonds as well as active member of Showfolks of Sarasota, she was a very loving grandmother to J.R., Olivia, Michael, Madison and Ella.

A Celebration of Life is being planned for December.

A wonderful woman; she will be missed.

Now that I am gone,
remember me with smiles and laughter.
And if you need to cry,
cry with your brother or sister
who walks in grief beside you.
And when you need me,
put your arms around anyone
and give to them what you need to give to me.
There are so many who need so much.
I want to leave you something --
something much better than words or sounds.
Look for me in the people I've known
or helped in some special way.
Let me live in your heart
as well as in your mind.
You can love me most
by letting your love reach out to our loved ones,
by embracing them and living in their love.
Love does not die, people do.
So, when all that's left of me is love,
give me away as best you can.

~ Author unknown

GLEN "FROSTY" LITTLE: From the Times-News

He kept them laughing: Burley resident was key part of 'Greatest Show on Earth'

BURLEY — Reactions to the recent passing of a famous circus performer just prove the saying that everyone loves a clown.

Former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey clown Glen “Frosty” Little, 84, died Tuesday in Kimberly.

“I already miss him like crazy,” said Little’s wife, Pat Little, who described the man under the Ringling Boss Clown makeup as extremely kind and loved by people around the world.

Fans’ love for her husband kept Pat’s phone ringing Wednesday with calls from around the world as the news of his death spread.

The Littles settled in Burley after Glen’s retirement from “The Greatest Show on Earth” 19 years ago. But he didn’t exactly hang up his nose — instead, he settled in teaching another generation of clowns how to make people chuckle.

Clown Tricia “Priscilla Mooseburger” Manuel, who lives in Maple Lake, Minn., worked under Glen for several years at the Ringling circus.

“Frosty was a great clown, but more importantly he taught us all to be great clowns,” Manuel said. “His purpose was to take young clowns and to push them to the front of the spotlight.”

Manuel said many of the old-time circus greats learned from Glen, who was inducted into the Clown Hall of Fame in 1991.

He received his Master Clown title from Ringling while Manuel performed with him in the 1980s. Manuel worked with him again when she opened Mooseburger Clown Arts Camp.

“He was the first person I called,” Manuel said. “I was so proud to have him be a part of my staff.”

Glen was tough, she said — after all, clowning around was his life’s work.

“He made sure we toed the line,” Manuel said. “... Most of all he wanted us to have respect for the show and to know our place in it. The show always came first. That was important.”

Manuel said Glen was able to make a successful transition from a circus clown performing in front of thousands of people to a hometown clown performing in someone’s living room.

Bruce “Abernathy D’ Clown” Chenoweth of New Plymouth worked with Glen writing gags for his clown partner, Ann “Twinkles” Chenoweth.

Ann Chenoweth remembers Glen as an old-school clown and “a very nice man.”

Glen passed along gags to the Chenoweths, including one tricking the audience to think they’re about to get doused with a water bucket really filled with confetti.

“His basic clown skills that he taught were tremendously valuable and his makeup was magnificent,” Bruce Chenoweth said.

Pat Little, who enjoyed a 41-year marriage with her husband, said that he above all loved to joke with people.

“I lived to make him happy and he lived to make me happy,” she said. “After he retired he’d play tricks on me and then I’d get him back. There will never be another one like him.”

Red Skelton never forgot him at Christmas, Pat said, and actor Iron Eyes Cody adored him.

“He was so well loved,” Pat said. “I don’t know anybody who didn’t like Frosty.”

Laurie Welch may be reached at lwelch@magicvalley.com or 677-5025.

FROM THE POLAKOVS FAMILY

We are so sorry to hear about the loss of Frosty Little. Coco and I first met Frosty in the late sixties when Coco was doing advance for Ringling and Frosty was on the show. He was Boss Clown of the next generation circus clowns. Through the years we would meet up again. We then worked together with Leon McBride and Advanced Studies where Coco and Frosty shared their experience with future and practicing clowns. Our heart felt sympathies go out to Frosty's family and friends.

Hazel Polakovs, Michelle Polakovs and David Polakovs

IN MEMORIAM: GLEN "FROSTY" LITTLE

Glen "Frosty" Little

Glen "Frosty" Little (born 1925 in Genoa, Nebraska) is a circus clown who served with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for over 20 years. He is one of only four clowns ever to have been given the title "Master Clown" by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Early life

Little saw his first circus at the age of seven, which instilled a life-long love of the circus in him. His nickname "Frosty" was given to him as a boy by his grandfather, who compared him to Jack Frost due to his love of playing in the snow. It is more than a stage name; he even signs his checks "Frosty Little".

Little served in the US Navy during World War II, and was wounded. He learned juggling from a fellow patient while convalescing, a skill that would later help him land his first clowning jobs.

In 1950, he married his wife, Patricia, who is a photographer and former schoolteacher, with whom he has two daughters.

Early career

Prior to joining the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Little worked as a postal employee and land surveyor in Colorado. From 1954 to 1956, he performed as a clown at a local amusement park on weekends, wearing a rented costume. In 1956, he went into clowning full-time after he was hired by the Joe King Circus, with which he toured the Rocky Mountain States for half of the year. The rest of the year, he freelanced as a clown at birthday parties and special events. He continued working for the Joe King circus for seven years until its closure in 1962.

With The Greatest Show on Earth

Little also worked for other small outfits like the Tom Mix Show and Sells Floto Circus, but he had long had his eye on "The Greatest Show on Earth" – Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. In 1968, he finally got his chance when Ringling created the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College; Little was in its first graduating class, and at the age of 44, he landed a job with Ringling's newly split-off second touring unit.

In 1970 Little was promoted to "Boss Clown" of his unit, and from 1980 until his retirement in 1991, he was the circus' "Executive Clown Director", overseeing clowns in both units, and writing new gags for the clowns to perform. In his lifetime, he has written over 300 gag routines. In his later career, Little also served as an advance man for the circus.

Little also taught at his alma mater, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. In 1988, Little also helped establish the Ringling circus' first overseas touring unit (based in Japan), choreographing gags and training members of their Clown Alley.

Among the dignitaries he entertained were US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and US President Richard Nixon. He also appeared on 12 Ringling Bros. TV specials.

Little sustained several injuries over the course of his career, including seven broken ribs, ruined knees, and numerous other injuries that left him with "crooked fingers". After one accident, he was rushed to the hospital (after completing his performance) still wearing his clown suit.

Honors

In 1983, Little was named "Master Clown" by the Ringling organization, only the fourth clown ever to be so named (after Otto Griebling, Bobby Kaye, and Lou Jacobs – Little's mentor). Little remains the last person ever to have been awarded the title.

Little was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1991.

Post-career

Little retired to Burley, Idaho, where he ran his own circus museum. In 1996, Little wrote a book on his experiences as a clown, entitled Circus Stories: Boss Clown on the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for More than 20 Years.

In 1977 Little was asked by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune what he would do after he retired from the circus. Little replied, "Leave here? Are you out of your mind? I'm never going to leave here. I'll always be a clown."

Hotarini!

IN MEMORIAM: Sir Norman Wisdom (Obituary from the London Telegraph)

Sir Norman Wisdom

Sir Norman Wisdom, who died on Monday aged 95, ranked second only to Charlie Chaplin as the 20th century’s most consistently successful British screen comic; he shared with Chaplin a talent for visual and physical humour whose roots lay in music hall and whose appeal transcended cultural boundaries.

When the two men met briefly in 1950 Chaplin told Wisdom: “You will follow in my footsteps,” and three years later Wisdom made his first major film, Trouble in Store. Although he was already established on stage and on television, reviews of the film were moderate, and Rank executives held out no great hopes for it. In the event, the film set records in 51 London cinemas, and Wisdom’s plaintive theme song, Don’t Laugh at Me, spent months in the Top 10.

An unbroken run of 15 successes followed until 1966, with the 5ft 4in tall Wisdom holding off even the challenge of James Bond to be Britain’s favourite box-office draw. In 1964 a record 18.5 million people watched his BBC pantomime Robinson Crusoe.

Wisdom’s screen success declined along with the British film industry. His last outing was an ill-advised sex comedy in 1969, What’s Good for the Goose. Sex, like colour film, seemed to jar.

He did not translate well in America, which already had a similar star in Jerry Lewis. A later role, however, in a Broadway musical, Walking Happy, earned him a critics’ award in 1967, and the following year The Night They Raided Minsky’s saw him nominated for a supporting Oscar.

Yet everywhere else Wisdom’s pathetic charm cast a binding spell. He was as popular in South America as he was in Iran, where he met boys whose only English was his catchphrase “Mr Grimsdale!” His films were often shown in eastern bloc countries, where he achieved celebrity status. In Britain his cocking a snook at the Establishment prefigured the Sixties; in the eastern bloc Marxist censors approved his proletarian if hapless subversion of the elite. A hospice established for those affected by the Chernobyl disaster was named after him; and in 1995 he received the Freedom of both the City of London and of the Albanian capital, Tirana. Wisdom was the only Western actor whose films were allowed to be shown in Albania under the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha.

Norman Wisdom was born at Marylebone, London, on February 4 1915. He was not candid, nor perhaps sure, about his date of birth and regularly knocked up to 12 years off his age.

He grew up in poverty in Paddington (where his first memory was of a Zeppelin passing overhead during the First World War), the son of a chauffeur and a seamstress. His father was a violent drunk who often hit Norman, once throwing him against the ceiling. When his parents separated Norman and his brother were farmed out to paid guardians. They eventually grew up at Deal, in Kent.

Norman left school at 14, becoming a delivery boy for Lipton’s and then a commis-waiter at a London hotel, from where he was sacked for dropping a loaded breakfast-tray down a lift shaft. He walked to Cardiff with the aim of becoming a miner, but was deserted by the friend who had promised him work, and instead embarked in a steamer bound for Argentina as a cabin boy. The crew taught him to box, and in Buenos Aires Norman (who weighed only five stone) found himself matched (for money) against an opponent twice his size and age. He won the fight, but the crew spent his prize-money.

Back in London, and still only 14, he was disowned by his father and began living rough on the streets, at first sleeping at the foot of Marshal Foch’s statue in Victoria. He would sneak into cinemas to keep warm.

He lasted two hours as a trainee draughtsman before finding his first métier as an Army bandsman. In 1930 he was sent to Lucknow, India, with the 10th Hussars. As well as learning to play 11 instruments, he also became adept at falling off a horse for the amusement of officers’ wives. It was his first solo performance. A fanatical gymnast who later performed all his own stunts, he was also for three years the Raj’s flyweight boxing champion.

Wisdom returned to England a civilian in 1936 and worked as a telephone operator, and when war broke out was seconded to work Churchill’s own switchboard. He then joined the Royal Corps of Signals. His concert party work was spotted by Rex Harrison, who encouraged him to become a professional.

His break came in December 1945 at the Collins Hall, Islington, a venue for new variety turns. He had followed the manager everywhere for three weeks asking for a chance. Billed as “The Successful Failure”, he produced an act that was a synthesis of his experiences and would never change. Wisdom was life’s victim, a gormless, game village idiot. Mime and pratfalls were his stock-in-trade, dance and song mere distractions, as he clowned with musical instruments that shut on his fingers or was knocked out by his boxing shadow. It was silly, unsophisticated fun larded with pathos — and austerity audiences lapped it up. In Skegness one teenage schoolgirl laughed so hard that she dislocated her jaw. Within two years Wisdom was a West End star.

Not everyone appreciated his rise to top billing. An upstaged Canadian act took to coming on to interpret Wisdom’s routine until laid out by an uppercut. By 1950 he was appearing regularly on the new medium of television, as well as in pantomime and ice spectaculars. He was also a favourite with the Royal Family and performed at Windsor Castle.

Yet he still wanted to create a character unique to him, and in a Scarborough charity shop he found a uniform. “The Gump”, in a jacket three sizes too small with tie awry and cap askew, became his trademark role, the eternal schoolboy with the looks of a beaten puppy.

Wisdom became addicted to hard work, following 12-hour days on a film set with two exhausting shows at night. He was also a perfectionist, rehearsing a new sketch for up to a week. The punishing regime cost him his second marriage while bringing him the trappings of wealth. He collected cars, kept a 94ft yacht and lived in the Sussex house once inhabited by Anne of Cleves. In 1968 an appeal he lost against paying tax on £200,000 worth of silver bullion invested in America set a legal precedent. In 1980 he moved to the Isle of Man.

He appeared in no more films after 1969, instead making four series for television, A Little Bit of Wisdom, up to 1976. Thereafter he was seen sporadically, most notably in a straight role as a dying cancer patient in a 1981 BBC play, Going Gently. He then had a screen part in a dire British thriller, Double X, in 1992.

Wisdom kept himself formidably fit through golf, jogging and even football. He was still performing a relentlessly physical stage act in his eighties. There was a ghostwritten autobiography published in 1992, Don’t Laugh At Me.

He was appointed OBE in 1995 and knighted in 2000.

From 1995 until 2004 he made occasional appearances as Billy Ingleton in the BBC’s television comedy Last of the Summer Wine. In 2004 he had a cameo role in Coronation Street, and in 2007 he appeared in Kevin Powis’s film Expresso. he had a small part as Winston the butler in the film Evil Calls: The Raven (2008).

Norman Wisdom’s first marriage, to Doreen, was a wartime romance, and was quickly dissolved. In 1947 he married Freda Simpson, with whom he had a son and a daughter. That marriage was dissolved in 1969.

IN MEMORIAM: Fred Pfening

 

 

FREDERIC DENVER PFENING JR.

Frederic Denver Pfening, Jr. passed away on September 6, 2010, at the age of 85. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Lelia B. Pfening; two sons, Frederic III (Janet), and Timothy (Suzi); three grandchildren, Victoria Pfening Smith, Lesley Pfening, and Frederic Pfening IV; and one great-grandchild, Madeline Smith. He will be missed by all.

A life-long resident of Columbus, he attended Upper Arlington High School where he was on the swimming team and had a column in the school newspaper. His summer job in 1941 was with the Barr Bros. Circus and in 1942 with Ringling Bros. After graduating in 1943, he served in the United States Army.

He attended The Ohio State University from 1944 to 1948. While a student, he was a cheerleader, a member of Bucket and Dipper; and editor of the Sundial, the college humor magazine. In his spare time he paid his way through school as a photographer at various campus social events. In 1948 he joined the Fred D. Pfening Company, a manufacturer of equipment for the wholesale baking industry, founded by his father in 1919. He was President of the company from 1954 until 1989, after which he became Board Chairman.

He was also President of four other companies, the most interesting of which was the Fred J. Mack Circus which he operated in 1955. He served on many non-profit boards including, COSI, the Columbus Museum of Art, the Friends of The Ohio State University Libraries, the Riverside Hospital Foundation, the Circus World Museum, the Crippled Childrens’ Society, and the Upper Arlington Arts Council. He was a lifetime member of First Community Church.

He was the recipient of many honors. The two that meant the most to him were election to the Columbus Business Hall of Fame, and a Lifetime Achievement award from the Bakery Equipment Manufacturers’ Association. He was a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Chief Executives Forum, the Columbus Rotary Club, the Columbus Club, Scioto Country Club, The Ohio State President’s Club, the American Society of Baking, the Columbus Food and Wine Society, and Chaine des Rotisseurs, among others.

He was able to drive until 2 months before he passed. The circus was his passion. He was a member of the Circus Historical Society for close to 70 years, he was President of the organization from 1958 to 1963, and later served on its Board of Trustees. He was editor of Bandwagon, the journal of the Circus Historical Society, from 1961 until his death, and was internationally recognized as an expert on the circus. He counted many circus professionals among his friends.

Visitation will be at the Schoedinger Northwest Chapel, 1740 Zollinger Road, Columbus, Ohio 43221 on Wednesday, September 15, from 4:00 to 8:00 p. m. A memorial service will be held at First Community Church, 1320 Cambridge Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio 43212 on Thursday, September 16 at 11:00 a. m. Dr. Richard Wing officiating. Flowers may be ordered through Evans Floral, 1-800-607-8575. Contributions may be made to the Circus World Museum, 550 Water Street, Baraboo, Wisconsin 53913, and to COSI Columbus attn: Development Department 333 West Broad Street Columbus, OH 43215.

Please visit www.schoedinger.com to extend condolences and share memories.

IRV ROMIG: February 1, 1920 - May 23, 2010

Irvin Romig: Ricky the Clown made generation of kids smile

BY ZLATI MEYER
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Irvin Romig, better known as Ricky the Clown to baby boomers who grew up in metro Detroit, died Sunday of congestive heart failure at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital Warren Campus. He was 90.

Mr. Romig was born in Detroit into a circus family; his father was a horse trainer and his mother, a slack-wire walker. Together, they would eventually open their own show, the Romig and Rooney Circus. He debuted as a clown at age 5 and later worked with his two uncles, also clowns, and his calliope-playing aunt.

During World War II, Mr. Romig, who had limited formal education, served in an Army K-9 land mine-searching unit and as a bugler. He also formed an informal clown troupe to entertain the troops; he called it the Section 8 Gang after the type of military discharge given to people deemed mentally unfit.


Mr. Romig worked for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey in 1946-1950 and appeared in the 1952 movie "The Greatest Show on Earth" about the famous American circus.

The following year, Mr. Romig started performing on WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) -- and at a programming director's urging, changed his clown name from Irvie to the easier-to-remember Ricky. Over the 12 years he was a Detroit TV fixture, he was on "Tip-Top Fun," "The Ricky the Clown Show," "The Robin and Ricky Show" and "Action Theater."

"He really loved to see the children happy and smiling," his son, Christopher Romig, said Sunday. "He worked very hard to make new gags and routines to keep it fresh. He didn't rest on his laurels."

His other clowning work included 22 years with the Shrine Circus and teaching a clowning class at Oakland Community College with his wife, the former Rose Dobo, who died in 2002 after 52 years of marriage. Mr. Romig -- who lived in Troy, Southfield and for the last nine years, in Sterling Heights -- was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in Wisconsin in 2001, the same year as Charlie Chaplin.

His hobbies were making ventriloquist dummies and clown props, watching cowboy movies and thinking up skits.

"He stood out -- not because he's my father. I've seen many clowns that are blah," Christopher Romig said. "He developed a clown personality, so he was a definite character, not just a guy without tricks in a suit."

In addition to his son, Mr. Romig is survived by his sister Fay Romig and his adopted sister, Grace McIntosh, both of whom were circus performers and trainers.

Visitation is 1-9 p.m. Tuesday at E. J. Mandziuk & Son Funeral Directors' Sterling Heights Chapel, 3801 Eighteen Mile, with a scripture service at 7 p.m. Mr. Romig will lie in repose at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish, 38750 Ryan, Sterling Heights, from 9 a.m. until the 9:30 a.m. mass on Wednesday. Burial will follow at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy.

IN MEMORIAM: Irv "Ricky" Romig

Sad news today as word reaches us that we've lost ICHOF inductee, Mr. Irv Romig.

From Michelle Romig via Ed Golick:

This is Michelle Romig, Irv's daughter-in-law. I'm sorry to tell you that Irv passed away early this morning.

Viewing will be at Mandziuk & Sons at Ryan and 18 mile, it's right on the north west corner.

That will be Tuesday from 1:00 pm until 9:00 pm

The funeral will be on Wednesday, we are not quite sure of the time yet.