Friday, March 21, 2014

From Buckles #2


Posted by Buckles at 3/21/2014 06:01:00 AM

6 comments:

BARBARA WOODCOCK said...

Look at the muscles on Lou Jacobs. That is very impressive. What else did he do to build such muscles? I know Dolly very well, we trouped on B.A.C. together. But the subject never came up as to any other acts Lou might have done before the car. Does any one know?.....Barbara....

22 March, 2014 19:03
Dick Flint said...

Hi Barbara: Lou was an acrobat and contortionist in German music halls before joining Ringling in 1924 when he was 21. He was still doing a contortion routine in the 1930s wearing a devil-style costume and hopping about on his hands like a frog, a favorite costume of many contortionists. He obviously stayed in shape much of his life.
Dick Flint
Baltimore

22 March, 2014 22:27
John Herriott said...

Thanks Dick for the info. Knowing and trouping with Lou were very satisfying being around such a great circus clown. He was not just a signature one person clown, like Emmet, Otto, Barry [who were certainly great as well] but he produced some very funny gags working with other clowns in the "alley". His track gags were fabulous. Who can forget the runaway hosp bed/,The haystock,and so many others. He realized in the huge buildings that those track gags could appeal to all the audience. His little car and using the midget clowns. he always liked that and it got big laughs. He was not aloof and liked working with the clowns. Here is a good example.

Lou had a sausage dog walkaround in drag with two midgets inside as the dogs and lou all decked out in full gown with ostrich plume fan leading the dog. It had been a hit and was now in a box. Perf. Dir. Bob Dover had a deal with Lou that if during times we needed some stall [prop set, bldg lay out, etc.]time we could call on the dog [it was very easy to get together with midgets and Lou getting in the drag, so we had a gay clown known as "roger darling" and he is dying to do the flaunting drag, so Lou would let him do it. How many clowns would do that? Lou was always back stage in preparing any of his gags and the wardrobe people, props, etc. all were pleased to assist him.

He had worked with old clown friend Charlie Bell and remembered his hunting dog gag, so with his dog knuklehead he recreated that gag in its finest fashion.

So not only was he certainly probably the most p-ictureque clown, he was a real great Circus clown deserving of any and all honors. respt. john herriott.

23 March, 2014 09:22
Roger Smith said...

Lou was a natural contortionist, whose father allowed him a solo act at 15. He angered the old man by clowning the number, and was apprenticed to a hand-balancing tumbler. He was good, but got fired for satirizing his partners. He brought his own act to the US in '23 for fairs and vaudeville. In '25, teamed with Michael Morris, he worked a comedy act with a broomstick for a trapeze. Morris had a contract with RBBB, and that started Lou's long tenure there. The foregoing is well told by Fred Bradna in THE BIG TOP. Lou was on Ringling for some 60-odd seasons, except for the storied few years he was heavily featured on Polack.

24 March, 2014 17:29
Bob Momyer said...

Lou once told me that he told John Ringling that he wanted to be an acrobat instead of clowning and Ringling told him if he became an acrobat he would have to have a second act, if he stayed a clown he would only have to clown so Lou decided to stick with clowning...for which we are all fortunate.
Bob

25 March, 2014 09:54
bob good said...

Bob Good


Simply a test to see if I can post.

Sorry for the inconvience

25 March, 2014 14:05

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