Friday, July 06, 2018

CLOWNS #11


Posted by Chic Silber at 7/06/2018 12:09:00 AM

6 comments:

Bob Momyer said...

Lou Jacobs was the classic august clown who was best known for his motorized gags ranging from his midget car to a bathtub, hospital bed and speed boat.
Bob

06 July, 2018 09:57
Chic Silber said...


His world famous face not only

became the "Face" of Big Bertha

but was also stolen worldwide

for a gazzilion other logos

He was revered as the master

by all who knew & worked with

him over his tremendous career

He mentored a thousand clowns

His 2 daughters have done him

proud in their achievments

06 July, 2018 10:19
Bob Momyer said...

There is still argument on whether it is his face on the U.S. postage stamp. Officials claim they never use the face of a living person and since the stamp is a characteristic it doesn't break the rule. I was backstage the day the artist who created the stamp made drawings of Lou
who took the whole thing in stride.
Bob

06 July, 2018 19:41
Roger Smith said...

I've never known the full story of why, but for some 2-3 years in the '50s, Lou toured with Polack Bros. They took full advantage of having him, featuring him by makeup and name on all their ads, including newspaper plants. Then, he returned to RB, as we know, until his retirement.

06 July, 2018 19:42
Chic Silber said...


In a similar vein Bob the

slick artsy fartsy clown

image that was drawn up

by an artist with 3 Ring

Advertising in the early

70s for Feld "suggested"

a version of Lou's face

It became the image we

put on both side panels

of the Venice Arena new

proscenium I designed &

built in 74

I'll put that image up

06 July, 2018 19:56
Roger Smith said...

Read Fred Bradna's THE BIG TOP, for descriptive bios of both Lou and Otto, in the chapter "Crazy Acts--The Clowns".

In San Antonio, I found a bust of Lou in a downtown tobacconist's shop. It is the real thing, with his conical wig, rubber ball nose, and small hat. Someone had painted his makeup with grays and greens. Horrified, I bought it, took it home, and took weeks to re-paint his true makeup. It is an object of pride to have to this day. I heard years ago that busts of this type were also done for Felix Adler and Otto, so collectors would have Lou's Auguste, Felix's whiteface, and Otto's tramp, but I never found the other two.

06 July, 2018 20:17

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