SUNDAY MORNING ART GALLERY: Harry Nelson & Mike King

Veres

"Before the Matinee: Harry Nelson"

Oil on Canvas

American, Signed, c.1949

36 x 30 Inches




David Farrell

"Mike King"

Pastels

American, Signed, c. 1978

17" x 22.5"

SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: Laurel & Hardy in PICK A STAR (1937)

Laurel & Hardy in a rarely seen clip from PICK A STAR a Hal Roach film directed by Edward Sedgwick starring Patsy Kelly. The director in the scene is played by Roach Comedy All-Star and longtime L&H foil Jimmy Finlayson.


Laurel & Hardy in a btter known clip from the same film, dubbed into Italian.

ITALIAN VIDEO

La Preghiera del Clown

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"The Prayer of the Clown" from the film "The Most Comic Show In the World"

DONOVAN & BLY

Slapstick music hall tumbling act from 1945. This footage is from a Mancunian Film's short called 'Randle and All That'.

THE CRAZY JOKER SHOW: Jacket and Thai Required

Video courtesy of John Hadfield



Jeff "Le Clown Gordoon" Gordon (of Big Apple Circus fame), Will Shaw (famous NYC juggler) Chris Shelton and John Hadfield (The Crash Brothers) and Rob Zeiser (former Ringling clown) appear in this ad for the Crazy Joker Show at Dan Neeramit (Magic Land) in Bangkok Thailand. There is no word for "clown" in Thai, so they were called "The Crazy Jokers."

KOCHMANSKI

Photo courtesy of John Peters



Famous riding clown, Kochmanski.

CLOWN COLLEGE REUNION: "The Great Pie Fight"

Video courtesy of John Hadfield



Wenesday October 14, 1987: Shot during the Clown College 20th Anniversary Reunion in Venice, FL, here is Master Clown Glen "Frosty" Little schooling Charles Gibson and Joan London in the proper method of throwing a pie on "Good Morning America".

This event was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as "The World's Largest Pie Fight".

GROVER NICHTMAN: Cole Bros. Circus 1948

LITTLE TICH: Little Tich es ses "Big Boots" (1900)

"I like big boots and I cannot lie..."

I have seen snippets of this for years but this is the first time that I've seen this film of British Music Hall legend Harry "Little Tich" Relph in it's entirety.

For more information on Little Tich please click the title of this post.

CLOWN CAMP: Coco, Lou & Mark

Last photographed together in 1968, Michael "Coco" Polakovs, Lou Jacobs and Mark Anthony, all three former giants of the Ringling Alley and all three future International Clown Hall Of Fame inductees, demonstrate how they apply their make up and tell stories from their combined 200 years of experience in the field of circus clowning at Clown Camp La Crosse, WI in 1987.

For more information on Clown Camp, please click the title of this post.

CLOWN ALLEY: The Diner Gag, Ringling 2007

The soap gag from the current Blue Unit "Circus of Dreams" at the Times Union Center (Formerly The Pepsi Arena) in Albany, NY, April of 2007.

LES FRATELLINI: "Come To the Circus" circa 1945

Extremely rare film of the Fratellini trio of clowns (not the original trio, as this footage is from after Paul's death in 1940) from the short film "Come to the Circus", shot in performance somewhere between 1940 (after the death of Paul) and 1951 (the death of Francois).

Has anyone else ever noticed that Paul, Francois, Albert and Annie all passed away in June? Kind of weird.

BUZZY POTTS

CLOWN ALLEY: Bakery Gag, Garden Bros. Circus 1986

Roger "Rumpy the Clown" Prystanski and company perform a Bakery Gag based on the humor of "escalating reciprocal violence" (or "tit for tat"), similar in structure to the Washer Woman Gag and the basis for many of the best Laurel & Hardy shorts, on the Garden Bros. Circus in 1986.

SUNDAY MORNING ART GALLERY: "Backstage: Myron Orton, Paul Jung, & Prince Paul"

Link courtesy of Rick Whelan



"Backstage: Myron Orton, Paul Jung, & Prince Paul" an original oil painting by American artist Margot Clark, who painted under the name, "Veres.” Margot Clark was married to film actor Dane Clark, but chose to paint under the name, "Veres,” meaning, "Red Head" in Hungarian. Veres developed a passion for the theatrical world of famous clowns and they quickly became the primary subjects of her paintings. As the reputation of her quality increased, Veres was invited to exclusively paint some of the world’s most famous clowns, which included Emmett Kelley, Paul Jung, Harry Nelson, Prince Paul and numerous others.

The detail and use of color, combined with the realistic, American social realist style of painting became the trademark of Veres. Her paintings are completely theatrical, depicting not singularly the clowns, but the real men themselves as they transition into character, portrayed through various stages of costume and make up. The paintings by Veres are American works of theatrical social realism of the late 1940's and 1950's.

Veres exhibited extensively including major exhibitions at Hammer Galleries in New York , Galerie R. Creuze in Paris, France both in the 1950's. The original paintings by Veres are now exhibited exclusively by Trigg Ison Fine Art, West Hollywood, California.


TITLE: Backstage: Myron Orton, Paul Jung & Prince Paul
ARTIST: Veres
WORK DATE: circa 1949
CATEGORY: Paintings
MATERIALS: Oil on Canvas
MARKINGS: signed
SIZE: h: 50 x w: 40 in / h: 127 x w: 101.6 cm
REGION: American
STYLE: Modern
PRICE*: Contact Gallery for Price
GALLERY: Trigg Ison Fine Art 310-274-8047 Send Email
ONLINE CATALOGUE(S): Inventory Catalogue

For more information on this piece, please click on the title of this post.

SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: Buster Keaton from THE CAMERAMAN (1928)

Buster Keaton performing a baseball pantomime which seems to be heavily inspired by Frank "Slivers" Oakley's "One Man Baseball Game" in his first feature film for MGM, which was his last true silent (SPITE MARRIAGE was without dialogue, but was a "sound" film). The scene is one of the last that Buster was allowed to completely improvise in front of the cameras before MGM forced him to completely change his method of filmmaking and strictly adhere to tightly written scripts.

THE CAMERAMAN was feared lost until a print was discovered in Paris in 1968 and finally made available on video in 1991 when an incomplete master positive was found and merged with the inferior 1968 print. The master positive used as the basis for the VHS release was missing the entire first reel, plus eleven "gags" ranging from the entire "One Man Baseball Game" sequence to simple three second reaction shots. When the stock suddenly changes from crystal sharp and clear to washed out and grainy, it makes a very strong statement for the importance of film preservation and in classic Buster Keaton fashion, makes it absolutely silently.

The film was recently re-mastered and is now on DVD as part of "TCM Archives: The Buster Keaton Collection" featuring a new score by former Frank Zappa band member Arthur Barrow.

And as for Buster's respect for Slivers? I re-post the following article (written in 1946 when Buster was 51) sent to me by Gene Wolande...

YARLYKOV ACROBATICS

The next step in the evolution of the Boxing Gag?

EMMETT KELLY: Ringling Museum, Sarasota, FL

Emmett Kelly's Weary Willie costume on display at the John & Mable Ringling Circus Museum in Sarasota, FL.

POODLES HANNEFORD: Poodles and Gracie at Frontier Town

"In 1954, at the age of 63, Poodles Hanneford retired from performing his trick riding at the circus. He continued with his whip routine for a while, but eventually came to work at an amusement park in New York, called Frontier Town. Poodles played the part of the Old Prospector as well as clowning, his wife Grace run the frontier store, and their daughter Gracie performed there as well with a trained dog act.

Poodles Hanneford worked there until his death in 1967. He is buried in Glens Falls, New York, beneath a memorial that includes his famous step off. Grace, his wife of 48 years, died in 1984 and was buried next to Poodles."

--www.clown-ministry.com

As an addendum to the information on clown-ministry.com, Gracie Hanneford passed away in Glens Falls, NY in the fall of 2006.

CLOWN ALLEY: Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros.

Video courtesy of Dean Chambers



Dean "Elmo Gibb" Chambers and members of the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Clown Alley perform and discuss their craft.

SLAVA'S SNOWSHOW: In Israel

Slava Polunin is interviewed as he brings his SNOWSHOW to Israeli audiences.

CLOWN ALLEY: Beatty-Cole 1985

The Beatty-Cole Alley always skewed towards neat whitefaces but, since an Alley with absolutely no augustes is unlikely, I'm going to guess that this is just the whiteface members of the 1985 Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Clown Alley.

Front and center, Sandy "Sandy K" Kozik with future Vidbel's Olde Tyme Circus star and Billy Vaughn partner Mike Snider directly behind.

CLOWN ALLEY: Survivor Gag, Ringling 2001

Video and comments courtesy of Larry Clark


This video is from the 131st edition of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey's Circus (2001-2002).

It is Clown Alley's Spoof of the CBS show, Survivor.

This was filmed in Salt Lake City Utah in September of 2001.

The clowns in the gag here are:

Old Tribesman (Horn Blower) - Alan Ware
Ester (Big Mama) - Jay Stewart (Boss Clown)
Nanuk (Eskimo) - Albert Ramirez
Gilligan (Goofy Guy) - Darren Burrell
Bikini Model - Molly Pelley
Jungle Adventurer - Bryan Fulton
Latin Heart-Throb - Francesco Villares
Dr Flora Messenger (Dr Laura Schlessinger) - Pamela Ramirez
Host - Johnathan Lee Iverson (Ringmaster)

BOXING GAG: Poodles?

A 1934 photo, purported to be from the personal collection of Edwin "Poodles" Hanneford, of a Boxing Gag being performed on a closed off street.

I can't identify any of the clowns for certain but if it IS from Poodles collection he MAY be the clown on the left with his face obscured by a boxing glove. He looks to be about the right height and build and that certainly does look like his costume.

CLOWN ALLEY: Track Gag, Ringling 1969

George "Bumpsy Anthony" Hulme, Swede Johnson and Mark "Mark Anthony" Galkowski performing a "track gag" together on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1969.

Not really sure of the gag since not all of the "beats" are here. It looks as though Bumpsy enters with a box, Swede comes along as the clown cop and tells him to move on, Mark enters as the tramp and sits on the box. Bumspy then lights a fuse attached to the box but when Mark stands up it snaps back on a bungee and hits the 102 year old Swede in the back.

I don't get it but, as I said, we have a couple of "beats" missing here.

Still, it's great to see all three of them in action, especially Bumpsy who has a great physicality to his character that isn't even hinted at in photos.

OTTO GRIEBLING: Come In & Boxing Gag, Ringling 1959

Today I am 40 years old.

The other day I was given one of the greatest gifts I've ever received and today I'm sharing it with you. Here is Otto Griebling performing come-in on an outdoor date in 1959 with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Afterwards there is a few minutes of the Boxing Gag with Freddie Freeman on an idoor arena date from the same tour.

JOSEPH "JOJO" LEWIS

Photo courtesy of John Peters


Veteran of many shows and just about every facet of professional clowning, clown cop Jojo Lewis.

CLOWN ALLEY: The Boxing Gag, Ringling 1969

Danny Chapman (the man responsible for the creation of Clown College), Mark Anthony and Swede Johnson along with a crew of then recent Clown College graduates present the first Boxing Gag done on the Ringling circus after the retirement of Otto Griebling's longtime sparring partner Freddie Freeman.

CHRIS SHELTON: Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday wishes go out today to Mr. Chris Shelton, an excellent clown who really knows how to rock an authenic hand made Chinese suit!

GIOVANNI ZOPPE: Philadelphia, PA, May 2007

Giovanni Zoppe as Nino the Clown with the Zoppe Family Circus at the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia, PA last May as part of the Children's Festival.

MIKE PADILLA: Beatty-Cole, circa 1980

After coming to America as part of the Alf Landon troupe of little people and many years with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey (often partnered with Lou Jacobs) Mike Padilla finished out his American circus career with a few seasons as a member of the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus Clown Alley.

PETER SHUB: German TV Appearance

Peter Shub running through several of his favorite bits VERY quickly for German television.

CLOWN ALLEY: Barnum & Bailey 1915

Members of the 1915 Clown Alley of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and a prop Jitney Bus.

This makes me wonder if this is the exploding Jitney Bus described in the book CIRCUS LURE AND LEGEND and if any of the clowns pictured here are the elusive Buck Baker.

Baker created several brilliant gags based around automobiles and motorcycles in the early part of the 20th century, many of which were never recreated. As well known as he was for his time, I have never seen a clear photo of Mr. Baker.

LORD BUCKLEY: Richard Henzel Performs "The Chairs"

A precursor to many of the contemporary audience participation gags, from Charles Pike's play "Return of the Hip Messiah," here's Richard Henzel as Lord Buckley performing Buckley's "The Chairs." Music by Jonathan Menchin, directed by Aaron Freeman, produced by Scott Vehill and Jonathan Lavan for Prop Theatre. Second City Skybox, Chicago, 1999. Video by Jim Sikora.

It sort of sets the stage for Shiner, Larible, Willer Nicolodi and lots of other folks who followed.

Please try to excuse the racism of the piece. At the time that Buckley was originally performing this material Amos & Andy was a long-running and extremely popular radio show. Audiences had grown up with and knew the characters the way many of today's twentysomethings have grown up with and know the Simpsons characters. It also allowed Buckley the freedom to explore the language of the African-American jazz community, something that he would later present with much greater artistic success. That doesn't excuse it, but it may help you to understand his choice.

Buckley dropped this very popular piece from his stage act rather early in comedy career and actually walked out of vaudeville at the Palace in it's dying days because he was so bored by performing it.

FELIX ADLER: Ringling, 1947

"The King of Clowns", Felix Adler, in spec wardrobe in 1947.

DAVID SHINER: Just for Laughs Festival

David Shiner performs his signature piece at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival.

BILL IRWIN: Charlie Rose, 2000

Bill Irwin dicusses his production of Samuel Beckett's TEXTS FOR NOTHING with Charlie Rose in 2000.

WALLACE & CLARK: Unidentified Clown, 1950

Unknown clown on the Wallace & Clark Circus, 1950.

CLOWN ALLEY: Ringling 1956

The 1956 Clown Alley of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the final season under canvas.

I don't believe that Felix Adler was actually in the show that year, he Emmett Kelly and Otto Griebling were part of the AGVA strike and took part in the AGVA sponsored indoor shows that day and dated the circus that year.

The Ringling show closed early that year due to pressure from the Teamsters. Emmett only returned to Ringling once more, to speak to the students at Clown College in 1977.

GROUCHO MARX

It was 30 years ago today.

CLOWN ALLEY: The Hawaiian Gag, Ringling 1986

Video courtesy of "Super Steve" Copeland


The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Blue Unit Clown Alley performing the Hawaiian Gag in 1986.

OTTO GRIEBLING: CLOWNALLEY.NET's 1,000th Post

I had planned on posting an excellent, very rare, video that I had been saving to appropriately commemorate CLOWNALLEY.NET's 1,000th post but that one will just have to wait.

This video arrived in the mail this afternoon.

It's 1969 Ringling Alley footage. Just a quick sweep across Clown Alley, past several early Clown College grads (and Bill Ballantine), before the camera stops on a young whiteface who quickly realizes that the cameraman is not interested in him, he's shooting Otto Griebling as he puts on his makeup.

And just about nothing makes me happier than finding footage that I haven't seen of Otto Griebling.

JASON T. STEWART

I stopped by the NY Goofs Ultimate Goof School yesterday at the Flea Theater, 41 White St. in NYC and caught up with head goofs Dick Monday and Tiffany Riley, Gautham Prassad, Brian Foley, Laura Kendrick and her beautiful baby daughter Pearl (named after Laura's mother, Pearl Bailey) and instructors Hovey Burgess, John Lepiarz and Jay Stewart.

Since I owe Jay $10., here's a photo of him and a link to a great article on what he's been up to recently if you'll just click on the title of this post.

CLOWN ALLEY: The Firehouse Gag, Ringling 1989

Video courtesy of "Super Steve" Copeland



The 1989 118th Edition Blue Unit Clown Alley performing the Firehouse Gag on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. I believe this is the last time the Firehouse was (or likely will ever be) performed on the Ringling show.

At this point the Ringling Alley could do one entire edition of the show loaded with classic gags (Firehouse, Boxing, Washerwoman) not seen there in almost a generation.

ELVIS AARON PRESLEY

The King is Dead!

Long Live the King!

And Long Live His Spec Wardrobe!

MITCH FREDDES: Barrel Act

Jonathan "Mitch" Freddes performing his barrel act on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Gold Unit a few years back.

The prop was given to him at Ringling Clown College when Mitch was a student there in 1974 by Lou Jacobs.

Lou had gone with Bill Ballentine a few years earlier and purchased some props from Glen "Kinko" Sunberry, a longtime circus clown now retired. The prop sat waiting for the right student and when Mitch came along Lou taught him a few of the moves and Mitch created this act which has served him well with circus audiences for many years.

Just proving that a great prop, and great clowning, never go out of style.

KINKO SUNBERRY: Barrel Act

Kinko Sunberry and that same barrel at the Toledo, OH Grotto Circus in the 1950s.

EDDIE DOREY: 1912

A photo of circus clown Eddie Dorey, circa 1912.

Is this the inspiration for, or a reaction to Felix Adler's padded posterior?

FUMAGALLI: More Fumagalli

Fumagalli at a circus festival in Moscow.

LE CLOWN GORDOON

In addition to apearing in a very well received stage show in Pittsburgh with Dramatic Fool Drew Richardson, my friend Jeff "Le Clown Gordoon" Gordon has just come back from visiting Amman, Jordan with Pittsburgh's Zany Umbrella Circus and teaching at the Amman Children's Museum, where he was joined for a week by NY Goofs Hilary Chaplain, Dick Monday and Tiffany Riley.

He'll be headed to China for a huge international festival with AEMI in October.

If you click the title of this post you can view a wonderful piece done on him recently by PBS that features several minutes of interviews and masterful performance.

CIRCUS KNIE: Les Rossyann

Longtime stars of the Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione, here's a recent shot of Les Rossyann on Circus Knie.

BOZO ROW: Los Angeles Magazine

Photo courtesy of Ron Jarvis, comments by Billy Baker



From the 1981 Los Angeles Magazine photo shoot here are the ex-Red Unit Ringling clowns of "Bozo Row"

STANDING: (left to right) Billy Baker, Ed "Smitty" Smith

IN FRAME: (Top to bottom) Kevin Bickford, Dolly (Spann) Baker, Robin Shaw-Bickford, Jimmy Briscoe, Ron Jarvis and Daniel Rogers

____________________________________________________

Billy Baker describes Bozo Row...

"I arrived in Hollywood in 1978, and ended up managing an apartment complex, that within a year or two, was full of Ringling rejects coming to Lotusland to try their luck. Out of 12 units, 10 were filled with Ringling grease paint comrades. There were also many, who passing through were adopted or too broke to go elsewhere. It was a circus train that never left the station."

___________________________________________________

THAT must have been SOME party!

DR. L.C. HOLLAND

Dr. L.C. Holland, a dentist and an amateur clown. He was a good friend of Felix Adler's (to the point where Felix either gave him old costumes or patterns) who used to clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus doing walkarounds during his two weeks of vacation from his practice each year back in the 1940s.

Strangely, I've never seen a photo of Dr. Holland performing the Dentist Gag, only walkarounds.

BLACKPOOL TOWER CIRCUS: Mooky's Spotlight Gag

Video courtesy of Buldajay


Mooky (Laci Endresz Jnr) from England's Blackpool Tower Circus exploring the further evolution of the Spotlight Gag.

SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: Rain or Shine (1930)

Comments courtesy of Aaron Neathery


One of the best early talking feature comedies and a record of both his greatest Broadway success and his numerous talents, Joe Cook plays circus manager Smiley Johnson who is forced to become a one-man circus when his performers go on strike in this scene from "Rain or Shine", released this week in 1930 and directed by Frank Capra

Joe's formidable juggling skills were documented repeatedly, but this is the only footage I've seen of his balancing and wire-walking abilities. Dave Chasen, later of Chasen's Restaurant fame, plays stooge for Joe in this sequence. He's rather like a less-subtle, talking Harpo Marx.

Happy Birthday, Joel Heidtman!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Joel Heidtman who turn 67 years old this week but STILL gets carded trying to order anything stronger than a Shirley Temple. He is seen here at his birthday party being ex-communicated by a Catholic priest for juggling in Ren Faire garb, which was still punishable by stoning until Vatican II.

CLARK & MCCULLOUGH: Hey, Nanny Nanny 1

A wealthy scion's dinner party becomes a shambles when two window washers, masquerading as magicians, invade the place with their pet goat. Released 1/12/34, dir: Ben Holmes.

I've never seen any of C&M's Fox shorts (which I understand had much higher budgets) but these RKO shorts give the impression that the scripts and pacing may have been influenced by the success of the Three Stooges shorts at Columbia.

CLARK & MCCULLOUGH: Hey, Nanny Nanny 2

CLARK & MCCULLOUGH: Hey, Nanny Nanny 3

CLARK & MCCULLOUGH: Tramps

Photos courtesy of Aaron Neathery, recommended by Mr. Peare's great nephew, Gary Peare


Paul McCullough and Bobby Clark (in what appears to be an early photo of his painted on glasses) in clown tramp makeup very early in their vaudeville careers.

Bobby Clark looks quite a bit like the Belgiam wire walking clown Linon in the photo.

FERN STREET CIRCUS: Clown Otis

Garry O. Irvingwhite, Artistic Director of the Fern Street Circus, as Clown Otis.


For more info on the Fern Street Circus please click the title of this post.

CLARK & MCCULLOUGH: And Hank Peare

Photos courtesy of Aaron Neathery, recommended by Mr. Peare's great nephew, Gary Peare



Ringling Bros., around 1911. Clark (middle), McCullough (right), and Hank Peare (left). The prop table shown here was used in their most famous circus act. The "chair and table" routine would later become the foundation of C&McC's vaudeville career.



Also circa 1911. L to R, Paul, Bobby, and Hank perform the "chair and table" routine. The beginnings of Bobby's famous greasepaint eyeglasses can be seen here for the first time.

For more info on Clark & McCullough, visit Mr. Neathery's album of photos from the scrapbook kept by Paul McCullough's mother by clicking the title of this post.

SLIVERS JOHNSON: Checkered Cab

Photo and comments courtesy of Bill Strong



From Bill Strong...

________________________________

Here is "Slivers" Johnson, Bill Kay Circus, Montgomery Ala. 1964

This was scanned from a program & the quality is not great.

________________________________

Thanks Bill!

To visit Bill Strong's excellent circus history blog YESTERDAY'S TOWNS please click the title of this post.

And be sure to visit his eBay store THE GIBTOWN CIRCUS DIME'S STORE where I'm not just a shopper, I'm also on staff!

RON JARVIS REMEMBERS: Doug Ashton

Photo courtesy of Ron Jarvis


Wearing a derby, with a fresh one ready on top of his trunk.

CLOWN ALLEY: Even More Ringling 1917

Another Alley shot, this time of the Clown Band, again featuring Herman Joseph and Paul Jerome.



This may or may not be the 1917 Ringling Clown Alley, in the Alley and out of makeup.

While it is certainly a group of circus performers of that era, without knowing what even one of these guys looked like out of makeup I have no way of being sure.

The two little people, the smiles, and the animated expression on the face of one of the men in the back, plus the fact that it is from the same collection as the other 1917, leads me to believe that it probably IS the 1917 Ringling Alley.

NY GOOFS: Ultimate Clown School

The comedy team of Tiffany Riley and Dick Monday, the nucleus of The New York Goofs.

I thought that I had mentioned this earlier and realized as I was looking through the archives last night that I hadn't.

There may still be time and space to register for the second week, I don't know. It's well worth finding out though...

________________________________________________________________

Ninth Annual Ultimate Clown School
August 6 - August 18, 2007
New York City

Week One: August 6-11
Week Two: August 13-18

This two week session offers an intensive course of study in the art of clowning that is available nowhere else. Our faculty represents America's top guides in the art of Clowning. As always, we strive to bring you the best teachers in the art of physical comedy!



SPECIAL GUESTS FOR 2007:
Jay Stewart
Former Boss Clown for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, teacher at Clown College, and founder of Seaside Clowns in Myrtle Beach, SC.

John Lepiarz
Also known as Mr. Fish, spent seven years performing in the Big Apple Circus, and is a Graduate of the Le Coq school of Mime and Clown in Paris.

Kim Winslow
National Creative and Educational Coordinator for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit, and has performed from Alaska to Bosnia and brings his unique talent to Goof school this year.

Our Core Faculty
Dick Monday - Clowning
Larry Pisoni - Character Development
Hovey Burgess - Skills/History
Barbara Karger - Movement
Tiffany Riley - Eccentric Dance
Evelyn Tuths - Bouffon

Week One: (August 6-11)
The first week will focus on finding, building and utilizing the
most crucial aspect of your clowning: CHARACTER.

Week Two: (August 13-18)
Week number two is a continuation of our work, or a stand alone session for
students who have previously attended our Goof School. The focus
will be on material development.

Schedule
Classes will be held Monday through Saturday from 10am-6pm.
Several nights of each week we will also have Open Workshops where students can work one on one with teachers on material and character. The end of each week will culminate in a performance by the students for friends and family.

_________________________________________________________


For more information on the NY Goofs Ultimate Clown School please click the title of this post.

OLIVER HARDY: R.I.P.

From Mark Evanier's blog NEWS FROM ME...

_____________________________________________________

Fifty years ago today, the world lost Oliver Norvell Hardy, one half of the greatest comedy act of all time (imho) and maybe our greatest comic actor. Unless you've seen as many old comedy movies as I have, you may not realize how revolutionary and special he was. He was darn near the first film actor to be funny moving in human rhythms. Hardy's mannerisms and movements in silent film were overflowing with delight and personality. It was funny and fascinating just to watch him ring a doorbell or pick up a pen. Before him, a comic either played it deadpan like Keaton, frantic like Chaplin or had no visible style to his humor. It's impossible to imitate the gestures of Harold Lloyd or Snub Pollard or Ben Turpin...but everyone can "do" Hardy. He was a big reason the cameramen at his studio stopped undercranking the cameras and began filming at normal or near-normal speeds. Hardy's timing was so delicious that it needed no enhancement.

His partner, Mr. Laurel, matched his pace and they became a seamless whole. When talkies came in, the switch was effortless for the men. They both had stage backgrounds so they knew how to speak. More importantly, sound meant that motion pictures could no longer be undercranked and the change didn't affect Laurel and Hardy. Their comedy was already moving at real speed.

_______________________________________________________________

To view Mr. Evanier's blog, please click the title of this post.

Here's Laurel and Hardy (introduced by Jack Benny) in a wonderful display of their characters and timing, performing a comedy magic act in the film HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1929...

CLOWN ALLEY: More Ringling 1917

Again we can find Herman Joseph (5th from left) and Paul Jerome (front row, squatting on right) but can anyone identify anyone else here?

The 4th from the left looks as though it might be Poodles Hanneford, but his face is partially obscured by shadows so I can't be sure.

Does anyone have a copy of the 1917 Ringling program? Does it list the names of the clowns in The Alley?

BAILEY BROS: Jack Haines 1947

Autographed photo of Jack Haines on the Bailey Bros. Circus in 1947.

STEVE MARTIN: Fun Balloon Animals

I had the discussion the other night with someone and, while we agreed that it was amazing that people like Penn Gillette and Bill Irwin were graduates of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College it was suprising that, considering their early comedic styles, the program didn't attract the likes of Robin Williams, Andy Kaufman, Martin Short or Steve Martin.

As these videos will attest, Steve's early comedy was very silly and clownish.

Since Steve has a great reverence for the comedians who came before him, perhaps he'll take a cue from Buster Keaton or the Three Stooges and make some circus appearances late in his career. His "Flydini" routine would rock Lincoln Center with laughter and be the hit of Big Apple's 2017 40th Anniversary season.

STEVE MARTIN: Comedy for Dogs

STEVE MARTIN: Magic Act

CLOWN ALLEY: Ringling 1917

The only clown that I recognize immediately is Paul Jerome, to the right of center, in his cartoonish, grotesque whiteface.

If Jerome was working on Ringling in 1917, and continued working into the 1950s...well, THAT'S quite an impressive career!

RON JARVIS REMEMBERS: The Ron & Mark Show

Photos and comments courtesy of Ron Jarvis




Ron Jarvis, Whiteface
Mark Buthman, Auguste


From Ron Jarvis...

A few pictures of a couple of 'Slap Happy Cali Kids' AKA the Ron and Mark show, circa 1975. We graduated high school together and we were living the life in New Port Beach CA when we were convinced to audition for the show by a local psychic. Now is that Left Coast or what?

CLOWN COLLEGE: Class of 1972

Photo courtesy of Ron Jarvis


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