EZ & Kozy

 

Eric and Kolinda Zander-Hussy have performed together on the Kelly Miller Circus during its final years, the International Clown Festival in India, Circus Osorio, the Three Ring Super Circus, and they are currently on tour of the United States with Loomis Bros. Circus.

Tina "Skeeter" Bausch

Tina Bausch graduated from the Ringling Bros. Clown College in 1985 and has been on the road working as a circus clown since then.

She has performed with the Toby Tyler Circus, the Kelly Miller Circus, and has been the advance clown for Culpepper Merriweather Circus for a large portion of her career. 

Just a few years ago she was awarded the Lifetime of Laughter award from the International Clown Hall of Fame in Baraboo, WI. 

Gina Allison & Jessi Hoffschildt

 

Gina Allison began her circus career as a dancer for the Ringling Red Unit in 1986. In 1988 she attended the Ringling Clown College and performed in the Blue and Red Unit Clown Alleys from 1989-1996.

She and Chris Allison started the company Cirque DuJour that has provided entertainment for events all over the northeast, and she more recently performed with her dog, Zeus, and a rotating cast of performers at events all over the Orlando, FL area with her company, Gigi and Friends.

Jessi Hoffschildt studied at the Circus Arts Conservatory in San Francisco before joining the Ringling Red Unit Clown Alley in 2004, where she stayed through 2006.

After that Jessi performed as a clown at Sea World San Diego, Culpepper Merriweather Circus, Circus World Museum, Huis Ten Bosch in Japan, and also as a dancer and teacher on Kelly Miller Circus.

She has been performing off and on at Kinoshita Circus in Japan for close to ten years. Jessi and Gina are performing together at Kinoshita Circus for the summer of 2022.

Colleen Linnehan Duffy: Put On A Happy Face

Colleen Linnehan Duffy graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1982 and toured with the Red Unit from 1983-1985. She also toured with Circus Vargas and was a part of the Circus Circus Clown Alley in Las Vegas, NV.

To children of my generation, she was best known for appearing in the Kidsongs: A Day At The Circus Video, which was filmed on Vargas.

Peggy King

Peggy King and Jim "Enof" Killebrew performing their trapeze gag during the Come In of the Ringling Red Unit's 115th Edition in 1985.

Peggy King graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1977. She spent the 1978-1981 seasons on the Blue Unit, and was on the Red Unit from 1983-1985.

She also performed at Circus Vargas, Carnival Plaza in Japan, and was a member of the Circus Circus Clown Alley in Las Vegas, NV.

Please let me know if I forgot anything!

Gardi Hutter

From Wikipedia:

Born on 5 March 1953 in Altstätten, Canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland, Gardi Hutter graduated at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zürich (Schauspiel-Akademie Zürich) from 1974 to 1977, where she absolved an induction and training in theatre education and theatre pedagogy. Gari Hutter gave lessons to the students, but she felt unhappy not to practice what she taught. At the Centro di ricerca per il teatro (CRT) in Milano Gardi Hutter graduated as maestros (master), being also her so-called Clownsgesellenzeit (literally: apprenticeship as a clown) of three years to become an approved member of the Clown community. Gardi Hutter was taught by Mario Gonzales, Pantalone of the Théatre du Soleil, Nani Colombaioni (I Colombaioni) and Ferruccio Cainero of the Teatro Ingenuo.,^[1][2]

For the national "700-year anniversary" of Switzerland, Gardi Hutter played the women jester in the Federal Assembly Chamber of the Swiss Parliament in 1991. For the festival "700 years" of 1998 of her hometown, Gardi Hutter acted as co-writer. In the winter season 1997/98 she was starring in Romulus der Grosse at the Schauspielhaus Zürich.^[2]

Since 1981, Gardi Hutter had more than 3,300 performances in 30 countries and four continents, including Andorra, Brazil, China, Russia, Spain, Sweden, USA and Switzerland. There were also recordings on TV stations of 17 countries and auditions in numerous radio programs.^[1]

Karen Bell

Karen Bell performing her Train Come In gag on Ringling in 1987

Karen Bell attended the Ringling Clown College in 1985. She spent 1986-1993 on both the Red Unit and the Gold Unit in Japan.

She was a producing clown at Clown College and on the road, and she is also a fantastic prop builder.

In more recent years she has partnered with Robin Eurich to perform with the Circus Arts Conservatory, on which she also serves as the Education Outreach Manager. 

Lisa Chapman

Lisa Chapman performing in the Three Ring Adventure of the 129th Edition of Ringling in 1999.

Lisa Chapman graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1993. She traveled with the Red Unit from 1994-1999.

She is an excellent seamstress and has been living in Las Vegas, where she works in the wardrobe department of different shows.

Laura Herts

Laura Herts is a clown, mime, theater performer, painter, and teacher who lives in Paris, France.

Ruth Chaddock

 

Ruth Chaddock attended the Ringling Clown College in 1974. She then went on to wear many hats within the Feld company for over forty years.

From circus clown, advance clown, makeup instructor at Clown College, to Special Projects Coordinator for the whole company….Ruth has made a positive impact on thousands of  lives throughout her long career. The reason? EVERYBODY loves Ruthie Chaddock!

Happy Belated Birthday, Ruthie!

Marni Zalban

Marni Zalban and Brad Reiss performing in the 1997 Clown College graduation.

Marni Zalban (at the time, Sussman) attended Ringling Clown College in 1997.

She toured with the Blue Unit from 1999-2002, and she is currently working towards her Masters in Speech Language Pathology.

Today is also her birthday! Happy Birthday, Marni!

Traci Livingston

Traci Livingston and Stephen Simon performing in the 1995 Clown College graduation.

Traci Livingston attended the Ringling Clown College in 1995. She toured with the Red Unit in 1996 as one of the Adventure Clowns who only worked during the brand new Three Ring Adventure an hour before the performance.

I believe she had her own public access show, The Totally Traci Show, in Portland, OR for awhile, and she has a presence on Youtube making comedy videos.

Claire Wedermyer

Claire Wedermyer performing the Newspaper Gag on Kelly Miller Circus.

Welcome to the beginning of the Clown Alley Women's History Month!

Yes! I know I'm late.....get off my back!!!!

There will be a full month's worth of content....plus some!

First up Claire Wedermyer on Kelly Miller Circus in 2006. Claire attended the NY Goofs Clown School in NYC in 1999. She toured with the Ringling Red Unit in 2003 and 2004, and then toured with the Kelly Miller Circus in 2005 and 2006.

More recently she performed with Circus Harmony at the City Museum in St. Louis, MO.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Carlos Ragas

 

Carlos Ragas attended the Ringling Clown College in 1987, and he toured with the Red Unit for the 1988 and 1989 seasons.

He currently lives in L.A. and makes his living as a stunt man and actor.

Few people know of his short lived comedy team Ragas and Milano.... :O) 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Garry “Otis” White

 

Garry White clowned at the Circus World theme park in Florida before attending Clown College in 1976. He toured with the Ringling Red Unit from 1977-1980, and also toured with Universoul Circus and Fern Street Circus as his clown character "Otis".

Clown Alley Black History Month: Carlton Russell

 

Carlton Russell attended the Ringling Clown College in 1982, and he acted as Clown College administrator for Steve Smith’s first year as dean in 1985.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Dwayne Cunningham

 

Dwayne Cunningham attended the Ringling Clown College in 1975. He toured with the Red Unit from 1976-1978.

Dwayne has also performed stand up comedy and many people know him as Doc Wasabi from his years at Jungle Island in Miami, FL.

He is currently working at the Big Cat Habitat in Sarasota, FL.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Armando Hurley

 

Armando Hurley attended Ringling Clown College in 1970 and toured with the Blue Unit for the 1971 season.

Armando worked with Crosby, Stills, and Nash for many years and now lives in Australia.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Marlon Russ

 

Marlon Russ toured with the Ringling Red Unit for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Today is also his birthday!

Happy Birthday, Marlon!

Clown Alley Black History Month: Jamarr Woodruff

I know it is March, but I still have more to say on Clown Alley Black History month.

Jamarr Woodruff could have auditioned to be in the 1997 Clown College class, which turned out to be the school's last, but instead he went to California to attend the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theater. He later attended the Clown Conservatory in San Francisco, CA as well. That is where he caught the attention of Ringling V.P. of talent, Tim Holst.

Jamarr was hired to join the Red Unit's 135th Edition of Ringling for the 2006 season, but after less than a week he was swapped to the Blue Unit to replace a clown who was let go during Winter Quarters.

I worked with Jamarr, aka "The Clown of Crunk" in 2006 and 2007 for the 136th Edition of Ringling aka The Circus of (Broken) Dreams. Jamarr also stayed for the first year of the 138th Edition, Over The Top.

Jamarr left the Blue Unit at the end of 2008 and since then has performed advance PR for Ringling and also clowned in hospitals.

Learn more about Jamarr at the Uncle Jr. Project:

https://www.unclejrproject.com/jamarr-woodruff