CLOWN COLLEGE: Class of 1972

Photo courtesy of Ron Jarvis


For having viewed this photo, you now owe Ron Jarvis $5.00.

SUSO: Movie Gag

What an original gag! Absolutely brilliant!

But I can't help feeling as though I've seen it done much better somewhere before ; )

If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work right now on my very original Charlie Chaplin on trapeze impersonation and I still haven't worked all of the kinks out of my very original 4 pie plate come-in gag yet but my midget car gag with Frankie Saluto is all ready for next season.

Unless he was working for Cirque du Soleil and directed by Shiner at the time this was filmed, Suso should probably have done this gag in a black and white striped shirt and a little black mask so that everyone would know he was SUPPOSED to be a thief.

FUNAMBOLIKA 2007: Gensi

From Circus Roncalli's website, translated by Alta Vista Babelfish...

Gensi, White Clown:

Around a further element Roncallis Clownerie is enriched in this year. The Catalan theatre clown Gensi bezaubert in his nostalgic costumes as a poetic white clown. It only as Pantomimen to designate, became not fair it, because Gensi bezaubert with a kribbelnden mixture from darstellerischem talent and musical intuitive feeling. Gensi visited first a Spanish theatre school, before he itself the clown Trio „Monti & Cia.“ attached, which was to be seen in the past year with Roncalli. Now the clown with the red peruecke leads alone like a red thread by the program. In its spare time the 40jaehrige dedicates itself to the art likewise, then museum and ballet attendance stand on its personal program.

HARD DRIVE CRASH

I had my hard drive crash two weeks ago and lost all of the photos that I'd scanned for the blog.

I know, I'm a big dope. I should have been backing them up but I just haven't had the time.

If anyone has been downloading the photos here and wouldn't mind burning them to disc for me you'd save me a LOT of time this summer.

Please contact me at cashincomedy@yahoo.com

EMMETT KELLY JR.

Photo courtesy of John Peters


Emmett Kelly Jr. and friend at the Shrine Circus in Rochester, NY sometime in 1964.

MAD MAX DANIELS

Former Ringling clown, now Hollywood stuntman, Max "Mad Max Daniels" Levine.

During the Las Vegas Clown College reunion in 2001 several of us met up at a place called the Peppermill, a little nightspot that Joel Heidtman hipped me to that still had that "Ring-A-Ding-Ding" air of the Rat Pack era.

Max casually walked in and shattered the vibe in the place all to pieces by throwing a 108 that scared the patrons and staff half to death. We, of course, greeted it with a standing ovation.

FUNAMBOLIKA 2007: Jango Edwards

Photos courtesy of Raffaele di Ritis



Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

A l'e poque ou Jean-sans-Terre
De' Angleterre etait Roi
Funambolika, notre Pere
Combattit les Albigeois

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Certain jour un heretique
Par des ronces le conduit
Mais notre pere Funambolika
Par sa joie le convertit

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Ni chameau
Ni diligence il parcout l'Europe a pied
Scandinavie ou Provence
Dans la sainte pauvrete

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Enflamma de toute ecole filles
Et garcons pleins d'ardeur
Et pour semer la Parole inventa
Les Freres-Precheurs

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Chez Funambolika et ses freres
Le pain s'en vint a manquer
Et deux anges se presenterent
Portant de grands pains dores

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Funambolika vit en reve
Les precheurs du monde entier
Sous le manteau de la Vierge
En grand nombre rassembles

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

Funambolka, mon bon Pere
Garde-nous simples et gais
Pour annoncer a nos freres
La Vie et la Verite

Funambolika, lika, lika
S'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

ELMO REMEMBERS: Blue Show Alley '77-'78

Taking a cue from Bill Strong's blog, who can name all four of these '77-'78 era Ringling Blue Show clowns?

LOCKE LORRAINE

Photos and comments courtesy of Jerry Jacobson






From Jerry Jay...

_______________________________________________________


Pat,

Here are three photos of Bob "Locke" Lorraine. I worked with him in 1963 on the Rudy Bros. Circus. He was a the "Hollywood" clown on the show. Others in the photos are Candy Dickson, Jerry Jay (Me), Locke and Rex (Count De Boxcar) Young. I believe he stayed with Rudy for at least a few seasons after this. He lead me to believe that there was a degree of tension between Ernie Burch and himself. They both wore glitter, long lashes, and enjoyed working in drag. I believe he was out of the Los Angeles area.


You mentioned in Bill Strong's blog you didn't know much about Locke so I hope this little bit helps.
Jerry Jay

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

Thank you Jerry!

FUNAMBOLIKA 2007: David Larible

Photos courtesy of Raffaele di Ritis

DAVE CARLYON REMEMBERS: The Ballet Gag

Here's a picture of the participants in the Blue Show's '78 ballet gag: Ed "Smitty" Smith, Rick "Rick" Davis, Peter "May I Lick Your Face" Pitofsky, Dave "David" Carlyon, Jon "John" Wilkinson, and Lenny "My Back Hurts" Ciaccio, plus showgirls Susu, Jeannie, and (?) Janet. I think Kenny "Gumby" Colombo was in the gag too. I was a backup for all the parts but between the regulars' genuine ailments and self-granted "personal days," I ended up doing it every performance.

The second photo is mostly to show off my legs.

RINGLING: Clown Alley 1915

SHRINE CIRCUS: Detroit, MI 1951

Photo courtesy of John Peters, comments courtesy of Jackie LeClaire



The Clown Alley of the 1951 Orin Davenport Shrine Circus in Detroit, MI.



From Jackie...

______________________________________________________________

Photo taken in the early 1950's.

Standing left to right...

Oscar Lawanda: He had been a famous bareback rider in his younger days. He was probably in his late 70's or early 80's at that time.

Percy Rademacker: From Sheboygan, Wis. He was an outstanding auto thrill show clown doing tramp during the summer. I worked with him on the Aut Swenson show.

George LaSalle: Very clever in reproducing clown props and was responsible for the larger clown production numbers.

Jackie LeClaire: Notice over the years I kept making different types of clown costumes. Note the unusual collar on this one.


Sitting left to right...

Smoky Rouse: Tramp. Very good tramp clown

Dick Lewis: With white Fratellini-style make up. Longtime clown and veteran of many circuses. Lived in Baraboo, WI towards the end of his life and worked at the Circus World Museum. Died while doing his table rock act at a date in Texas. When he fell, he just missed the padding and hit the floor. He was a big circus fan.

Earl Shipley: He was always the Boss Clown as he was a Shiner and very close to Orin Davenport who produced the Detroit show. I bought his house trailer in l96l. He also recommened me to replace him as advance Ringling clown when he wanted to leave the road. Had been on a circus with my Father in 1913.

Joe Lewis: Married to Eva May who had been the first wife of Emmet Kelly. His photo was on a Ringling program cover back in the late 30's.

Hope this helps,

Jackie LeClaire

________________________________________________

Thank you for your invaluable info Jackie!

HAGENBECK-WALLACE 1937

Photos courtesy of Bill Strong






Joe "Ko-Ko" Coyle was a longtime Chicago event clown and that he is most likely the person pictured at the far right of the Alley shot, bending down, with the pancake hat. The clown standing next to him was on the Cole Bros. Circus and appears (along with Emmett Kelly, Otto Griebling and Freddie Freeman) in the short film HERE COMES THE CIRCUS.

Other than that, I don't know who is who, which is which and what I can add.

That train looks pretty cool though, huh?

PETER PITOFSKY: Comedy Boot Camp

A short film by Brian Haley about Comedy Boot Camp. This aired on the Fox TV show The Sunday Comics. Note Brian's pals in the line up including (notably) Peter Pitofsky, Billy Elmer, Peter Gaulkie and Drew Carey in his first acting roll! Some small edits to cut down on time. This was taken off an old demo reel of Brian's.

GENE LEWIS

Photos courtesy of John Peters


Gene Lewis with Jeannie, the tiniest elephant on RBBB in the mid 60s. The showgirl is Ms. Evy Karoly.


A 50s era photo of Gene, signed in 1968.

CLOWNLINK.COM

I've been meaning to mention it here for quite awhile now but for those who have not yet found it my friend Adam Gertsacov has a wonderful blog with photos and info on virtually all the leading international performers on the contemporary clowning scene.

Traditional circus, new circus (neu circus? nu circus?), new vaudeville, new burlesque or legitimate (and illegitimate) stage, you'll find them all at CLOWNLINK.COM.

To visit Adam's blog, please click the title of this post.

ELMO REMEMBERS: Wayne Sidley

Photos courtesy of Elmo "Dean Chambers" Gibb


Kevin "Roofus T. Goofus" Bickford and Wayne Sidley.

Does Wayne have his white gloves pinned to the sleeves of his clown suit?

Mom taught him well!




Wayne Sidley, every inch the classic American neat whiteface, wearing either one of Bobby Kay's costumes or one that looks to be made from the same fabric.

For more on what Mr. Sidley is up to now, please click the title of this post.

BUZZY POTTS

JOSEPH "JOJO" LEWIS

Photo courtesy of John Peters, commentary courtesy of Joey Kelly





From Joey Kelly's website JOEYKELLY.COM

_________________________________________________________

Joe Lewis, the famous cop clown, began performing in 1912 with Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show as a rodeo clown at the age of 14. An enterprising youth, he used his earnings to purchase a mule and immediately used him in a comedy routine. In 1913 Joe and his trained mule act were hired by Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West Show beginning a five year association with them. Joe then went the vaudeville route performing silly acts of mirth and playful mischief before donning makeup and running away with the circus in 1922.

Joe was a producing clown, but he was sought and most noted for working “come-in.” Before the days of Otto Griebling’s attention getting pie pans, Joe’s bellowing voice was heard no matter how large the coliseum. Like Otto, and countless after them, he pitted one side of the audience against the other in shouting and cheering matches.

Joe loved mingling with people, often assisting them to their seats. Sometimes he purposely seated people in the wrong seats and just left them there as a lark. When the rightful seat holders tried to claim their seats, he made a production of the situation, eventually hauling the patrons humorously, by the scruff of their neck, to their proper seats. Joe loved to strut about the hippodrome twirling his billy club, tweeting his whistle in an officious manner. More often than not, he would playfully whack people across the head with his sock filled billy club for the slightest provocation whether assumed or created.

Joe worked all the great circuses before joining Ringling Brothers. He was well liked and respected. Although he worked with all the great clowns over the years throughout America, his favorite and best friend was Emmett Kelly. Whether touring or sitting in their apartments during off season, they, with their wives, often wiled evenings away playing cards. Even after he married Emmett’s ex-wife, Eva, they remained friends.

Joe was a 33rd degree Mason and loved working Shrine Circuses as well as appearing at state and county fairs across America until he retired a few years before his death in 1961. Joe, arguably considered the best cop clown in circus history, was revered across the nation by law enforcement agencies. He loved playing the St. Louis Police Circus saying it was his favorite. They likewise loved him.

The most important possession of a clown is his trunk. Joe’s trunk contained his livelihood and mementos, not much different than any other clown. He had his costume and the usual assortment of makeup, powder and other accessories and props, but any further comparison stopped there. Joe’s trunk was a memorial, a testament to a nation that loved him. In the top tray, he had an assortment of authentic police badges. Fifty-nine officers from all walks of life gave him their badges as a means to pay homage to a great clown that put humor behind the badge.

Joe Lewis was a cop’s best friend!

_______________________________________________________

Joey will have considerably more to say about his step-grandfather in his upcoming book, Emmett Kelly, “America’s Favorite Clown!” If you would like to own an autographed, first edition printing, replete with a generous amount of photographs and drawings, please reserve your numbered copy via joeykellydotcom@sbcglobal.net.

If you'd like to visit Joey's website, please click on the title of this post.

ELMO REMEMBERS: Blue Show Alley '77-'78

Photos courtesy of Dean "Elmo Gibb" Chambers



TOP: Left: Dolly Spann, Upper Right: Jeff Loseff, Bottom Right: Terri Frampton LaPorte

BOTTOM: Ron Ressegieu

MIKE COCO: Ringling 1960s

First two photos courtesy of John Peters, photo 3 courtesy of Graham Coco


Michael "Coco" Poliakovs with a friend


Mike Coco at rest


A strange photo from Graham Coco's MySpace page of his dad from some period either in the very late 50s or the very early 60s. Dig them fancy duds!

SLAVA POLUNIN: Early Slava

A young Slava, early in his career.

SLAVA POLUNIN: Jacket and Hat Puppetry

Slava Polunin performing a classic bit of clowning from, what looks to me, to be around the general time period that he performed with Cirque du Soleil.

SLAVA'S SNOW SHOW

Some scenes from Slava Polunin's Slava's Snow Show that don't look to be performed by Mr. Polunin himself.

PRINCE PAUL INTERVIEW FOOTAGE!

Sandy "Polidor1" Weber has just put a new (well not SO new...) movie up on his website.

It is a sequence from a 1968 TV special called THE CIRCUS IS BORN. This clip features an interview with "Prince Paul" Alpert and shows him making up in the Alley. You can also see Frankie Saluto and (possibly) Mike Padilla in the background cutting up and trying to steal focus.

To view the video, simply click the title of this post.

ELMO REMEMBERS: Blue Show Alley '77-'78

TOP: Tim Schooley, Dale Nlng (No Last Name Given)

BOTTOM: Phil Hilden, Peter Pitofsky

Don Covington wrote to remind me the other day that the legandary Peter Pitofsky can currently be seen performing with Teatro Zinzanni in San Francisco. For more info, please click the title of this post.

DAVE CARLYON REMEMBERS TWO

Photos and commentary courtesy of Dave Carlyon


Though clown discussions often tend toward the antic and Auguste, a good whiteface is a joy forever. Here's a picture at the makeup table in Clown College of Richard Fick, a great clown and good man.




Dean "Elmo Gibbs" Chambers and I doing Whipcracker in between arguments about how to do the gag or interrupting our arguing to do Whipcracker.

FUNAMBOLIKA: David Larible

Photo by Christian Hamel, courtesy of AUCIRQUE.COM


David Larible performed last night at FUNAMBOLIKA.



From Raffaele De Ritis...

__________________________________________________________________

FUNAMBOLIKA
Clownerie e Cirque
Pescara, Italy, July 23-25, 2007


Funambolika is a new Italian festival of new and traditional circus, particularly focused on clowns.

It takes places in Pescara, in the arena theatre D’Annunzio on front of the Adriatic beach. This is the same 2000-seats arena where it take places Pescara Jazz, one of the oldest and most prestigious jazz festivals in the world.

Funambolika, conceived by Raffaele De Ritis, will present for the first time ever together two living legends of clowns: the icon of the avant-gard Jango Edwards and the champion of tradition, David Larible. They will both present their new open-air stage shows. In the third evening the circus school of Torino will introduce his new international acrobatic production.

Monday, July 23
JANGO EDWARDS in “Classic Duos”

Tuesday, July 24
DAVID LARIBLE in “Midsummer Night’s Clown”

Wednesday, July 25
SCUOLA DI CIRKO TORINO in “Eresia”

Further information: entemanifestazionipescaresi.it

Pescara airport is connected daily with London, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Milano, and twice weekly with New York, Toronto, Brussel, Paris, Kiev, Moskov, etc. The Rome Fiumicino airport is 2 hours drive.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: David Carlyon

Very Happy Birthday wishes go out to Mr. David Carlyon, author of the book DAN RICE: THE MOST FAMOUS MAN YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF, now available in paperback from Barnes & Noble (bn.com) and Amazon (amazon.com).

Why not stop by his website (by clicking the title of this post) and wish the man a little Happy Happy, Joy Joy yourself?

OLEG POPOV: Spotlight Entree

ELMO REMEMBERS: Blue Show Alley '77-'78

Photos courtesy of Dean "Elmo Gibb" Chambers


TOP: Jeff Loseff, Victor Ruiz

BOTTOM: Terri Frampton-LaPorte, Rick Davis

POODLES HANNEFORD

TOP LEFT: Poodles and his daughter, Gracie.

TOP RIGHT: Poodles in a publicity shot for his role in the 1951 film THE GOLDEN HORDE starring Ann Blyth, George Macready, Henry Brandon, Howard Petrie and Marvin Miller.

BOTTOM: An actual glass slide used to advertise Poodles starring in the 1927 comedy short CIRCUS CAPERS

BOZO THE CLOWN: Ward McIntyre

Walter McIntyre, city's `Bozo,' dies
Career on air spanned 50 years
Sunday, July 22, 2007
VAL WALTON
News staff writer


Walter "Ward" Wharton McIntyre Jr., a longtime broadcaster who entertained many children in the 1960s as "Bozo the Clown," died Friday. He was 77.

McIntyre's nearly 50-year broadcasting career began while he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, when he developed and announced a 30-minute radio show at Fort Dix, N.J.

McIntyre's career was mostly in radio. He worked as a DJ on WSGN and WEZB. He became the lovable, red-haired clown, Bozo, on WBRC-TV in August 1962. He performed until 1968.

McIntyre's varied radio career included writing, producing, and doing voice-overs and advertising spots. He retired from broadcasting in the 1990s from WBHM.

John Dale McIntyre, one of McIntyre's sons, said his father enjoyed drama throughout his life. Although Bozo seems to be McIntyre's legacy, his son said he did so much more.

Reading scripture each Sunday during contemporary service at his church, Canterbury United Methodist, was a joy, the younger McIntyre said.

McIntyre's last reading was Sunday, July 15.

"He sounded great," John Dale McIntyre said. "It was amazing. It was like he was back in the recording studio."

At the church, McIntyre, a Mountain Brook resident, was an active member, serving on the church council and the drama, advertising and contemporary committees.

A Birmingham native, McIntyre attended Ramsay High School and graduated in 1953 from Birmingham-Southern College.

In April 1998, McIntyre and his late wife, Anne, attended the Ramsay class of 1948 reunion.

McIntyre is survived by his sons, Robert Gordon McIntyre and John Dale McIntyre; and a daughter, Catherine M. Lowe. He also doted on his granddaughters.

A memorial service is Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Canterbury United Methodist Church.

_________________________________________________________

For a video remembrance from WBRC-TV in Birmingham, AL, featuring clips of Ward as Bozo, please click the title of this post.

ELMO REMEMBERS: Blue Show Alley '77-'78

Photos courtesy of Dean "Elmo Gibb" Chambers


Prince Paul Alpert and Richard Fick.

If you have to ask which is which, please move to the back of the class.

RON DEHOFF REMEMBERS: Hunt Bros. Circus

Photos and info courtesy of Ron "Barney" DeHoff

Ron "Barney the Clown" DeHoff is a 1976 graduate of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. In 1977 he was Advance Clown for the Hunt Bros. Circus and in 1978 was made their Boss Clown.

Unfortunately, 1978 was the last year for Hunt Bros., which at one time had been a three-ring circus.

During his time with them the show was a one-ring operated by Marsha Hunt-Jones and her husband Donald. Harry Hunt (one of the three brothers who took control from their father Charles, the founder of the show) was there as an advisor.

The following photos are from that time period...


TOP: Hunt Bros. the Philadelphia Civic Center: (Left to right) Middy Streeter, Curt Detra, Ron "Barney" DeHoff, Steve Russell and unknown clown stiltwalker in the back.

LEFT TOP: Barney with the Hunt Bros. Advance Truck

LEFT BOTTOM: Barney at Clown College

RIGHT: Promo shot of Barney's Breakaway Bicycle act




Hunt Bros. 1978 program page




Lou Jacobs (with an assist from Bob Momyer, Assistant Dean of Clown College in 1976 and '77) demonstrating the Spider Gag.

WELCOME TO THE ALLEY: Zoe Zimmerman

Proud parents Timea and Todd Zimmerman with baby Zoe.



Stats:
Born July 20, 2007 @ 5:17pm
7lbs, 13 oz
20 inches long


Is it just me or does she actually look more like Thom Wheaton?

COWBOY MIKE KEEVER: At Circus Sarasota

Art meets the circus life at Art Center Sarasota

By NANCY CHAPMAN
CORRESPONDENT
nancy.chapman@heraldtribune.com
2/16/2006


Life is a circus.

That's the slogan of Circus Sarasota this year, and Chuck Sidlow says it's directly tied to its creators' feeling about what they're doing.

"The circus is an art form," he said to a select group who had been invited inside the tent Friday morning for a special presentation.

It was, therefore, totally natural that they, visual artists from Art Center Sarasota, were there, continuing a collaboration that has proved fruitful for both sides.

It's the second year artists have been invited to come and photograph or sketch performers.

Sidlow, a veteran clown and performance director for Circus Sarasota, invited his "chosen brother" Cowboy Mike Keever in from Missouri to be the star of the event.

Keever, who performed with Sidlow for years as part of the Ringling Circus Red Unit, has recently turned to expressing himself with acrylic paints, and the show began with an exhibit of Keever's work set up on the circus ring.

All of the colors in his paintings evolved from clown colors, with brilliant blues, reds and yellows emoting in sometimes surrealistic canvases.

Then he set about showing the artists how he uses his face for a canvas, and the artistic deliberateness with which he designed his cowboy clown character and makeup.

As Madeline Ferraz and Joan Bisser sketched Keever's transition into "real-life cartoon," Sidlow sat down next to his longtime buddy and waxed poetic to the intimate gathering about the difference between entertainment today and then.

The two also entertained the crowd with the story of their visit to the White House lawn -- their mule got loose and they did an unintentional comedy act, trying to save the animal from a very nervous Secret Service.

The event ended with an athletic performance by Damien Boudreau and Genevive Cliche. The gymnasts methodically stretched before doing a series of moves and answering questions. It was just part of the "behind the scenes look" that Marilyn Olsen, one of the artists, said she loved about the presentation.



If you're curious about Keever's artwork, please click the title of this post to visit website of the CEL-EBRATION Art Gallery in Red Bank, NJ

ELMO REMEMBERS: Blue Show Alley '77-'78

Photos courtesy of Dean "Elmo Gibb" Chambers



Top: Richard Fick

Center (from left to right): Ken Columbo, Dolly Spann, Ed "Buddy" Smith and Joe Myers

Bottom: Peggy King, Lenny Ciaccio


We have plenty more Elmo shots to get us through the next week or so but if anyone else, from any show, anywhere in the world, has any photos that they'd like to add please send them as a jpg. file to cashincomedy@yahoo.com.

Thanks

RUMPY THE CLOWN: Roger Prystanski Interview

Host of the three ring CTV show CIRCUS in the 1983-'84 season, Roger "Rumpy the Clown" Prystanski. He started out as a graduate of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, moved to the Shrine Circus and spent many years with the Garden Bros. Circus.

Always original and unique, Roger died of pneumonia shortly after this interview in 1991. It's not the best interview. The person conducting the interview doesn't know much about the circus outside of the TV show and Roger doesn't seem particularly interested in being interviewed. But, it's what we do have and sometimes we should be thankful to have that.

The show CIRCUS can still be seen on Canadian TV in syndication and Garden Bros. Circus still uses Rumpy in it's logo.


Part One


Part Two