Uncle Junior Project: Robert "Onionhead" Dunn

 

Photo credit: The Washington Post

Robert "Onionhead" Dunn, a thirteen year veteran of Universoul Circus, is just one of the African-American circus artists whose story is being told through the Uncle Junior Project.

From their website:

"The Uncle Junior Project lends an opportunity to discover and honor the achievements of the many extraordinary individuals and groups in the African-American circus community.

TUJP is a digital exhibit that is:

• inclusive of all groups of people

• told by those who lived it

• presented in an accessible format

• true to both the positive and negative

Through interview-driven documentaries, powerful historical imagery, and personal essays; the exhibition profiles performers of African descent."

On the site you can find a short video interview with Onionhead as well as Danise Payne. The ICHOF has also recently supplied the UJP with video materials for Bernice Collins.

Please check them out at https://www.unclejrproject.com

Leo Acton

Leo Acton on tour with the Culpepper Merriweather Circus. Leo graduated Ringling Clown College in 1996 and toured with both the Red and Blue Units before appearing with shows such as Circus Gatti, Loomis Bros., and Culpepper, which he has been on for several years.

Photo credit: Kirk Marsh

Cirque D'Hiver Bouglione: Rob Torres

I apologize for this being belated, but yesterday would have been Rob Torres' 47th birthday.

He started off graduating Ringling's Clown College in 1991, spent years as a road and advance clown for Clyde Beatty, street performed, worked for Disney, and then put himself on the world circus map by blowing people out of the water at the Budapest Circus Festival in 2008.

After that he worked all the best shows in Europe until he passed away in 2018, way too young and at the top of his game.

Here is probably his most well known act presented during his third and final contract with Cirque D'Hiver Bouglione in Paris for their 2017/2018 show, Exploit.

Cirque Du Soliel: The Pablos

The clown characters, "The Pablos", first appeared in the Cirque Du Soliel show, Alegria, and then joined La Nouba in Orlando from 2014 until the show's closing in 2017.

Circus Vargas: The Italos

Italo Fornasari and his family performing their musical entrée on Circus Vargas in 1987.

Kinoshita Circus: Jessi and Tucker

 

Jessi Hoffschildt and Aaron Tucker are currently touring Japan with Kinoshita Circus. They are two of the lucky few who are still able to perform during this pandemic.

Jessi and Tucker both began their circus careers on Ringling, and both have appeared for many seasons with Kinoshita.  

Ringling: Sideshow Clown Car 1977

Members of the Red Unit Clown Alley perform a Sideshow themed clown car for the 107th Edition of the Greatest Show on Earth in 1977.

I can make out Lou Jacobs, Frosty Little, Richard Mann, Mike King, Anthony Chino, John McHugh (?), Ruthie Chaddock, Kathy Herb, Garry White, Serf Rocha, Barry Lubin, and Tim Doody. Missing is Lenny Wolen as the fat lady.

Clown Alley Art: Les Francescos

 

Three of my favorite clowns, Les Francescos (Francois, Enrico, and Ernesto), as seen through the eyes of the talented artist, Elena Zaïka.

Acrobuffos: Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone

From the Acrobuffos website:

Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone met at a circus in Afghanistan, became engaged while street performing in Scotland, married in China, and occasionally go home to New York City.

Since 2005, they have created seven shows together, competed in international circus festivals, performed in over 25 countries, headlined at the Big Apple Circus, and were featured on a postage stamp.

Christina is a former ballerina who graduated from Princeton to become a clown; Seth is a former juggler who graduated from three clown schools, including an MFA in physical theater.

 Waterbombs!

 Madame & Monsieur on Big Apple Circus

Air Play

Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Clowns 1987

Robert Grissetti, David Gerard, Geoff Cobb, and Thomas Caguin, four of the 1987 Beatty Cole clowns.

Robert, Geoff, and Thomas were all fresh out of the Clown College class of 1986.

David had spent a year on the Ringling Red Unit after graduating from Clown College in 1980, and later worked for Clyde Beatty and other shows.

Blue Unit Clowns on Good Morning America 2001

David Solove, Marni Sussman, Todd Zimmerman and the rest of Clown Alley provide a backstage look at what it's like being a Ringling clown.

Les Fratellini 1948

François and Albert Fratellini with Gabriel Geretti performing a clown entrée at the Cirque D’Hiver Bouglione in Paris.

Carmelo

Carmelo, aka Jorge Rodrigo Celedon Bustamante (now you know why he goes by Carmelo) is a very funny and talented Chilean clown whom Ryan and I performed with on Circo Hermanos Vazquez.
It is rare to see a drunk act in American circuses, but Carmelo would consistently bring the house down on Vazquez. Many copycat acts sprung up after his success in Latin American circuses.

Photo credit: Rick Purdue

Photo credit: Rick Purdue

Boxing Gag: Kelly Miller Circus 1996

Darren Burrell, Tom "Popcorn" Sink, and Lem Fillyaw performing the Boxing Gag on the 1996 edition of the Kelly Miller Circus.

Darren aka Burl and Lem are both Clown College graduates: Lem in 1993 and Burl in 1995. Popcorn was a clown on several different mud shows for many years.

Rose Hanlon: Ringling Early 1950s

Rose Hanlon, of the Hanlon-Lees family, one of the first women clowns with Ringling. 

The first two photos are from the Milner Circus Collection. All other photos are from the ICHOF archives.

Happy Birthday, Pat Cashin

Today would have been Pat Cashin's 52nd birthday.

He is missed by so many people around the world, but I am overjoyed that this blog remains as a tribute to a great, passionate, and funny man.

So here's to Pat! I hope you're raising a glass with Lou Jacobs, Otto Griebling, Paul Jung, and all the other clowns you helped immortalize on these pages.

Pat, Mark Smith, and Ashley Banks performing an homage to Ernie Kovacs' Nairobi Trio in the 1997 Clown College graduation.

Bill Irwin and David Shiner: Old Hats Intro

Bill Irwin and David Shiner performing the opening to Old Hats at the Pershing Square Signature Center in New York City in 2016.

Western Gag: Ringling 1989

Members of the Red Unit Clown Alley performing the Western gag with special guest host, Michelle Lee, on the television special for the 119th Edition of Ringling.

Kudos to Adam Auslander for improvising a bit with Michelle during the filming that became a great moment in the gag.

European Whitefaces 1900s-1920s

(Photos courtesy of the ICHOF archives)

Manrico Mariani (Moriss) 1900s

Louis Lavata 1920s

Iles 1920s

François Fratellini 1920s

Cyerillo   1920s

Elmo Gibb: Clyde Beatty Advance

Elmo Gibb, Advance Clown for the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Circus, promoting the show in Ladson, SC back in the early 1990s.

Why do they always stick the clowns with the most humorless, awkward news personalities?