Thursday, December 29, 2016

#1 Clowns


Posted by Buckles at 12/29/2016 05:53:00 AM

3 comments:

Mike Naughton said...

The clown on the right in the fat suit is Jack LeClaire, the father of Jackie LeClaire, "The Children's Clown".
Also in the photo are Lou Jacobs, Felix Adler, Chesty Mortimer, Frankie Saluto (?) and Charley Bell (?). I will take a guess that the clown at the top of the photo is stiltwalker Harry Nelson, just a guess.
This is the 50th Anniversary photo, Lou and Frankie were still with the show for the 1970 100th Anniversary Show. Lou did have a season or two away from Ringling when he worked for Pollack Brothers Circus.

29 December, 2016 10:23
Roger Smith said...

The man without makeup is Personnel Director Pat Valdo. He began as a clown, and his whiteface makeup was prominently featured for years on Ringling paper. John Ringling spotted his leadership qualities, and gave him this important promotion, telling him to run his position as he saw fit. Much to his everlasting credit, he shared with Merle Evans a rare reputation--neither man ever knew an enemy.

29 December, 2016 15:15
Roger Smith said...

I should have noted Mr. Valdo, without makeup, is seated in the dark jacket, next to his wife. Another man without makeup stands above Valdo's right.

Lou Jacobs's Auguste makeup is not the more refined face we came to know. Here, he is still working the features in a broader manner. That may be Charlie Bell in the big checkered hat. His facial structure makes it likely him.

MIKE--I think that's Frankie Saluto seated Center in the front row. It's more like his build than the other little guys, but this isn't the makeup that became his trademark in later years. I last drank a beer with Frankie at the Circus Bar, in Venice, not long before his passing.

30 December, 2016 17:40

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