Clown Alley Black History Month: Huel Speight

Huel Speight, Greg Sherman, and Laura Pape perform a hat routine on the Ringling Blue Unit in 1989.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Robert "Onionhead" Dunn

Robert Dunn, or as he is known to thousands of fans of the Universoul Circus, Onionhead, speaks with a "reporter" promoting the show's run in Chicago in 2019. 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Dean Anderson

Dean Anderson, Jeff Wolff, and Gordon Klein laying some carpet in the 1986 Clown College graduation. 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Carlos Ragas

Carlos Ragas, Larry Fortunato, and David Duby performing a pizza gag on the Ringling Red Unit in 1989.

This gag was developed in Clown College the year before by Andy Martello and Larry Fortunato. 

Bernhard Paul’s 40th Birthday 1987

 

Please excuse the translation:

Such a festival hadn't been there for a very long time! ✨

Circus founder, director and clown Bernhard Paul was invited to his 40th in a tent filled with 700 celebrity guests. They were cooked by 40 star chefs with a total of 40 stars from all over Germany, who came up with 40 exclusive desserts. The main course ? Vienna Schnitzel, of course! 🍽 🍽

I Love Lucy: Lucy Hates Grapes

The Hollywood Reporter resurfaced a 1974 interview Ball did with "The Dick Cavett Show." She was asked about one of her favorite episodes, to which she said "grapes" – referencing the beloved moment from the "Lucy's Italian Movie" episode. 

However, she revealed that she thought she was going to be killed. Ball was joined by Teresa Tirelli D'Amico for the grape-stomping scene — but a language barrier kept the two from understanding one another.

Tirelli, who only spoke Italian, took an accident to heart.

"[Tirelli] was told that there would be a fight, and it was also explained to her that there were times when my legs had to come up in this huge vat of real grapes," Ball said. "I slipped and when I slipped, I hit her, accidentally. And she took offense. So, she hauled off and let me have it. This was supposed to happen, that she got right! But when she hit me ... took all the wind out of me."

"She kept me down by the throat," Ball continued. "I had grapes up my nose, in my ears, and she was choking me." 

Los Rivelinos 1988

Los Rivelinos performing in Circo Espana in 1988.

Rest In Peace: Ceslee Conkling

Taken from the world twenty-nine years ago today. Here she is with Margie Talavera performing a doctor gag on the Ringling Blue Unit in 1992.

BREAKING NEWS: ICHOF Announces 2023 Induction Candidates!

Five days into the new year, the International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center is very proud to announce the 2023 Inductees!

Please welcome -

The legendary Rastelli family

Tom & Tammy Parish

Ruth Anne Chaddock

Paul Jerome

The Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome these amazing clowns and their contributions to the art of clowning into the ICHOF.

Each has left an distinct imprint of the craft of clowning and have inspired generations of clowns and their audiences with their talents and dedication.

Details following very soon as to Induction time, place & date.

Big Apple Circus: Bello and Francesco

 

Bello Nock and Francesco Brunaud on Big Apple Circus for the 1999/2000 season “Bello and Friends”.

Happy Lou Year 2023!

Lou Jacobs and Pee-Wee performing his renowned hunting gag. Lou was making a special appearance on the Blue Unit's 1982 television special.

Congratulations, Alan "Tweedy" Digweed!

 From the Independent: 

Circus clown ‘surprised’ at royal honour

Alan Digweed, known better as Tweedy, has been awarded the British Empire Medal.

A clown who has performed for decades has told of his surprise at being recognised in the New Year Honours list.

Alan Digweed, 48, known as Tweedy the clown, has worked in the circus and shows across the world, and he has now been awarded the British Empire Medal.

The entertainer, who is part of Gloucestershire-based Giffords Circus, said he almost missed the news of his royal award.

He told the PA news agency: “The honour was a complete surprise. I nearly missed out because for some reason I didn’t get the email, and then they got in touch by my agent. I was too late in the end to respond to it, but they let me off for being late, typical clown fashion I guess.

Tweedy, who was born in Aberdeen, had wanted to be a clown from an early age and was inspired by slapstick cartoons and comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

He added: “I went to Butlin’s in Ayr, Scotland, but I didn’t know how to become a clown at the time, there was no Google back then, so I taught myself how to juggle and unicycling and did shows there, and then I joined the circus the year after and learnt on the road, with some other clowns.

“Being with the circus is very different – it’s a great kind of lifestyle. It’s a travelling community, which is what I love about it, and you all kind of work together and pitch in together.

“It’s an exciting life, but a hard life as well, you would get stuck in mud.

“There’s something pure about it that I love. There’s something raw and real that I quite like about it.

“I did a tour of America with the circus which was great and seeing all that. I lived on the circus train so that was a lot of fun. Sadly the circus train is not a thing any more – it was a unique experience.”

Tweedy is currently starring in the Dick Whittington And His Cat Tweedy panto at Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham.

His wife Sharon performed on the trapeze in the circus, and the couple have a daughter.

He continued: “There’s been lots of interesting experiences, clowning in Saudi Arabia was interesting, there was a lot of things I couldn’t do. I had a huge list, but at the same time, they were a very easy audience as there was a lack of entertainment.”

In his spare time, Tweedy enjoys putting on charity shows and in future is planning to continue working in the circus and pantomimes.

Ringling: Gabor Hrisafis

 

Talented Hungarian clown, Gabor Hrisafis, performing during the Ringling Blue Unit spec "Upside Down World" in 2004.

R.I.P Jim "Enof" Killebrew

Here is Jim Killebrew, or as clowns knew him, Enof, as the rotund aerialist along with Frank Theriault on the Ringling Red Unit in 1987.

International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center “Thanks For Giving” Fundraiser

P.T. Barnum said, “The Noblest Art is of making others happy”.

The International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Centers mission is to preserve, interpret, and share with all generations the art of clowning in all forms of performance & media. 

We are honored to celebrate the careers of those who have dedicated their lives to “making others happy”. 

Rebuilding our audience and guest attendance since the COVID shutdown has been a challenge but we are very optimistic as we work diligently towards the future. 

Our archives contain the largest collection of clown artifacts in the world, and continues to grow daily. 

We respectfully ask for your help as we move forward into 2023. The generosity of our friends here on social media as well of those who we can host in person humbles us. 

As master clown Lou Jacobs said during his Induction, “by honoring me, you are also honoring all those who came before.”

The ICHOF Board of Directors thank you in advance for your generosity and support.

DONATE HERE

Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Clown Alley T-Shirt

 

A t-shirt showing the members of the 1990 Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Clown Alley.

Clockwise from top: James Houser, Jeff Day, Mugwump....(beats the hell outta me!), Dave Williams, Ricky Ardelli, Doug Keady, Greg Long, and Robert Temple. 

Circus Vargas Clown Band

 

Chris Green and George Clyatt performing in the Circus Vargas Clown Band sometime in the mid 1980s. 

Dennis Hall

 

Dennis "Dash" Hall. Graduate of the Clown College Class of 1972, and briefly on tour with the Ringling Blue Unit in 1973.

Clowns Without Socks: Photography Entreé

Billy Ward and Frosty Little

 

Billy Ward and Frosty Little on the Ringling Red Unit in the early 1970s. One of the rare photos of Frosty in a different costume than the one he became known for.