JEFF "GORDOON" GORDON AND DREW RICHARDSON TONIGHT IN PITTSBURGH, PA!!!

Two of America's greatest living clowns, Jeff "Le Clown Gordoon" Gordon and Drew "The Dramatic Fool" Richardson are appearing together this evening in Pittsburgh, PA on a single bill! Don't miss this one if you can in any way help it.

THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO SEE TWO ABSOLUTE MASTERS AT THE PEAK OF THEIR CRAFT!!!


__________________________________________________________________________________________________


One night only! Laugh at two solo performances by Pittsburgh's own internationally acclaimed visual comedians, Drew Richardson and Jeff Gordon as Drew the Dramatic Fool and Clown Gordoon. This special event will be videotaped, so come help fill the house and support outrageously fun theater. For ages 7-107. Refreshments will be served.

The Laughter Arts Foundation
presents
Artfool Antics: A Five-Dollar Double Bill

Tuesday, April 10, at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $5 suggested donation
Reservations available at
tickets@dramaticfool.com
or call 412-781-0588

For more information,
call Drew Richardson:
412-683-3517
http://www.dramaticfool.com

TWO SOUTHERN GENTLEMEN: McBryde and Howle

Two of the most distinct makeups of the early Clown College era, two great instructors and two of the nicest guys that you'd ever want to meet, Leon "Buttons" McBryde and Jim Howle.

For those of you who don't know, Leon is the "ProKnows Guy", the maker of great quality clown noses, makeup and other accesories that have dramatically improved the look of clowns all around the world.

Jim Howle also has a line of makeup and noses but is probably best known as America's premier clown portaitist. His paintings of clowns such as Lou Jacobs, Felix Adler, Emmett Kelly, Otto Griebling, Leon McBryde, Frosty Little, Bobby Kay and Mike Keever (just to name a few) serve to wonderfully legitimize my arguement for the study of "Classic American Circus Clown Makeup Design As Vanishing American Folk Art".

I don't believe that Mr. Howle has a website. Clicking the title of this post will take you to Mr. McByde's PROKNOWS.COM.

ANNIE FRATELLINI: Monde du Cirque Lausanne 1987

Annie Fratellini, working without her husband and usual partner Pierre Etaix, performing in the ring as one of the 450 international circus artistes at a festival called Monde du Cirque in 1987. She is followed in this clip by Marco Morelli of Switzerland.

GROCK: Happy Easter!

Photo courtesy of Sue Lenz



I've been holding on to this photo that Sue Lenz sent for a few months now, just waiting for the right time to post it.The basket of bunnies makes it seems kinda "Easter-y" to me.

For everyone out there celebrating Easter today, Happy Easter. What did the bunny bring you?

For everyone else...um, hey. Spring is here! You guys have a great Sunday, April the 8th and a really nice solstice. I've got non-denominational jellybeans if anyone's hungry.

RANDOW & SIMMONS

Photo courtesy of "circusbutterflygurl"



One of the most enduring clowning partnerships on the Shrine circuit was that of Gene Randow and Harold Simmons.

They dressed alike and most of their gags centered on their identical appearances but disparate proportions with tall Gene Randow carrying a small potted plant and little Harold Simmons carrying an enormous one or Gene smoking a tiny cigar and Harold with one twice his size.

LES FRATELLINI: Paul and Albert

Sketches of Paul and Albert Fratellini from the book CLOWNS de PARIS by SERGE and illustrated by ALDEN.

It looks like a really great book and a copy is currently up for auction on the French eBay site but the seller doesn't accept PayPal and, for me, it's just too big a hassle to deal with paying for auctions the old-fashioned way. Especially when I don't read or speak any French.

I don't have that much faith in Alta Vista's Babelfish translations.

If you are fluent and French and interested in the book, please click the title of this post to be linked to the auction.

DENIS LACOMBE: The Mad Conductor

I'd hoped to be able to post some video that I have of the Fratellinis performing after the death of Paul (or Paolo, if you prefer) today but I can't locate the video at the moment.

In the meantime, let's all enjoy a few minutes with Denis LaCombe, The Mad Conductor.

LES FRATELLINI: Another Postcard

I wonder why Paolo and Alberto's names got "anglicanized" to "Paul" and "Albert" but Francois never became "Frank"?

Probably because "Frank" sounds like the first name of an overweight plumber from Staten Island and "Francois" sounds more like an elegant whiteface clown and star of the Cirque d'Hiver.

Just my guess.

CHUCK BURNES: Thanks!

Very sincere thanks go out to former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus clown of the 50s and 60s, Mr. Chuck Burnes for his extremely kind words about CLOWNALLEY.NET in his column in the latest issue of Circus Report!

THE FRATELLINIS: Trio Photo

As a compliment to yesterday's individual postcard photos of Francois, Paolo and Alberto Fratellini here's a group photo along with autographs.

For those so inclined, you may compare and contrast Lou Jacobs' makeup in the photo below with the photos of Alberto's seen here and yesterday.

LOU JACOBS: For Paul Gutheil

Since Paul Gutheil enjoyed the previous pictures of Lou so much, here's one more. I don't know the identity of the person Lou is shaking hands with but this one looks to have been taken in the late 30s/early 40s.

I always enjoy the chance to catch up with Paul and Diane and look forward to seeing them again next week when the mighty Hamid Shrine Circus makes it's way to beautiful Wilkes-Barre, PA where I'll be working with friends Shane and Alecia Hansen, Adam and Eric Burke, musician Larry Rothbard and scores of other circus luminaries.

Les Fratellini

Photos courtesy of circusbutterflygirl


No, I have not been made Executive Director of the International Clown Hall of Fame and no, it is not moving to Long Branch, NJ, the birthplace of Dan Rice.

I got back to my hotel room last night after a two show day as Comedy Ringmaster of the Hamid Shrine Circus in Greenvile, SC to find all of my e-mailboxes jammed with congratulatory messages about yesterday's ICHOF message that I posted.

Thank you to everyone who sent one, but it was just an April Fool's joke.

Now, if someone would like to actually offer me the position of Executive Director of the ICHOF I'd love to talk to them but no, it's just a joke. If you click on the link in the original post it will take you to the Wikipedia entry for April Fool's.

Thank you once again and I hope you'll forgive me. I'd like to begin to try to make it up to anyone who is upset at being "punk'd" by posting these three postcard photographs of the immortal Fratellini Trio, Francois, Paolo and Alberto...

INTERNATIONAL CLOWN HALL OF FAME HEADED TO THE JERSEY SHORE!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am extremely proud to announce that I have been offered and have accepted the position of Executive Director of the International Clown Hall of Fame and, thanks to an very generous grant from an anonomous benefactor, the International Clown Hall of Fame will be moving to the campus of Monmouth University in Long Branch, NJ with an expected opening date of August 28, 2007.

The International Clown Hall of Fame comes to New Jersey from it's original home in Wisconsin and includes scores of the world's greatest clowns of the past and present among it's honorees.

The ICHOF will now be housed in the former Lauren K. Woods Theater building which will be renamed the Dan Rice Center and will house not only the extensive collections of the ICHOF and very generous donations from the Circus World Museum in Baraboo but also a world class "theater-in-the-round" that is absolutely perfect for the staging of theaterical circus productions.

In addition to entertaining and educating area school children as well as the the general public about the art and craft of circus clowning, the Dan Rice Center will be an essential component of Monmouth University's new course in classical circus clowning which we expect to be able to expand and offer as a four year, fully accredited major by the fall of 2010.

An announcement of our amazing faculty will be made very soon. I think we've put together the greatest assemblage of international clowning instructors possible without the aid of a time machine.

To find out more about the new facility, the International Clown Hall of Fame, Monmouth University's new course in circus clowning and how all of these will be intergrated with CLOWNALLEY.NET and the Felix B. Adler Awards just click on the title of this post.

CHARLIE RIVEL: La Rivel

M. Josep Andreu

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.