Saturday, October 03, 2015

Clowns #5


Posted by Buckles at 10/03/2015 05:18:00 AM

6 comments:

Mike Naughton said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
03 October, 2015 12:42
Mike Naughton said...

Revised comment:
Paul Jung with his wife, Elsie, created many props and costumes for the clowns.
He was murdered during the RBBB MSG stand in 1965.

Here he is on the television game show To Tell The Truth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLcyauXrJZg

A producing clown is a term that is on its way out unfortunately. The great days of clown alleys are kaput.
The producing clown was the person who created the gags and props for the circus. RBBB came up with the title "Boss Clown" in the 1970s.



03 October, 2015 14:28
Roger Smith said...

Jerry Bangs created many of the top, long-lasting clown gags for RBB, but other than true insiders, he was almost anonymous. He was hurrying to the ring one matinee, and tripped, falling into John Ringling. Jackie Le Claire will know this yarn better than me, but I think the accident caused something to be splattered over the elegant Mr. John's finery. He turned to an assistant and demanded, "Fire that clown!" Bangs was too inventive to be without, so he remained on the show, hidden from Mr. John in other jobs. He still devised clown gags, but became known as "The Funniest Clown Who Never Wore Makeup".

03 October, 2015 16:14
Chic Silber said...


Kenny Dodd who is being honored

at tonight's ShowFolks dinner

was truly a "Producing Clown"

03 October, 2015 17:26
Chic Silber said...


Barrie Sloan the stiltwalker

also built many clown heads

for walkarounds on Beatty

03 October, 2015 17:28
Jim Alexander said...

I remember Jerry Bangs on the Polack show, maybe late 50s, as a producing clown. As Roger mentioned, he didn't wear make-up but stood off to the side wearing a "band uniform" jacket to look official.

03 October, 2015 18:15

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