LOU JACOBS: Candid Shots

Photos by Dick Lapham



According to the eBay auction where I found these, the photos were taken by Dick Lapham, a friend of Lou's who did carpentry work for him from time to time and was (along with Lou) a member of the Sarasota Lions Club.

I never knew Lou was a member of the Lions. If he was going to join anything you'd think he'd have been a Shriner but I think the nearest Shrine club was in Tampa so maybe he just wanted to join something nearby.

Anyway, the photo above features Lou and Jimmy Armstrong with former circus performer and star of the circus film TRAPEZE, Burt Lancaster.




Lou with two of his good friends: on the right is Iron Eyes Cody and on the left is Red Skelton.




Portrait of The Artiste As A Young(er) Man




Lou with a dog outside what may be his home in Sarasota.




Lou love of dogs is well known.




This is what Lou Jacobs looks like standing next to a regular sized car. The house, and the tents in the background, is what leads me to suspect that this may be Lou's Sarasota home near the old Ringling Winter Quarters.




Lou with another great dog walkaround, a large dog in a small doghouse with "NO VACANCY" printed on the roof. This may have been a topical gag referring to the post WWII housing shortage.

This series of photos is currently up for auction on eBay. If you'd like to view the auction please click on the title of this post.

ART COOKSEY: The Sandy Weber Interview

Sandy Weber taped a great interview with former Clyde Beatty and Ringling clown Art Cooksey back in 1994 which he generously decided to share with us online. In it Art discusses his time on the Beatty show, the Ringling show, his time as host of an afternoon TV kiddie show and what it was like to work alongside fellow clowns Otto Griebling, Emmett Kelly, Lou Jacobs, Felix Adler, Paul Jung, Paul Jerome and many others.

The two part interview can be found by clicking the title of this post.

CLOWN ALLEY: The Big Apple Circus

Photographer unknown



Two 2007 Felix B. Adler Award winners, Barry "Grandma" Lubin (Lou Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award Winner) and Greg DeSanto (the louder, bossier half of the team of Greg and Karen DeSanto, winners of the Paul Jung Award for Best Ensemble) seen here during the run of Big Apple's 2006 production GRANDMA GOES TO THE MOVIES (directed by former Clown College director Steve Smith) with the author of STEP RIGHT UP! THE ADVENTURE OF CIRCUS IN AMERICA, Mr, LaVahn Hoh.

It was my good fortune to meet all three of these gentlemen when I attended the final class of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College class of 1997 (TEN YEARS AGO?!?) where Greg, Karen and Barry taught and LaVahn acted as official Clown College historian.

1965

Photo courtesy of circusbutterflygirl



A "found" photograph from an unknown photographer of an unknown clown on an unknown show.

At first I thought it was Bobby Kaye doing a 1965 animal walk for Ringling, but that's not Bobby and no one else on the Ringling show at the time looked like that. It's no one I recognize from the Beatty-Cole Alley either.

Anyone out there recognize the clown, elephants, the handler or the vintage Mustang parked in the background?

Grandma Goes to Monte Carlo

No, thats not the title of a screwball Disney film starring Ruth Gordon. Our own 2007 Felix B. Adler Award winner of the 1st ever Lou Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award, Mr. Barry "Grandma" Lubin, has been invited to perform in the 2008 Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo!!!

A richly deserved honor for a truly great clown.

Barry became my hero the very first time I watched him work in 1996 and has impressed me more and more as the years go by.

And he need not worry how "Grandma" is doing here at home while he is away performing in Germany with Circus Krone. My family and I saw Big Apple at their closing show in Somerset, NJ yesterday afternoon and Grandma is in excellent hands, currently being performed by the very funny Matthew Pauli.

Matthew is particularly funny when he is improvising and gets a certain twinkle in his eye that tells you that he is having the time of his life working with straightman Joel Jeske.

Joel is doing an incredible job as host and foil to not only Grandma but Francesco (actually Francesco's son stepping in for Francesco while he attends to a medical issue from which we all hope he quickly recovers in time to rejoin the tour), Justin Case (rumored to be headed to the Ringling Gold Unit) and Johnny Peers who pulled out all the stops and displayed the high level of showmanship that makes it abundantly clear that he is unquestionably a world-class circus clown in addition to being an absolutely amazing dog trainer.

We enjoyed the show immensely and once again thank our host, Mr. Don Covington for the type of idyllic afternoon that really makes life worth living.


I'm off this week to South Carolina to perform a new comedy Ringmaster character for the Hamid Shrine Circus, so if you live in or around Greenwood, Anderson or Greenville please stop by and say "Hi"!

CLOWN ALLEY: 136th Edition Ringling Blue Unit

The clowns of the 1st year of the 136th edition Blue Unit tour of the Ringling show (now in it's 2nd year so some of these clowns have left), under the leadership of Boss Clown Scott O'Donnell.

Scott has more than capably filled the gap left by the sudden departure of Madame Shamsheeva with his endearing comedy dog act, one of the best around.

Frankie and the Prince

Frankie Saluto and Prince Paul Alpert from Ringling in the late 60s.

BILLY SMART'S CIRCUS: Boxing Gag

I'm not sure who the clown is but I've seen the gag before. I've seen it done at Cirque de lar Mer in Sea World Orlando (with the same music) and I know Don Christensen has been doing something similar to it around Europe. For lack of a better title let's call it "The Audience Participation Boxing Gag".

It has less in common with the classic Chesty Mortimer/Otto Griebling/Freddie Freeman-style Boxing Gag (or the Boxing Machine that the Llatas did) than it does with David Shiner, Rene Bazinet and David Larible but it seems to be rapidly becoming one of the "contemporary standards"; a gag in several people's repetior.

DAVID SHINER: Nouvelle Experience

David Shiner performing in Cirque du Soleil's NOUVELLE EXPERIENCE in a segment that is not included in the home video release.

Mr. Shiner is currently directing le Cirque's latest production, CIRQUE 2007.

Abbott & COSTELLO: More Busy Bee

There is a video on YouTube of Abbott & Costello performing the Busy Bee (called "The Sons of Neptune") with the great Shemp Howard from their 1941 film IN THE NAVY that I'd like to repost for everyone here but the person who posted it has disabled imbedding so you'll have to go over to YouTube to see it.

1) Go to youtube.com

2) search for "ABBOTT", "COSTELLO" and "SONS OF NEPTUNE".

3) Enjoy!

ABBOTT & COSTELLO: The Busy Bee

William (Bud) Abbott (born 10/02/1897 in Asbury Park, NJ) and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo on 03/06/06 in Paterson, NJ) performing The Busy Bee (called "Buzzin' the Bee" here) with co-star Sid Fields during the 1952 season of THE ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOW.

CIRCUS RONCALLI: The Busy Bee

Whiteface Francesco Caroli along with Augustes Zippo (Bernhard Paul) and Angelo (Angelo Munoz) perform the Busy Bee (also known as "The Honeybee") entree at Circus Roncalli, taken from a German television special.

Gianny "Fumagalli" Huesca learned the routine from these three, so it's probably a pretty good indicator of how he'll present it if he does it on the Big Apple Circus here next season.

THE POMPOFF THEDY FAMILY: For the Blue Unit Clowns

I had a wonderful time Saturday night visiting with Scott, Steve and the clowns of the 2nd year of the current Ringling Blue Unit tour.

The Blue show is what the Blue show is. It's not my cup of tea, but there is a whole lot of talent in the Alley right now and they are trying their best against a lot of very high "concepts" that don't exactly showcase them (or anyone else) in the best possible light.

That said, some members of the Alley were asking to see some more of the Pompoff Thedys. I have some great footage from the Ed Sullivan Show but Sofa Entertainment has requested that I not post any more Sullivan clips.

This clip, from a 1970s Danish TV special (the same one that gave us previous clips of Joe Jackson Jr. and Charlie Rivel) features red clowns Pepe (as the short, Harpo Marx-like Auguste) and Sandro (as the 2nd, or "Contre" Auguste) with Pablo in the role of the White.

Kinko

Always a welcome addition to The Alley...Mr. Glen "Kinko" Sunberry.

SPIKE JONES AND THE CITY SLICKERS: Fireman Save My Child!

Lindley Armstrong "Spike" Jones (December 14, 1911, Long Beach, California -- May 1, 1965, Beverly Hills, California) and his band, The City Slickers (featuring talented musician/comedians including Georgie Rock, Freddie Morgan Earl Bennett as "Sir Frederick Gas", Dick Morgan, Joe Siracusa and Billy Barty) from their appearance in the 1954 Universal remake of FIREMAN, SAVE MY CHILD!

The film was originally designed as a vehicle for Abbott & Costello, who backed out due to illness (but can still be seen in some long shots) when Lou Costello came down with rheumatic fever. Or Costello turned down the script. Or the team decided to film Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde instead. Whatever the reason, when the film was finally released, Spike and the Slickers were instead sharing the silver screen with the immortal comedy team of Hugh O'Brien and Buddy "Shipoopi" Hackett.

While "The Poet & Peasant Overture" bit has always been one of my favorites, it's the Billy Barty headspin seen towards the end that really makes this clip!

CIRQUE ARLETTE GRUSS: Andre & Frisco

Cirque Arlette Gruss' Andre & Frisco perform their Paper Hanger entree. I've seen Norman Wisdon do a very similar routine on an early 60s television special and I don't know if Wisdom was performing an old circus gag or the Euro-clowns adapted an old televison bit.

For more on Cirque Arlette Gruss, please click the title of this post.

BOBBY KAYE on Queen For a Day

Extremely rare video from long before he became one of only four Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey clowns to earn the title of "Master Clown", here we see Robert "Bobby Kaye" Smiley doing advance work for the circus by appearing on an episode of the daytime game show QUEEN FOR A DAY.

Bobby is partnered here with a woman identified only as "Larry". Despite the claim by the host, "Larry" was not a Ringling circus clown and doesn't seem to be a pro clown at all. Who is she? Why is she there? I don't know.

Beware the Ides of March!

HAPPY PI DAY!!!

"The lady wants a B I G CAKE! Gimme da flour boys, gimme flour!"

Members of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey 122nd edition Blue Unit Clown Alley performing the kind of great big, messy classic-style circus gag that I love to see but would hate to be in.

The gag is described here by Clown College director Steve Smith and features Producing Clown Greg DeSanto as the Head Baker, Kevin Carr, Marge Talavera and Cezary Skarzynski as his Assistant Bakers, Ceslee Conkling as the customer who gets pied (and takes the incredible high back fall) at the end and Laura Presley as the person popping up from the oven at the blow-off.

Mr. DeSanto himself tells us that Kevin Carr did the first year along with Marge, Cezary & Ceslee. The second year Dave Kiser and David Solove came in to replace Kevin & Marge who left that year. Cezary and Ceslee were always in it.

Sean Conklin would fill in for Greg when he'd be off teaching at Clown College (Kiser was his usual substitute). On the rare times Ceslee was out (she broke a rib somewhere along the line), Lara Heitman filled in.

How's that for a Pi Day video?

Today's Post 3/14

.

In light of the fact that today is "Pi Day", today's extremely appropriate video will be posted at exactly 1:59 PM EST.

Happy Pi Day!


~P

Mitch Freddes

Clown College class of '74 graduate and currently featured on the Ringling Gold Unit, Mr. Jonathan "Mitch" Freddes.

Picture

"Another Happy Customer!"

Photo courtesy of circusbutterflygurl



Proof that well-meaning parents and grandparents have been traumatizing youngsters with the idea that toddlers would somehow like their picture taken with a gaggle of strangers in makeup since the invention of photography, comes this mid-forties photo (that "circusbutterflygurl" found "somewhere on the web" which may or may not originally be) from National Geographic.

I'm on the road right now and don't have my usual cheat sheets with me so I can only identify (bottom row starting at left) Prince Paul Alpert, Paul Jung and Jimmy Armstrong.

The man in the top row, far right, looks to be Art Cooksey.

Shrine Circus: Toledo 1933

Photos courtesy of Bill Strong







The Toledo, OH Shrine Circus of 1933 was produced by Hagenbeck-Wallace. These are some of the clown photos from the program that year. I can't identify anyone in them except for the last, which looks to be Joe "Koko" Coyle.

Paul Gutheil: Greg DeSanto and Frosty Little

Photos by Paul Gutheil




If you were teaching a class of circus comedy novices in "Clowning 101" and had to illustrate the Auguste and Whiteface clown types you could do a lot worse than to choose these two Paul Gutheil portraits of Greg DeSanto (Auguste) and Master Clown, Glen "Frosty" Little (Whiteface).


And a great big hello goes out to Scott O' Donnell and the Ringling Blue Alley! I hope to be able to stop by in either Baltimore or Albany.

Paul Gutheil: Dentist Chase

"Dental Assistant" Arturo Figueroa gets a tongue lashing from an unidentified clown during the Dentist Chase on the Ringling show.

How often do you get to see a "chase gag" anymore?

Photo by Paul Gutheil.

Paul Gutheil: Billy & Mike

One of the truly great White Clown/ Red Clown partnerships in modern American circus clowning, Billy Vaughn (Auguste) and Mike Snider (Whiteface), seen here on Vidbel's Olde Tyme Circus at The Jaffa Shrine Circus in Altoona. PA circa 2000.

Photo by Paul Gutheil.

Pat Kelly's Real Yak Hair Clown Wigs

People often ask me where they can get a real yak hair clown wig. I had my custom made in New York but most people don't have the time or money for something like that.

Until now!

After years of trial and error with the dying process my friend Pat Kelly down in Atlanta is now making real yak hair clown wigs, hand-sewn onto cotton skullcaps, EXACTLY the way they have been made for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus clowns and used on road with the Greatest Show on Earth.

Please visit him online by clicking the title of this post and tell him I said "Hi"!

I'm not being compensated in any way for this endorsement, I'm just glad that someone has finally been able to create affordable yak wigs and that Pat was the guy to do it. If you've ever compared the look of yak to synthetic there is no comparison. The average non-Ringling clown is about to be able to look a whole lot better!!!

Paul Gutheil: Scott O' Donnell

Current Ringling Blue Unit Boss Clown Scott O'Donell a few years back on Vidbel's Olde Tyme Circus as seen through the lens of Paul Gutheil.

For more info on Scott, please click the title of this post.

Paul Gutheil: Leo Acton

A Paul Gutheil portrait of longtime veteran of the recent Ringling Alleys, Leo Acton.

For more info on Leo, please click the title of this post.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Clown!

Birthday greetings go out today to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College graduate, former Ringling road clown, longtime Ronald and "Clown Arts" educator, the one and only "Mr. Clown"...Earl Chaney.

Happy Birthday sir!

Paul Gutheil: Le Clown Gordoon

Photo by Paul Gutheil



Another great Paul Gutheil photo, this one of Ringling Clown College graduate and longtime star of the Big Apple Circus, Jeff "Le Clown Gordoon" Gordon seen here doing the multi-leg bit.

Jeff is the creator of the classic clown bit with the leaf blower and the toilet paper, the one that's been ripped off almost as many times than the bit with the audience volunteers and the four chairs. It's a contemporary classic, on par with the Washerwoman Gag in how unbelievably quickly it spread throughout the industry and became a "standard". But it isn't really a standard. It's Jeff's act, which he's still doing.

There are many variations on the idea out there but until you've seen Jeff's version, well... "You Ain't Seen Nothin'!"

Paul Gutheil: Dusty Sadler

Saturday's photo by E.J. Kelty got me thinking about circus photographers so this week we are going to feature shots taken by, IMHO, the BEST contemporary circus photographer in America, Mr. Paul Gutheil.

This is an example of one of Mr. Gutheil's candid portraits, a shot of Dusty Sadler taken, post-show, while on the Roberts Bros. Circus.

Joe Jackson Jr.

Photo courtesy of circusbutterflygurl


Another great find by circusbtterflygurl, it's Joe Jackson Jr.'s promo photo with hsi contact info on the back. There doesn't seem to be any clue as to the year but the stamp shows that this was used at a theater in Berlin, so it's sometime after 1945. My guess it's from the mid 50s to early 60s.

Kelty Photograph of the 1934 Ringling Alley

Photo courtesy of Rik gern


Felix Adler, Lou Jacobs, Charlie Bell, Chesty Mortimer, Paul Wenzel, Jack LeClair, Gijon Polidor, Prince Paul... some of the first half of the 20th century's best Ringling clowns as photographed by one of the era's greatest circus photographers, E.J. Kelty.

For more info on Mr. Kelty's photographs and an excellent DVD on his life and work please click on the title of this post.

Henry Fonda as Emmett Kelly in CLOWN

Academy Award, Emmy Award, Golden Globe and Tony Award winner Henry Fonda in the General Electric Theater television adaption of Emmett Kelly's autobiography, CLOWN which premiered March 27, 1955.

Look for fellow Academy Award winner Dorothy Malone as Emmett's first wife, Eva and longtime actor, Spike Jones sideman and future Little People of America founder Billy Barty as a member of Clown Alley.

I sure wish I could come up with a lifetime's worth of great material off-the cuff and in under a half an hour!

Ain't T.V. great? : )

Emmett Kelly: Sweeping Up the Spotlight Gag (1967)

Every artist dreams of painting their masterpiece. This is Emmett's.

Not the funniest gag in the circus world, but inarguably the best known and the one that resonated the strongest with 20th century American circus audiences. This gag was bigger than big, huger than huge and elevated Emmett into a whole different level of celebrity, one that tracended mere "circus star" (such as Clyde Beatty, Gunther Gebel-Williams or the Flying Wallendas) and made him a bona-fide household name.

Credit goes out not only to Emmett for creating and performing the gag but also to John Ringling North and his production team for knowing how to showcase it so well.

This clip is from the 1967 film THE CLOWN AND THE KIDS, made at the tail end of Emmett's circus career, so it may not be performed here precisely as audiences might have seen it in the late 40s or early 50s but it does provide us a valuable document of this important gag.

Emmett Kelly: Feather Balancing Gag

Video of Emmett performing his Feather Balancing Gag on an early (unidentified) television show.

Emmett Kelly: DuPont Show of the Week (1962)

A friend recently took me to task for ignoring Emmett Kelly on this blog. It's true. In over 700 posts I don't think Emmett appears here more than 4 or 5 times.

I think it's because Emmett doesn't need me, or anyone, to shine the spolight on him. He's a star. Emmett is still one of the best known circus performers in America and his name and likeness continue to resonate with audiences.

But that's no excuse for excluding him.

So here he is, the legendary Emmett Kelly as star and narrator of a television special entitled CIRCUS (co-written by future Clown College Director Bill Ballantine) which aired as an episode of THE DUPONT SHOW OF THE WEEK in 1962.

Emmett is seen with his trunk, in the Alley of the early 60s Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Clown Alley (alongside Kenny Dodd, Lou Nagy and Eddie Dullam seen performing the Washerwoman Gag) and at his home in Sarasota, FL.

Ft Worth Shrine Circus Clown Alley 1958

Photo courtesy of Bill Strong


Not sure about the little people down front but the clown cop on the left looks like Charlie Lewis, that's Peluza one and a half guys in on the right (in his Jimmy Stewart GSOE inspired makeup) and that may be George LaSalle in the center with Connie Wilson to his immediate left.

The one person that I'd NEVER be able to identify if it weren't for Bill telling me is the person to the immediate right of George LaSalle. That's Dime Wilson is his usual tramp costume but wearing his old whiteface makeup for this one date only.


Please click on the title of this post to be taken to Bill's excellent circus blog, YESTERDAY'S TOWNS.

Milton Berle: Always Leave Them Laughing

The opening scene (according to the film, a nightclub in beautiful downtown Asbury Park, NJ) from Milton Berle's 1949 film ALWAYS LEAVE THEM LAUGHING.

Doodles and Lou

Bob "Doodles" Kelmer, star clown at the Circus World Museum last summer, looks on in loving reverance at the legend that looms large before him.

Rudy Coby: 4 Legs

Rudy Coby "The Coolest Magician on Earth" performing the Multi-Leg Gag I enjoy Jeff "Le Clown Gordoon" Gordon's version very much but I think my favorite is Geoff Hoyle's.

Otto on Cole Bros.

Photos courtesy of "circusbutterflygurl"


Otto in the Cole Bros. Clown Alley, September 21, 1937.

Apparently, back in the late 30s Otto's trunk was spotted in the Alley right next to that of Busta Rhymes. Who-HA!



Otto (supporting the troops in his own fashion) seems smitten with Ensign Betty Bayly, October 2, 1943.

Yo, dog! Circusbutterflygurl points out that Ensign Betty appears amused to the point of throwing down gang signs. DANG!



Once again making "moonsie-moonsie and tootsie-tootsie" by flashing his puppy dog eyes at a female fan in the seats in this photo dated September 27, 1937. Looking on are Hollywood stars Helen Broderick and Victor Moore.

His partner looks, to me, to be Happy Kellams.

The Banana Men

Clips of both A. Robins and Sam Levine, the performers known to audiences as "The Banana Man".

First up is a clip of A. Robins (although this is in dispute as Robins would have been 61 years old when this 1947 film was made 1947 and the performer seen here doesn't look a day older than the A. Robins seen in the 1939 Red Skelton short SEEING RED), originally known to vaudeville audiences as "The Walking Music Store" or "The One Man Music Store".

Robins, a talented NY area toy and prop maker as well as vaudeville and circus clown built all of his own props. Over time he added big bunches of his spring-loaded fruit to the enormous list of musical intruments he could load into his oversized coat, including (seemingly) hundreds and hundreds of bananas, hence the change in billing to "A. Robins: The Banana Man".

Robins passed away in the early 50s. It is uncertain if he trained his successor, Sam Levine, personally or Mr. Levine was trained by their agent, Max Roach.

Either way, Mr. Levine assumed the mantle of "The Banana Man" in the early 50s and kept Mr. Robins' unique brand of visual comedy alive on many, many television programs throughout the 50s, 60s and into the early 70s. He is probably best remembered for his numerous appearances on "Captain Kangaroo" throughout those years.

The clip of Mr. Robins (or Mr. Robins' unknown immediate successor) is taken from the 1947 film MOTHER WORE TIGHTS.

The clip of Mr. Levine is from late in his career and is believed to be from an early 70s (possibly his final) appearance on CAPTAIN KANGAROO.



For more information on The Banana Man act and character, please click the title of this post to be taken to Rhett Bryson's excellent tribute page.

Mark Anthony: Figurines

Photos courtesy of Rik Gern with special permission from the Mark Anthony Collection of Wayne and Marty Scott


Just a few of the hundreds of highly detailed wooden figurines that Mark carved of some of his favorite clowns. Rik spent a weekend at the home of Wayne and Marty Scott photgraphing the figurines and other of Mark's work for a special project that he's working on as a tribute to one of his heroes.

Mark Anthony: Publicity Photos

Photos courtesy of Rik Gern with special permission from the Mark Anthony Collection of Wayne and Marty Scott









Some unused publicity photos of Mark, late in his career, that most likely haven't seen the light of day since the time that they were taken.

Mark Anthony: ICHoF Induction Bio

Mark's brief video bio from his induction among the first group of International Clown Hall of Fame honorees in 1989.

For more on the ICHoF please click the title of this post but be warned, the site hasn't been updated in quite some time and I don't believe that any of the email links are valid anymore.

Anyone with more info on the current state of the ICHoF PLEASE let me know. If Wisconsin isn't working out for them perhaps they'd like to move it here to the Jersey Shore ; )

Linon on Hollywood Palace

Alongside Pio Nock and Walter Galetti, Belgian born Linon is fondly remembered as one of the all time great wire-walking clowns. He is seen here performing on Hollywood Palace on December 26, 1967. The episode was hosted by Jimmy Durante (whom Linon doubled for in the film JUMBO) and Anissa Jones.

PETER PITOFSKY Venice Beach

Legendary ex-Ringling clown Peter Pitofsky (Comic Strip Live, Tonight Show, Arsinio Hall Show, MADhattan, The Aristocrats) performing on Venice Beach.

Peter can currently be seen (working alongside Pickle Family Circus alum Geoff Hoyle) in Seattle's Teatro Zin Zanni. To find more on the show please click the title of this post.

Ed Alonzo Performs the Knife Thrower

Comedy Magician Ed Alonzo performs the classic Knife Thrower Gag.


Please click the title of this post to visit Mr. Alonzo's website.

Otto at the Boston Garden

Otto Griebling makes his point to two year old Karen Nardironiant during a May 1960 performance of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Boston Garden.

CLOWN ALLEY A&E's Under the Big Top Part Two

From the A&E special UNDER THE BIG TOP, a look at some of contemporary American circus clowning's leading lights interviewed about their craft.

More with Jason T. Stewart (Whiteface), Barry Lubin (Auguste) and Tom Dougherty (Character) and a great historical clip of Jack LeClair performing his "Blowing Up the Fat Man" gag.

Tom Piccard

From former road clown and Circus World producing clown Tom Piccard...

________________________________________________

I guess always was a clown..at age 12 ...I worked in a small one ring open air circus...After the army I was playing drums and tour with different bands.

At one point I was off the road for awhile I started putting together my first clown character. It made it as a regular on a morning Kiddie TV show called THE OLD REBEL SHOW.

While on that show one morning a clown who was doing the advance for the Blue unit of RBBB was on the show to promote the coming Circus, I think his name was Troy Straight and he invited me to the show and introduced me to Mark Anthony...It would a few years later that I would run into Mark in Orlando doing a magic convention and selling his foam carvings.
He had been fired from the show over a $5.00 pay dispute with Irvin Feld..And was living at Marty and Wayne Scott's home in Howie in the Hills..he invited me to come out for a visit .

The visit turned into a one month stay and a complete training course into foam prop making...Later I toured with Mark on the Gatty Circus ..Aside from that I clowned at Circus Hall of fame..and later worked at Circus World..I left the main stream end of the circus Biz and went independent in 1982.After the untimely death of my Older Brother, BUT Continued to Clown at Race tracks and other large events...and in 1986 took my clown rag's and props to Italy...Touring for 3 months with Cellini the magician and Birdie McClain the Juggler..I continue to clown with out the nose and make-up now as I can be just as funny without it..the BIG RED NOSE IS GONE ,but the clown in me will never die until I do...

_________________________________________________


To visit Mr. Piccard's myspace page please click the title of this post.

CLOWN ALLEY A&E's Under the Big Top Part One

From the A&E special UNDER THE BIG TOP, a look at some of contemporary American circus clowning's leading lights being interviewed about their craft.

We have Jason T. Stewart (Whiteface) as well as 2007 Felix B. Adler Award winners Barry Lubin (Auguste) and Tom Dougherty (Character) with a brief cameo by fellow 2007 winner Greg DeSanto and appearances by Mitch Freddes, Alan Ware and Bryan Fulton.

Sylvester the Jester

Dan "Sylvester the Jester" Battagline, A Real Live Cartoon, with more great clown gags per second than 100 circuses.

For more on Sylvester the Jester please click on the title of this post.

Glen "Kinko" Sunberry on the Grotto Circus 1950s

Kinko Sunberry performing his comedy contortion act at the Grotto Circus in Toledo, OH "back in the day".

Happy Valentines Day!

Earl Shipley

A publicity photo of Earl Shipley. I don't recognize the woman but the photo looks to have been taken towards the end of Earl's long career, when he was doing advance work for Ringling in the 50s.

CLOWN ALLEY Shrine Circus CT 1940s

Left to right Al Florenze, Billy Price, Slivers Johnson, Guby Deko, Jimmy Davidson, Gil Corbin, Rube Simmons, Herb Taylor.