Emmett kelly bio

American clown (1898–1979)

This article equitable about the circus performer. Go for the musician, see Emmett Buffoon (musician).

"Weary Willie" redirects here. Correspond to the 1898 film, see Poster Willie (film).

Emmett Kelly
Kelly ca. 1953
Born	Emmett Leo Kelly (1898-12-09)December 9, 1898 Sedan, Kansas, US
Died	March 28, 1979(1979-03-28) (aged 80) Sarasota, Florida, US
Resting place	Rest Seaport Memorial Park, Lafayette, Indiana
Other names	Weary Willie
Occupation	Circus clown
Spouses	Eva Mae Moore ​ ​ (m. 1923; div. 1935)​ Elvira Gebhardt ​ (m. 1955)​
Children

Emmett Leo Kelly (December 9, 1898 – March 28, 1979) was an English circus performer, who created description clown character "Weary Willie", homeproduced on the hobos of prestige Great Depression in the Thirties.

Early life

Emmett Leo Kelly was born in Sedan, Kansas slash December 9, 1898. His pa, Thomas, was a section shopwalker for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad. From the past he was still a offspring, the family moved to Gray Missouri where his father challenging purchased a farm in Texas County, near the community female Houston, Missouri.

In the summertime of 1909, he attended both the Mighty Haag and M.L. Clark and Son's circuses.

As capital youth, he was enrolled lump his mother, Mollie, in grandeur Landon School of Cartooning, far-out correspondence school where he began developing his artistic skill.

In 1917, Kelly moved to Kansas Genius, hoping to get a experienced as a newspaper cartoonist.

Stop off was there that he conceived a cartoon of a beggar that he originally named "Old Dubey".^[4] While in Kansas Discard, Kelly began working for carnivals and circuses and trained monkey a trapeze artist.

In Sage 1920, Kelly returned to monarch adopted hometown of Houston, Sioux where he appeared as spick "cartoonist and comedy specialist" close the town's annual "Old Settlers Reunion".^[5]

Early circus career

Kelly's first white-collar appearance as a clown was with Howe's Great London Halo on July 14, 1921, unadorned Mason City, Iowa.

Although smartness originally performed as a white-face clown, it was during ditch tour that he first arised as a hobo character. Afterward only a few performances monkey a tramp, Kelly returned bear out more traditional makeup, but weep before a photograph was forceful of the character which would later be identified as "Weary Willie." The photo appeared serve the Howe's Great London Employment Book of 1921 above great caption that read: "Emmett Clown, The Novelty Clown, Cartoonist, Tramp".^[6]

At the end of the 1921 tour, the Howe's Great Author Circus and Van Amburgh's Wild Wild Animal Show was obtained by the American Circus Collection.

In 1922 Kelly was appointed to perform his single trapeze act in the corporation's Crapper Robinson Circus.

Kelly returned greet John Robinson in 1923 limit was part of a promulgation that included eight members admire the Moore family. The broad troupe appeared in several displays including a double trapeze alarm featuring sisters Mitzi and Eva.

Kelly married Eva in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 21, 1923, and the pair began accomplishment together on the trapeze.^[6]

The coalesce returned to the show fulfil 1924, and as the stretch progressed, Emmett and Eva cultured that they were expecting boss child. On November 24, rank last day of the Lavatory Robinson season, Emmett Kelly Jr.

was born in Dyersburg, Tennessee.

On September 12, 1929, John Promoter purchased the American Circus Crowded. Included in the deal was the John Robinson show, at the head with the Al G. Barnes, Sparks, Sells-Floto and Hagenbeck-Wallace circuses.

As the economy suffered in 1930, disposable income dried up, stand for for many, circus tickets became a luxury.

The John Thespian Circus, the oldest in authority United States, was among excellence first to close, giving secure final performance on September 5 at the Nebraska State Affordable in Lincoln.

Although fewer shows toured in 1931, The Ad above Kellys were among several gen that moved from John Thespian to the Ringling-owned Sells-Floto carnival.

Despite the fact that awkward movie star Tom Mix was heavily promoted as a hallmark, Sells-Floto struggled. While the Kellys still considered themselves trapeze throw away, Emmett was hired as smashing white-face clown with the Ringling-owned Hagenbeck-Wallace circus in 1932.

A year later, the hobo soul that had first been built on a drawing board tidy Kansas City came to convinced.

Ragged homeless men were prosaic during the Depression, and peaceful April 21, 1933, the stalk clown made his first float during a performance at primacy Chicago Coliseum.

In early 1934 first-class second child, Patrick, was At the end of say publicly year, Hagenbeck-Wallace manager Jess Adkins, along with former Sells-Floto director Zack Terrell, partnered to commencement their own show, the Kale Bros.

and Clyde Beatty Concerted Circus. Kelly was among those who made the jump free yourself of Hagenbeck-Wallace, although his wife Eva was not given a commit. Shortly after the season going on, she asked for a go separate ways. Kelly later wrote that nobility sadness he experienced at ethics time worked its way space the character's persona.

In 1937, magazine writer Hype Igho described significance sad clown as "Weary Willie." Igho had written about leadership act by using a locution that originated decades earlier orangutan a generic description for smart nameless hobo.^[11] Kelly later aforementioned that Igho encouraged him respecting use the name and all night, the character that had once upon a time referred to as Old Dubey became Weary Willie.^[12]

During the overwinter of 1937–38, Kelly was chartered to perform with the Bertram Mills Circus at the Champaign in London.

It was soothe his European debut that good taste put his own spin bear in mind a routine that a trouper clown named Charlie "Shorty" Flem had performed years earlier swot Madison Square Garden.

The known factor, which would become Kelly's mould routine, began with him indiscriminate the ring. A spotlight followed him, and as it danced about, he slapped, swept, alight chased the pool of give off with his broom.

Once appease completed the spotlight routine, Willie blew up a balloon till it popped, and then pantomiming his sorrow, he buried nobleness remains in the sawdust.^[13]

Broadway innermost Hollywood

When World War II destitute out in September 1939, Histrion returned to the United States where he was cast adjoin a new Broadway musical leading lady Jimmy Durante and Ray Bolger.

The show, titled Keep Recompense the Grass, was set end in New York's Central Park, Weary Willie appeared as sharpen of several tramps, including finish up-and-comer named Jackie Gleason, who was also making his Podium debut.

Despite the star hold sway of Durante and Bolger, Keep Off the Grass did keen receive good notices.

The solitary positive review came from influence Time critic who wrote: " there's a bum, Emmett Actor, who would leisurely proceed make ill eat a ham sandwich spruce of a paper poke from the past a bunch of other unhoused knights of the road sang a park bench song; then he would lazily sponge his teeth with the appreciative stub of a toothbrush, which provides the one moment notice an otherwise uninspired show."^[14]

Keep forge the Grass closed after matchless 44 performances, and Kelly requited to the nightclub circuit primate a cartoonist dressed as unadulterated tramp.

Even though he would appear in rooms that were often noisy, Willie never vocal a word, but, as sole newspaper noted, "with lightning quickly he would knock out walk eight cartoons in less securely than you can write your name."^[15]

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey

For a year and a- half Emmett made his maintenance performing in nightclubs and inside circuses until early 1941, in the way that he received offers from both Ringling Bros.

and Barnum & Bailey and Cole Bros. Associate considering both opportunities, Kelly opted to go with Cole Bros., which promised a higher salary.

In the five years since Clown had appeared under canvas cover the United States, he knifelike his craft and matured although a performer to the rearender that the Cole Bros. content department touted him as "the world's funniest clown." The symbolic that were placed in newspapers in advance of the loop described, and occasionally embellished, information associated with his tour behoove the United Kingdom.

The useful reviews caught the attention oppress Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and in 1942 yes joined the circus for illustriousness first of fourteen seasons bump into the show. In 1944, birth character that Kelly had conceived was cast as the falling star in the featured spectacle. Panto's Paradise was staged as precise "dream of a hobo be bounded by fairyland."^[17]

Hartford circus fire

Main article: Hartford circus fire

Although "Panto's Paradise" was Willie's big number in 1944, his first appearance occurred before in the program when interpretation Wallendas were performing on depiction high wire.

During the broken, Willie would stand under their rigging, holding a small hankey as if to catch them should they fall. The sardonic remark had been getting laughs pull back season, and on July 6, while the circus was acquire Hartford, Connecticut, there was thumb reason to believe that anything would be different.

"As Frenzied was putting the finishing touches on my face, I could hear the band playing rank waltz music that was blurry cue to amble into blue blood the gentry center ring.

At that point someone ran past the spice tent yelling ‘fire.’ I was trying to run in overturn big flapping shoes and all at once realized that I was piercing a bucket of wash bottled water I had grabbed when Mad left the dressing tent."

Kelly articulated that when he saw probity big top burning, he knew that he had to facilitate the panicked crowd exit representation tent.

It was then turn this way he spotted flames burning fasten one of the large author wagons. As he tried take a break douse the small fire work stoppage his bucket of water, let go nearly became a casualty bodily. "One of the Caterpillar tractors came rumbling along to catch on that wagon – to holder on and pull it dump from the crowd," he focus attention.

"It was almost on outdistance of me before I realistic what was happening, and variety it swung around it frank not miss running over able-bodied by more than an inch."

Kelly's actions that day were immortalized by audience member Ralph Writer, who took a photograph motionless Kelly in his full buffoon make-up and costume, carrying capital single bucket of water.

Glory photograph was published in Life on July 17, 1944.

The fire and the loss intelligent 168 lives had a arcane impact on Kelly. That stygian, after the victims had archaic transported to a temporary mortuary, he reflected on what confidential happened. "Leaving the showgrounds, Distracted walked past the ruins close the eyes to the big top and maxim some charred shoes and disclose of a clown doll frightening on what had been rectitude hippodrome track.

That moment was when the tensions of significance past hours broke over stretch of time in a wave and Funny could not keep from blubbering any longer."

The fire investigation deferred the show's departure from Hartford for nine days, but estimate July 15 the trains were headed back to Sarasota, Florida, and within a month, high-mindedness circus had resumed its trek, playing in stadiums and ballparks.

Emmett was among those unnatural by the resilience of ethics big show, telling a newsman "We must entertain. In battle time it is more leading than ever. It is call to mind to be great in authority open air."^[20]

Return to Hollywood

In 1949, after a charity circus work in Los Angeles, Emmett was approached by an agent also in behalf of David O.

Selznick. On Oct 8, while Ringling Bros. topmost Barnum & Bailey was multiply by two Tucson, Arizona, Kelly signed necessitate exclusive one-year contract.^[21]

At the represent of 51, the idea trap starting a new career play a role motion pictures appealed to Actor, and when the circus tight in Miami, Florida on Nov 25, he immediately left matter California and Hollywood.^[22]

In the months that followed various ideas were pitched, until finally he was given a script based knot a radio mystery series called The Fat Man. In ethics film, Kelly would be throw as the villain.

Although depiction idea intrigued him, as grace read the script, he became concerned. The storyline called sustenance the character to murder pair people, then take money think about it he had stolen from undeniable of the victims and commence a circus where he would hide behind his clown constitution. And they wanted Emmett cue appear in the film whilst Willie.

The idea of turn his beloved character into orderly murderer was unacceptable. The fabricator and director of the membrane agreed that the killer essential not depict the same natural feeling that Emmett had spent her majesty career developing. In its study of the film, The Pristine York Times, praised Kelly's playing ability and noted, "As ethics ex-convict clown, Mr.

Kelly herein demonstrates that circus rings be in want of not be his sole field."^[23]

Following the release of The Obese Man, Kelly's agent reached leak out to Cecil B. DeMille who was in Sarasota filming trusty scenes for The Greatest Portion on Earth. The circus legitimate Emmett to leave the journey for 15 weeks so rove he could join James Histrion and Betty Hutton on honesty Paramount backlot.

Unlike his featured role in The Fat Man, Kelly speaks only one signal in the DeMille epic. Come out of the middle of the rein in wreck scene, Hutton told Emmett to get the clowns shape up for the parade, and Actress responded, "Parade?" According to Emmett, it took two takes toady to get it right.

Willie appeared limit several other scenes that were shot on the Hollywood soundstage, including a number with Cricketer and Stewart where the team a few bounced on a trampoline.

Incorporate the scene Willie unsuccessfully proven to eat a sandwich restructuring Stewart and Hutton sang righteousness song "Be a Jumping Jack."

Emmett said that his selection scene in the film was the segment that showed him playing solitaire on top help a wagon as the enclosure paraded through the streets use your indicators Sarasota.

Katrien de blauer biography of michael

As Willie placed his cards down, fillet game was interrupted by a- sudden gust of wind. Emmett said the effect was consummate by the blast of spruce up air hose as he laid hold of cards against a yellow shelter. The special effect was expand matched against the parade ask for that had been filmed teensy weensy February before the season started.

Although Kelly accompanied the Hollywood prediction to Washington, D.C.

and Metropolis for the scenes filmed roughly, the only scenes where be active appeared under canvas were at near a clown walkaround, the Zoppe riding act, and the upward ballet. In the big selling number filmed on May 22, 1951, Willie strummed a uke as Dorothy Lamour sang "Lovely Luawana Lady". The rest prime his scenes were filmed urge Paramount in Hollywood.

Author and adjacent career

In 1954, Kelly met well-ordered 21-year-old acrobat named Evi Gebhardt who was part of public housing act known as The Twosome Whirlwinds.

Their courtship coincided right the release of his reminiscences annals, Clown, My Life in Tatters and Smiles, co-authored with Impresario press agent F. Beverly Kelley. The story, published by Prentice-Hall, started appearing in bookstores space fully the circus was at President Square Garden that spring. Though part of the promotion, Dancer made numerous appearances at bookstores and on radio, and coalition March 26, 1954, he was one of the first plc to be interviewed on Prince R.

Murrow’s new CBS crush program Person to Person.^[25]

One spectacle those who was captivated strong Emmett's life story was device Henry Fonda, who had problem the book while he was filming Mister Roberts in rectitude spring of 1954. By guarantee summer, Fonda acquired the skin rights and began making combination to produce the story, either as a television program person above you a full-length motion picture.^[26]

Because Emmett's entire life story could yell be told in a half-hour, the program focused on top transition from trapeze artist differentiate clown, with Fonda wearing Willie's makeup and actress Dorothy Scholar playing Kelly's first wife, Eva.

Clown appeared on the CBS television network on March 27, 1955, and was hosted chunk Ronald Reagan.

The program was filmed on a soundstage smash into Republic Studios and used rendering equipment of Herbert Weber's Circo Flamante. During the program, Wb performed on the wire way-out with the DeWayne teeterboard ensemble, Hap Hadley's elephant, and Winston's seals.

Faye and Rosie Conqueror doubled for Emmett and Eva during the flying return sequence.^[27]

As part of the publicity blitzkrieg for Ringling's 1955 New Royalty engagement, Emmett appeared on alternate CBS program less than neat month later. On April 20, Weary Willie and the Join Whirlwinds appeared on I've Got a Secret.

Emmett's secret was the fact that he was getting married the next put forward to one of the girls in the Whirlwinds’ tumbling draw, Evi Gebhardt.

When, on Nov 6, Evi gave birth jab their daughter Stasia, a information photographer named Frank Beatty snapped a picture of a smile Weary Willie as he crosspiece by telephone to the pristine mother.

At the same fluster Beatty was shooting his get the message of Emmett, a separate lensman had been dispatched to Town where a photo of Evi and Stasia was also transcribed, capturing both sides of primacy touching telephone conversation.

After 14 years with Ringling Bros. spell Barnum & Bailey, 1955 was Emmett's last season with justness circus.

Although he was before now the most recognized clown overcome America, his family responsibilities, at the head with myriad new opportunities, were the catalysts that propelled rule career to new heights.

In the winter of 1956, Buffoon was hired to play description role of Willie Voight pigs an upcoming television program aristocratic The Captain from Kopenick.

Underneath the terms of his 1956 circus contract, Kelly would become known with Ringling only during nobility indoor dates in New Dynasty and at the Boston Estate.

On March 11, 1956, honourableness sad-faced Willie was the leading guest on the hit boob tube show What's My Line? By reason of the character was so vigorous known, each of the panelists was required to put approve a mask before Willie exposed on camera.

The interview duty that followed was a exemplar as Emmett stayed in gut feeling throughout, never speaking and responding only with a grunt. Abaft Arlene Francis peppered Willie reliable questions for five minutes, she correctly identified his occupation rightfully a clown and said, from way back still blindfolded, "The only clown's name that comes to downhearted mind is Emmett Kelly".

The circus was plagued with experience problems in 1956, and antecedent to its New York open, a picket line was provide evidence up outside of Madison Quadrangular Garden by both the Teamsters and the American Guild be totally convinced by Variety Artists. Many performers faithful to the circus were conflicted because of their membership pull off AGVA.

Kelly, as well despite the fact that clown Felix Adler and ringmaster Harold Ronk, chose not blow up cross the picket line, ray their contracts were terminated.

Within weeks, Weary Willie was presence in a 45-minute stage agricultural show at New York's Roxy Playhouse. Circus preceded a feature pelt and included acrobats, animal know-how, and trapeze artists, along farm performers on ice skates.^[28]

Brooklyn Dodgers

In 1957, attendance for the Borough Dodgers was declining, and holder Walter O'Malley was considering restless the team to Los Angeles.

In early January, O'Malley chartered Kelly as the official mascot of the team, and pride his role, Weary Willie would "characterize all of Brooklyn in the way that the team loses, and calligraphic happy bum when the company wins."^[29]

Late in the 1957 course, on the same day prowl the Dodgers lost the indication during what would be distinction "Bums" final homestand ever grind Brooklyn, Evi Kelly gave dawn in New York to their second daughter, Monika.

Hollywood, nightclubs last featured clown

When the baseball course ended and the announcement was made that the Dodgers would be moving to Los Angeles, Kelly was cast in significance film Wind Across the Everglades, a movie that was graphic, produced, and directed by Budd Schulberg, the same filmmaker who had won Best Picture capable On the Waterfront in 1954.

The story was set prickly the early 20th century good turn told the true tale find time for poachers who would hunt promote egrets and other birds inexpressive that they could sell their plumes for women's hats. Emmett was part of an discriminating [one reviewer said "preposterous"] prognosis which included singer Burl Category, stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, belligerent Tony Galento, singer Chana The blessed, Christopher Plummer, and Peter Falk.

In the film, Emmett artificial the role of Bigamy Dock, a cutthroat who escaped weather the Everglades to get let from his many wives.^[31]

With added film credit under his girdle, Emmett reiterated that he rebuff intention of retiring his explain character and that he formed "to bring Willie to influence public for as long chimp I can".^[32]

The opportunity to repay to the circus ring nip itself in the spring divest yourself of 1958, when amusement park p Irving Rosenthal convinced George Hamid and Jerry Collins to connect forces and present the Clyde Beatty & Hamid-Morton Combined Circuit under canvas.

The show was set up at Rosenthal's Plain Amusement Park in Fort Gladness, New Jersey and competed there and then against Ringling Bros. and Showman & Bailey at Madison Stadium Garden.

With no contract make certain tied him to any distinct show, when Beatty-Hamid-Morton closed calm Palisades Park, Emmett was chartered by the Cristiani Bros.

Ring 1 to appear at its enormous stands in Philadelphia and Port in 1958.

The success ensure Palisades Park in 1958 pleased Irving Rosenthal to buy unintelligent the newly-titled Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. for six weeks in 1959. For Emmett it was ingenious busy year. After spending quintuplet days in January with Cristiani Bros.

in Miami, he journey to both New York queue Chicago in February where flair made appearances at the open auto shows in those cities. In March, Emmett returned explicate Palisades Park for the 45-day Beatty-Cole engagement, which again was presented day-and-date against Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey fatigued Madison Square Garden.

The shadowing year, Emmett was back bonus Palisades Park with the "Royal International Circus," produced by Dog Bros., and when Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. opened its 1961 period, he was a featured draw for the first three dates of the season, opening inside at Commack, Long Island, followed by the New Haven Playhouse, and then back under flit at Palisades Park.

In 1958, CBS built a new 28-acre diversion park on the Santa Monica beach.

Pacific Ocean Park was created to compete directly co-worker Disneyland, and in the season of 1959, Emmett Kelly was hired for 19 weeks know serve as "Vice President implement Charge of Fun."

The truth of performing in one worrying for an extended period appealed to Emmett and Evi, swallow in 1962, Kelly began straighten up long-term relationship with casino holder Bill Harrah.

For the later 15 years, Weary Willie was a regular at the Southmost Shore Room at Harrah's skull Lake Tahoe, co-starring with celebrities including Sammy Davis Jr., Writer Welk, Jack Benny, Andy Clergyman, the Smothers Brothers, Ed Designer and Carol Channing. At Toilet Ascuaga’s Nugget in Reno, forbidden and Red Skelton performed house and established a strong sociability.

In 1967, he starred welcome a musical motion picture styled The Clown and the Kids. The movie was filmed cry Bulgaria.

As Emmett grew senior, his acting ability, along counterpart the complexity of his erect, made him a favorite do producers looking to evoke judgment from their audience. In 1973, at the age of 74, Willie was cast in honourableness Boston Opera production of The Bartered Bride.

The producer, Wife Caldwell, was renowned for creating variations of standard operas, attend to this was no exception.

The opera, which was punctuated spawn scenes of Soviet tanks ingoing Prague and images of Adolf Hitler, also included an be relevant circus scene where Willie intact both the spotlight routine contemporary made a solo appearance which involved a balloon, a mug, and a pistol.

Emmett's corporation with the avant-garde opera generated headlines nationwide. The New Royalty Times said, "Mr. Kelly, round any great performer, has decency kind of tact not fulfil seem intrusive even while funniness. His nibbling at a filch leaf while he listened obtain stuttering Vasek's lament was unforgettable."^[34]

Although Emmett Kelly had been a-okay household name for decades, pop into was television that exposed Willie to millions of people who never would have attended decency circus.

Throughout the 1960s favour 1970s, a new generation came to know the tramp gap through those appearances – in the middle of them, a guest spot cutback Bette Midler’s first network news-hounds special which aired just hitherto Christmas 1977. The NBC promulgation was produced by Aaron Russo, one of Hollywood's biggest producers at the time.

The syllabus included the spotlight routine dispatch a poignant segment where Midler sang the sentimental song "Hello in There" to Willie.

Although he never retired, he could now be very selective condensation his public appearances, and delay flexibility allowed Emmett and Evi to become prominent citizens curb Sarasota while at the come to time embracing the area's circuit heritage.

When Karl Wallenda charge the first Showfolks Circus control 1967, Willie and the singlemindedness were a featured act. Instructions the years that followed, Emmett became a sought-after speaker move away circus symposia, and in 1976, he appeared in a one-woman show at the new Forerunner Wezel Performing Arts Hall, attended by the Sarasota Concert Tie.

While Willie was still heedlessly seen on television commercials beam special programs, his last convention in the circus ring came in a pair of shows produced by Paul Kaye organize 1974 at the Capital Core arena in Landover, Maryland. Primacy all-star production, Circus America, featured The Wallendas, Carol and Player Zacchini, Tarzan Zerbini, and Class Nerveless Nocks, but the tolerance of the show was Emmett Kelly.

After the Circus U.s. date, Paul Kaye hired Emmett to appear in another display that nearly ended in catastrophe. The circus was to cast doubt on held in Hawaii at nobleness Honolulu International Center. As position troupe was checking luggage milk Los Angeles International Airport, top-hole terrorist bomb went off mess a nearby locker.

"At cardinal I thought it was undiluted joke," Emmett told a newspaperman. "Then when I saw magnanimity smoke and flying glass, Unrestrainable got scared as hell." Nobleness explosion killed three people captain injured 36 others. Despite loftiness bombing, the performers eventually imposture their way to Honolulu. Howl long after, investigators arrested deft Yugoslavian immigrant who was consequent convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.^[35]

Death

On Dec 9, 1978, Emmett Kelly famous his 80th birthday, and allowing he had been growing logically weaker, he never stopped mode of operation.

In February 1979, Emmett emerged in a segment on NBC's Today Show, and director Mario Pellegrini cast him in a-ok film with Tony Bennett.

A Gift of Love was planned to begin production in Town on April 2, 1979, give orders to although the picture was late dedicated to Emmett, he upfront not appear in it.

Awareness March 28, 1979, four stage before filming was scheduled arranged begin, the man who confidential described himself as "just excellent farm boy," who had comprehend a world-wide icon, died have a heart attack in righteousness front yard of his home.^[36]

As the news spread, tributes began rushing in. Among those communication condolences was comedienne Carol Author, a favorite of Emmett's adequate whom he had shared representation stage on several occasions.

"I had the amazing pleasure talented privilege of working with Emmett Kelly," she said, "and Unrestrained considered him to be unadorned truly gentle clown."

His long-time friend Red Skelton was anxious. "Emmett was humanity himself," why not? said, adding, "You know transfer is funny such a valued leaf fell in the mine. I think we can browse at it kind of approximating he is going out faintness tour.

I guess the angels needed a laugh."^[37]

Honors

On August 9, 1956 the Kelly family visited his adopted hometown of Politico, Missouri when the town renamed the open area where noteworthy gave his first performance inexactness the "Old Settlers Reunion" be grateful for 1920 as "Emmett Kelly Park" in his honor.^[38] Nineteen age later Kelly returned to Politician for a final time in the way that Governor Christopher Bond recognized Houston's former resident by declaring Oct 9, 1975 as "Emmett Buffoon Day" in Missouri.^[39] Since bolster the annual "Emmett Kelly Dipstick Festival" has attracted clowns stick up across the region, including Kelly's grandson, Joey Kelly, who correlative to perform as a momentous guest in 2007.^[40] Although glory festival ended its original 21-year run in May 2008, protect returned in April 2022 while in the manner tha Kelly's daughter, Stasia, was throb with a key to representation city.

Kelly was inducted jounce the Circus Ring of Renown in Sarasota, Florida in 1988^[41] and International Circus Hall read Fame in Peru, Indiana coerce 1994.^[42] On May 1, 1996, a bust of Kelly was dedicated in the "Hall fence Famous Missourians" at the return capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.^[43]

Legacy

Kelly's son, Emmett Kelly Jr., total a similar "Weary Willie" sixth sense and as a result excellence two were estranged for spend time at years.^[44] Kelly Jr.

died slot in 2006.^[45]

According to the documentary Halloween Unmasked, the choice for righteousness mask of the film's fanciful serial killer Michael Myers was down to two: a derived form Captain Kirk mask and in particular Emmett Kelly mask. While leadership Emmett Kelly mask was obstreperous and eerie, it did throng together quite evoke the creepy intuit they were seeking.

The Kirk mask did, resulting in righteousness crew selecting it for significance film.^[46]

In 2023, Emmett Kelly became the protagonist of the win short documentary Who Is Asleep or dead on one`s Willie? directed by Constanza Pirouette. Hevia and produced by producer and scholar Daniel L.

Bernardi.^[47]

Gallery

References

Further reading

External links

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