Bill Ballantine Art 1987

 

Potential artwork for the Ringling Clown College 20th Anniversary done by former dean and fantastic artist/writer Bill Ballantine.

Really cool to find these. I've never seen them before. God bless Mark Renfro for being such an archivist. 

Ringling: Moroccan Tumbling Parody

This footage is taken from a television special that was done when the 125th Edition of Ringling played Mexico City in 1996. 

The Red Unit clowns featured in this video are Darren Cooper (purple hair and hat), Max Richardson (red mohawk), Brad Aldous (curly brown hair), Edzui Szumowski or Edge (gray wig), Jonathan Taylor (whiteface), Gina Alayne (pink wig), Steven Hogue (parted red wig), and Troy Wunderle (blue wig). 

Almost all of them are still performing. Darren Cooper is famous on social media as The Gooch, where he has a huge following, Edge is currently touring with Venardos Circus, which he has done for years now, Brad has had a career as an actor, Jonathan and his wife, Anne, are currently performing comedy on Mr. Swindle's Traveling Peculiarium (which Brad also performed in playing the part of Doctor Elixir), Gina performs at events all over the Tampa area, and Troy Wunderle still performs and was an integral part of Circus Smirkus for years. I know Max performed on cruise ships for years, but not sure about now, only that he's in Vegas. Steve Hogue has a career in the pharmaceutical industry and a beautiful family with his wife, Sandra, also a former clown.  

Tell me what I forgot or got wrong. The great and all knowing Copeland is middle aged and starting to forget.....

Gardi Hutter and Ueli Bichsel Circus Knie 2000

A segment on the German program Next talking with Gardi Hutter and Ueli Bichsel about their upcoming debut with Circus Knie for the 2000 season.

Trio Juanito Moreno

Thanks to Chase Culp for turning me onto these guys. No, not like that you sickos...

Here's some info I found about these three: 

"Hey, watch out!" became a catchphrase in Switzerland; 
father Juanito Moreno [56] with son Luis [25] as a whiteface clown and Luisito, a former circus musician; 
Juanito and his brother Uge, also a whiteface clown, worked as Hermanos Moreno in the 1940s and 50s, first in Spanish and Portuguese circuses, then from 1946 in Cuba, Mexico, the USA, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, and gained a foothold in Venezuela – Juanito became a restaurateur for six years and a children's TV favorite! 
The trio was rediscovered (facilitated by the juggler and agent Edoardo Raspini!) in March 1968 at the Circus Krone Building in Munich with August Luisito and (at that time) the whiteface clown Kike. 
Juanito Moreno died in 1986.

A list of their engagements:

1968 • March • KRONE Building Munich • German debut, discovered by impresario Edoardo Raspini (juggler with KNIE in 1964) 
1969 • March • KRONE Building Munich • Circus KRONE • Director Frieda Sembach-Krone • Summer season Germany/Austria 
1970 • Circus KRONE • Director Frieda Sembach-Krone • Summer season 
1971 • Circus KNIE • Summer season 
1972 • Circus BOLTINI • Director Tony Boltini • Netherlands 
1973 … 
1974 … 
1975 • Circus SARRASANI • Director Fritz Mey • Summer season • Germany 
1976 • Antwerp Circus Festival • Binnendijk/Edoardo Raspini • February 24 – March 7 • Teller entrance 
1976 • Circus SARRASANI • Director Fritz Mey • Summer Season • Germany 
1977 • March 1 – April 3 at the KRONE Building, Munich • Sembach-Krone Management 
1977 • BENNEWEIS • Schumann Building, Copenhagen • Summer Season 
1978 • CENTER CIRCUS • Brighton, UK • Summer Season 
1978 • December • HANSA Theater, Hamburg (Performance in Tuxedo!) 
1979 • January • HANSA Theater, Hamburg (Performance in Tuxedo!) 
1980 … 
1981 • Circus SARRASANI • Director: Fritz Mey • Summer Season 
1982 • October • Double Circus CORTY & GIOVANNI ALTHOFF in Düsseldorf 
1983 • GRAN CIRCO MUNDIAL • Director: José Maria González Villa • Summer Season in Spain (Operating as LOS HERMANOS MORENO) 
1984/85 • Circo RUSO • Director: Angel Christo • Valencia, Spain • December 22 1984 – January 6, 1985 • (named LOS HERMANOS MORENO)

Emmett Kelly Jr. Circus

 

A flyer from the Emmett Kelly Jr. Circus, which was produced by Leonard Green, Kelly Jr's manager. This date was in Port Huron, MI in either 1972 or 1973, which according to my research are the two years that the show toured.

Anyone out there have any memories of this show?

Big Shoe Revue: Jay Stewart and Mike Smith

Jay Stewart and Mike Smith performing warm up comedy before The Big Shoe Revue at the Texas State Fair in 1997.

A select group of students from the Clown College class of 1997 were taken to Dallas to perform in a thirty minute show comprised of acts from the 1997 graduation. 

It is my understanding that this was an attempt to show Kenneth Feld a way that Clown College could bring in money during the year, but unfortunately the idea went no further and there was no Clown College in 1998, much to the dismay of fourteen year old me!

Inventing Circus Laughs

An interesting read from the December 1937 issue of Popular Mechanics Magazine about E.M. Aronson who made many walkaround props for circus clown Lew Hershey.

The article goes into good detail of how Aronson built each prop, if you'd like to make them yourselves, but I don't think they are worth the effort today. Maybe they were a laugh riot in 1937?

Unfortunately there is a Chinese laundry walkaround that has not aged well at all. What's more unfortunate, it was performed as late as 1989 on the Red and Gold Units of Ringling. Woof.

Enjoy!

Mike Bourbon

 

Classic American whiteface clown, Mike Bourbon, who clowned on many shows in his career. I know he was with Clyde Beatty, Ringling, and Hoxie, but would be interested to learn of the others as well.

The only Mike Bourbon story I know has to do with his one season on Ringling in 1970. He was in drag as a mother character in a ring gag revolving around a country picnic. For the blow off of the gag he was inside of a small tent in the ring (maybe supposed to be like one of those old time changing tents from the beach?), and a bomb would be thrown inside and explode....because every old American clown gag needed some kind of explosive in it!

One performance the pyro did not detonate, so Mike ran out of the little tent in his dress, waving his arms and yelling, "Boom, everybody, Boom!" 

Anyone have any Mike Bourbon stories you would like to share?

Lew Kish

Lew Kish, pictured here on Clyde Beatty, and also as sketched by Mark Anthony. I know Lew also clowned on Ringling in the 1940s and before that worked on Dailey Brothers, where he was a mentor to young Ernie "Blinko" Burch. 

Mark Anthony Sketches

A page from the self published book, Mark Anthony's Sketches, which was compiled by Marty Scott. This page features Mark's drawings of Bobby Kay, Keith Crary, Lou Jacobs, Billy Baker, and Jim Howle.

 

American Clown Trailer

A new documentary now available to rent or buy on Prime Video, Youtube, Fandango, Vimeo, AppleTV+,  and Google TV.

From Greg DeSanto, Executive Director of the International Clown Hall of Fame

UPDATE - A generous donor has agreed to match dollor for dollar up to $5,000!

Thank you to everyone who have been so generous so far and to the kindness of our matching donor!

To all Brother & Sister Racoons out there in clown alley-land….

As most can tell by the majority of photos and posts I make, then tend to highlight clowns and positive (and hopefully funny) energy.

15 years ago the opportunity to help guide an institution to its new home in Baraboo presented itself. During my career I’ve been blessed to have worked alongside many great clowns and been the recipient of their kindness in sharing their craft with me as a young performer.

Growing up I wanted to trip over an ottoman like Dick Van Dyke, throw pies like the Three Stooges and do the Hucklebuck like Jackie Gleason. This career path has made those, and so many other dreams happen.

I am humbled & proud of the work that the Board of Directors, friends, family and clown enthusiasts have done to help make the International Clown Hall of Fame grow, prosper and become a respected depository of clown artifacts. Even more importantly, it’s not a static museum but more of a place where new generations can come and engage in conversation, research and hear first person accounts of the performers who have come before and those who’s career’s are rising to elevate the art form of the clown.

Along with all the platitudes, we also must acknowledge the reality of keeping a museum operating. We have always been prudent in financial matters, but we want & need to progress to a more sustainable & steadier foundation. This has been the number one priority of the Board and as we work towards creating a realistic, obtainable financial future, we ask for your help in closing the gap for the immediate term.

Our goal is $10,000. To some non for profits that number is minuscule. To the ICHOF it will allow us to breathe, help close urgent funding gaps, focus on the future and create a plan that allow growth going forward.

Any amount from $5.00 to $10,000 helps us remain true to our mission. If you know me, you know how much this museum means to me. I am grateful for your support and friendship and hope you can be a part of it going forward.

With laughter - Greg

 https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-international-clown-hall-of-fame?attribution_id=sl:88306f22-d08a-419b-8cf3-076d27d4a01d&lang=en_US&utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

Ringling Copier Gag

As requested by Dave Michaels, here is Jeff Schott and Ceslee Conkling performing a copier gag during Winter Quarters of the Blue Unit's 124th Edition aka the Romeo and Juliet tour. 

This was filmed during the gag night presentation where Kenneth Feld would decide what clown material would be used in the show.

I remember seeing this gag during Come In of the previous Blue Unit tour in 1993. I believe it was Robbie Edwards doing Jeff's part, but I'm not sure if Ceslee was also in it. 

Les Macloma

My favorite Soliel clowns from the late 90s/early 2000s are Joe De Paul and his partner in Dralion, and Les Macloma. The whiteface of the trio, Alain Catonne, uploaded all of their entrées from Quidam onto his Youtube channel; this is the first. 

R.I.P Dougie Ashton

ICHOF inductee Dougie Ashton passed away on August 25th at the age of 96. Please enjoy this rare audio interview with him from 1973 when he was touring with the Ringling Blue Unit. 

https://archive.mpr.org/stories/1973/10/12/life-and-role-clown-modern-circus

Clown College Japan Article

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Mark Renfro

Sorry I am a day late on this, but my day was taken up with a jump to Red Bluff, CA, waiting for hours to have my trailer parked, and trying not to melt in the August heat. Ya know, circus stuff!

Today I am in a better humor to write about Mark Renfro, who would have celebrated his birthday yesterday. I first met Mark my final year on Ringling. He was assisting Ruthie Chaddock in making plaster casts of the new clowns' faces in Fort Worth, TX, so of course I picked his brain about whatever I could think of.

In the following years he would always come to visit whatever show that Ryan and I were on, and he would have such wonderful compliments about our performances afterwards.

Many times he was accompanied by his best friend, Brenda Marshall, who reached out to me shortly after Mark's passing. She felt Mark would want me to have his extensive collection of circus clown memorabilia, which absolutely floored me. What an honor.

Last year our tour took us close enough to Fort Worth that I was able to meet with Brenda at Mark's house and move everything to a storage unit.

Since then I have been digitizing the thousands of photos, slides, and documents that Mark had been collecting from when he attended Clown College, up through his time with Clown College Japan and the original Clown College, and his years of work with the Feld organization as an amazing artist and prop builder.

I have loved sharing bits of his collection on this blog. However, so many times I am sadly reminded that I cannot ask him questions about whatever I am looking at. What a history was lost.

Thank you, Brenda, for thinking Mark would want me to have his collection, and thank you Mark for being a friend, archivist, and such a talented, dryly hilarious, and kind person.

Here are some photos from Mark's collection from his time in Clown College in 1980 and his year on the road with the Blue Unit in 1981.

With Lou Jacobs...

and Bobby Kay at Clown College

Mark's Clown College makeup (note the glitter in the makeup)....

and his makeup on the road (Mark told me that Irvin Feld said to him in his Clown College contract session, "Who are you kidding, son? You're a whiteface!")

Mark and Heidi Macklin about to perform the stork chase (which was once again done on the Blue Unit in 1992) 

We miss you, Mark.