Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Clown Alley T-Shirt

 

A t-shirt showing the members of the 1990 Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Clown Alley.

Clockwise from top: James Houser, Jeff Day, Mugwump....(beats the hell outta me!), Dave Williams, Ricky Ardelli, Doug Keady, Greg Long, and Robert Temple. 

Circus Vargas Clown Band

 

Chris Green and George Clyatt performing in the Circus Vargas Clown Band sometime in the mid 1980s. 

Dennis Hall

 

Dennis "Dash" Hall. Graduate of the Clown College Class of 1972, and briefly on tour with the Ringling Blue Unit in 1973.

Clowns Without Socks: Photography Entreé

Billy Ward and Frosty Little

 

Billy Ward and Frosty Little on the Ringling Red Unit in the early 1970s. One of the rare photos of Frosty in a different costume than the one he became known for.

Lou Jacobs: 20th Anniversary of Clown College

 

Lou Jacobs posing behind his likeness, which was part of the set for the 20th Anniversary of Clown College in 1987. The set was designed by CC 1971 graduate, Mitch Greenburg.

Alan Ware

 

Photo by Paul Gutheil

Alan Ware, better known to audiences of the Greatest Show on Earth as Grandpa, graduated from Clown College in 1996. He toured with the Blue Unit from 1997-1998, and when he returned to the Ringling Red Unit from 2001-2007, his Grandpa character had fully emerged.

Roncalli: Busy Bee

Bernard Paul, Angelo Munoz and Francesco Carol performing the classic entrée Busy Bee on Circus Roncalli in 1991.

Arturo Figueroa: Rola-Bola

Arturo Figueroa performing during the Come In of the Ringling Red Unit's 119th Edition in 1989.

Arturo performed with all three Units of the Greatest Show on Earth, and is currently the ringmaster of Flip Circus, a new show from Circo Hermanos Vazquez.

Elmo Gibb: Advance Clown

Elmo Gibb giving a morning TV interview to promote Clyde Betty's run in Ladsen, SC in, I believe, 1990.

Anatoli Akerman

From Anatoli's website:

Anatoli Akerman is a clown, physical actor, and a true and passionate artistic soul. He is one of the most intuitive comic performance artists in his field.

Among his career highlights, he was a member of the creation team and performed as a clown in Cirque du Soleil’s “KA” in Las Vegas and later in Cirque’s “ZED” in Tokyo, Japan. He has toured with the world-renowned Circus Roncalli and was cast as a clown in Walt Disney’s feature film “Dumbo”, directed by Tim Burton.

He has thrilled thousands on stages worldwide, including Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand Las Vegas and Tokyo Disney Resort, Wintergarten Varieté in Berlin, Friedrichsbau Varieté in Stuttgart, Cirque Bouffon tour of Germany, Pomp Duck Circumstance Dinner Show in Berlin, Circus Roncalli tour of Germany & Austria, and many more…

Danise Payne’s Memoir Available Now!

Danise Payne’s memoir, Elbows In My Ears: My Life With Little People, Tigers, and Wardrobe Trunks, was released yesterday, just in time for International Clown Week! I picked up my copy last night and can’t wait to dive in!

                                  PURCHASE HERE

Like many other African American women, Danise Payne graduated from a university and headed out into the world. But she finds herself spellbound on a different path and discovers her life's song includes elephants. 

Enter the circus. 

Elbows in My Ears uncovers a never-before-told tale of a black woman with a career among little people, tigers, and wardrobe trunks. Travel with Danise on a compelling journey inside the massive Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. View an all-black production called UniverSoul Big Top Circus. And witness her life as the first African American woman clown in a circus in Europe-a culture that is uncomfortable with women clowns. 

This intimate memoir reveals the author's encounters with prejudice, exclusion, and her fight for acceptance. It delivers adventures of hilarity and perseverance. What a testimonial to triumph over naysayers! Enjoy this behind-the-scenes peek at a traditional circus that will capture your imagination.

If you love stories that inspire you to live the desire of your heart regardless of obstacles, this must-read account invites you to join the pomp that caught national attention. 

About the Author

DANISE PAYNE holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and is a circus clown with twenty-five years' experience. She graduated from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in 1978 and toured with the Red and Blue Units of The Greatest Show on Earth. She has performed with five circuses and became the first African American woman clown in a circus in Europe. Ms. Payne was featured in Ebony magazine, on Entertainment Tonight, and NBC's Today show. She is a member of The Circus Fans Association of America, the Circus Historical Society, and the Screen Actors Guild. She and her husband live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Discover more: www.danisepayne.com

Happy Birthday Scott O'Donnell!

All of us here at Clown Alley would like to wish Scott O'Donnell a very happy birthday! Scott has performed on circuses in Canada and the US, performed on AND ran Vidbel's Olde Time Circus, was Boss Clown and later a talent scout for Ringling, worked in management for Big Apple Circus, and is currently the Director of Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI.

On top of all of that, he is an amazing friend and fantastic clown!

Here he is performing the classic boxing gag on Vidbel with Mike Snider, John "Eggroll" Kane, and ringmaster Billy Martin.

Mike Keever: Mule Gag

Cowboy Mike Keever performing his mule gag on the Ringling Red Unit in 1982.

Milo and Roger

From Magicpedia:

Milo & Roger was the comedy and magic act of Arthur "Milo" Brandon (1916-1998) and Roger Coker (1930-1997). They traveled the world from the mid 1950s until well into the 1990s. 

They appeared on television many times around the world including "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" and "The Hollywood Palace".^[1][2][3]

After retiring, Milo Brandon gave Ted Lesley all of their equipment and the rights to perform the act.^[4] Then a father and son team from Germany, Adi and Phillip Becker, purchased the equipment and rights with a goal to resurrect the act.^[5][6]

Remembering Pat Cashin

Pat Cashin, the founder and namesake of this blog, passed away six years ago today. He was one of the funniest people I've ever met, and his love for his family and the art of clowning was immeasurable.

Please feel free to leave any memories of Pat in the comments below.

 

Cirkus Olympia: Toto and René

Toto Johnson and René Coker performing their laundry gag on Cirkus Olympia in Sweden during the 1990 season.

Toto and René performed a version of this gag as a Come In track gag on the Ringling Red Unit in 1989 before taking it to Sweden and making it an entrée. 

The next year John Winslow, their Clown College classmate and Red Unit Alley-mate, joined them for the Olympia 1991 season. 

Mary Kelly Rayel

 

Please join me in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Clown College 1990 grad and trapeze superstar, Mary Kelly Rayel!

Cole Bros Clown Alley 1999

 

Bacca-Choo is my favorite clown.....

Circo Hermanos Vazquez Clowns 2015

The clowns of the two Circo Hermanos Vazquez units at the 2015 end of the year party. 

From the East Unit: Mr. Bells, Tin Tin, and Pancho the Martian

From the West Unit: Carmelo and Steve & Ryan