Clown Alley Black History Month: Dean Anderson

Dean Anderson attended Ringling Clown College in 1986. I met him in NYC while I was touring with Ringling, but I am not sure what he has been up to since then.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Bill Forchion

Bill Forchion graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1988 and toured with the Gold Unit in Japan in 1989 and the Red Unit in 1990.

He has also performed with the Pickle Family Circus and Cirque Du Soliel, and taught at Circus Smirkus and NECCA. 

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.
 

Clown Alley Black History Month: James Holyfield

 

James Holyfield attended Clown College in 1991. He is related (a cousin I believe) to the famous boxer, Evander Holyfield who had part of his ear bitten off by Mike Tyson.

I'm pretty sure James still has all of his ears....

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Robert Dunn "Onionhead"

 

Robert Dunn created his clown character of Onionhead long before he became synonymous with the Universoul Circus.

Robert joined the Universoul Circus at the age of 56 as a cook, but eventually was able to step into the ring as a clown, his initial ambition.

He has performed with the Universoul Circus for over 13 years, and is well known and beloved by their audiences. 

Learn more about Onionhead at the Uncle Jr. Project:

https://www.unclejrproject.com/onionhead

Clown Alley Black History Month: Sean Davis

 

Sean Davis fell in love with a beautiful circus dancer and joined the Ringling Blue Unit on the floor crew to pursue her.

He attended the Ringling Clown College in 1995 and toured with the Red Unit Clown Alley in 1996.

In 2009 Sean returned to the Red Unit Clown Alley, and left at the end of the 2012 season. He was the final Clown College graduate to perform in Clown Alley before Ringling's closing in 2017.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Jonathan Martin

Jonathan Martin attended the Ringling Clown College in 1996 and afterwards toured with the Universoul Circus along with Danise Payne. 

 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Brian Wright

 

Brian Wright saw the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus for the first time as a very small child. His family took him to see the Arianna the Human Arrow tour at Madison Square Garden in 1996, and from that moment on, his path in life was clear: Brian was going to be a Ringling clown.

Brian and his wife both worked on the backstage crew on the Ringling Red Unit before he attended the Mooseburger Clown Arts Camp. That year there was a large group of young clowns who all wanted to work for Ringling, and several of them were hired, including Brian.

Brian toured with the Ringling Red Unit from 2014 through the show's closing in 2017. Brian was the only clown in the Alley who did all "three" years of the Circus Xtreme show, and at the moment holds the title of the last African American clown on Ringling. 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Gregory Parks

 

Gregory Parks wanted to be a clown from a young age, and both he and his brother got to perform as Guest Clowns on Ringling in the 1980s.

Greg attended the NY Goofs program in NYC in 1999, and performed with the Ringling Blue Unit for the 2001-2004 seasons. I was lucky to be cast with Greg in a very fun pancake cooking gag my First of May year.

After leaving Ringling Greg performed around the world as a clownish Hunny Helper in the Feld produced Winnie The Pooh Live show.

Greg also performed solo and with Neal Skoy at Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI (pictured above).

He spent many years at Kinoshita Circus in Japan clowning alongside Kelly Van Cleave and Jessi Hoffschildt.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Danise Payne

 

A very early picture of Danise Payne, most likely from when she attended the Ringling Clown College in 1978. (Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo)

Danise performed on the Red Unit in 1979 and 1980, and returned to the Blue Unit in 2002 and 2003, which is when I was lucky enough to work with and learn from her.

In the time between Danise performed many places, notably Gerry Cottle's Circus in the UK and the Universoul Circus in the United Staes.

You can find out more about Danise by visiting the Uncle Junior project:

https://www.unclejrproject.com/danise-payne

Clown Alley Black History Month: Darren Wilson

Darren Wilson attended the Ringling Clown College in 1993, the first year the program was held in Baraboo, WI.

 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Lea Abierra

Lea Abierra was the final African American graduate of the Ringling Clown College in 1997. She began as a dancer on the Ringling Red Unit before attending Clown College. After graduating she performed as a clown with Universoul Circus. 

 

Clown Alley Black History Month: Tom Blackmon

 

Tom Blackmon graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1985. He was the only African American CC student to use a whiteface makeup.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Kathryn Jones

 

Kathryn Jones graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1982. I do not know any information on her beyond that, so please chime in if you know more.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Stephanie Parks

 

Stephanie Parks graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1981 and toured with the Red Unit in 1982 and 1983.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Andrea Waller

 

Andrea Waller graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1979 and toured with the Blue Unit's 110th Edition in 1980 and 1981.

Thank you to Mark Renfro for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Stephanie Knox

 

Stephanie Knox attended the Ringling Clown College in 1988. I do know in the late 90s/early 2000s she was working at Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI, possibly at the Research Library. I would appreciate any other pertinent info anyone can provide.

Thank you to Mark Renfo for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Gloria McConnell

 

Gloria McConnell attended Ringling Clown College in 1980. Unfortunately that is the only information I have about her. Would any of her classmates be willing to help me fill in any other pertinent details?

Thank you to Mark Renfo for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: George Leverett

 

George Leverett is a 1981 Clown College graduate who toured with the Blue Unit in 1982 for the first year of the 112th Edition of Ringling. In the mid 90s he was working with the Red Unit as a crew member.

I would appreciate any more information on George that anyone might have!

Thank you to Mark Renfo for the photo.

Clown Alley Black History Month: Bernice Collins

 

Bernice Collins graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1977 and toured with the Ringling Blue Unit as a clown for the 108th Edition in 1978 and 1979. Off the top of my head, I believe Bernice was the first African American woman to be hired as a clown during the Feld/Clown College era. 

Bernice wore many different hats with Ringling over the year. She was a dancer, horse presenter and even a tiger presenter, mentored by the late, great Charley Baumann. 

She also worked various behind the scenes jobs with the Big Apple Circus, Cirque Du Soliel, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Learn more about Bernice thanks to the Uncle Junior project:

https://www.unclejrproject.com/bernice

Clown Alley Black History Month: Huel Speight

Huel Speight graduated from the Ringling Clown College in 1980 and joined the Blue Unit for the 1981 season. After 10 years on the Blue Unit, Huel switched to the Red Unit in 1991, where he remained in the Alley until the end of the 1996 season. 16 years on Ringling. That is certainly one of the longer runs during the Feld/Clown College era. I can only think of Frosty Little, Jon Weiss, and Tom and Tammy Parish who were Clown College graduates and were on the show longer than him.

After leaving Ringling, Huel began performing as part of the Circus Circus Clown Alley in Las Vegas, NV. He continues to perform there to this very day!

Most of the footage I have of Huel is different juggling routines he did throughout the years, but this is a Come In gag he performed with Christoper Hudert in 1991 for the 121st Edition. 

I think Huel should take over weatherman duties on the Today Show. Who's with me?!