Image of Red Skelton

Red Skelton

1913-07-18 Vincennes, Indiana, USA

Image of Red Skelton

Biografia

The son of a former circus clown turned grocer and a cleaning woman, Red Skelton was introduced to show business at the age of 7 by Ed Wynn, at a vaudeville show in Vincennes. At age 10, he left home to travel with a medicine show through the Midwest, and joined the vaudeville circuit at age 15. At age 17, he married Edna Marie Stilwell, an usher who became his vaudeville partner and later his chief writer and manager. He debuted on Broadway and radio in 1937 and on film in 1938. His ex-wife/manager negotiated a seven-year Hollywood contract for him in 1951, the same year The Red Skelton Hour (1951) premiered on NBC. For two decades, until 1971, his show consistently stayed in the top twenty, both on NBC and CBS. His numerous characters, including Clem Kaddiddlehopper, George Appleby, and the seagulls Gertrude and Heathcliffe delighted audiences for decades. First and foremost, he considered himself a clown, although not the greatest, and his paintings of clowns brought in a fortune after he left television. His home life was not completely happy--two divorces and a son Richard who died of leukemia at age 9--and he did not hang around with other comedians. He continued performing live until illness, and he was a longtime supporter of children's charities. Red Skelton died at age 84 of pneumonia in Rancho Mirage, California, on September 17, 1997. Red is interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California, in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Benediction.

Películas

Red Skelton: America's Greatest Clown Red Skelton 2005-06-28
Pioneers of Primetime 2005-11-09
Red Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs Himself (Host)/Various Characters 2001-05-15
Television: The First Fifty Years Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage) 1999-01-01
Inside the Dream Factory Self 1995-11-01
A Tribute to Houdini Self 1987-01-01
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers Self (archive footage) 1985-01-01
That's Dancing! From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage) 1985-01-18
Red Skelton: A Royal Command Performance Himself 1984-04-22
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner Freddie the Freeloader 1981-11-01
The Hollywood Clowns (archive footage) 1979-03-23
The People's Command Performance: '77 Self 1977-04-07
Rudolph's Shiny New Year Father Time / Baby Bear (voice) 1976-12-10
America on Parade Host 1976-04-03
That's Entertainment, Part II (archive footage) 1976-05-16
That's Entertainment! (archive footage) (uncredited) 1974-06-21
Swing Out, Sweet Land Self 1970-01-01
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special Self (uncredited) 1970-11-16
Honor America Day Self 1970-07-04
The Dean Martin Christmas Show Self (uncredited) 1968-12-19
Clown Alley Freddie the Freeloader 1966-11-09
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes The Neanderthal Man 1965-06-16
The Big Parade of Comedy Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage) 1964-09-02
Ocean's Eleven Self 1960-08-10
Public Pigeon No. 1 Rusty Morgan 1957-05-17
Around the World in Eighty Days Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon 1956-10-17
Red Skelton Christmas Classics Main 1955-12-23
The Great Diamond Robbery Ambrose C. Park 1954-01-29
Susan Slept Here Oswald from North Dakota (uncredited) 1954-07-28
The Clown Dodo Delwyn 1953-01-16
Half a Hero Ben Dobson 1953-05-11
Lovely to Look At Al Marsh 1952-05-29
Texas Carnival Cornie Quinell 1951-10-05
Excuse My Dust Joe Belden 1951-06-27
The Fuller Brush Girl Red Skelton - Fuller Brush Man (uncredited) 1950-09-15
Watch the Birdie Rusty Cammeron 1950-12-11
The Yellow Cab Man Augustus 'Red' Pirdy 1950-03-25
Three Little Words Harry Ruby 1950-07-12
Neptune's Daughter Jack Spratt 1949-06-10
The Fuller Brush Man Red Jones 1948-06-01
A Southern Yankee Aubrey Filmore 1948-08-05
Merton of the Movies Merton Gill aka Clifford Armytage 1947-10-11
The Show-Off J. Aubrey Piper 1946-12-01
Ziegfeld Follies J. Newton Numbskull (segment "When Television Comes") 1945-08-26
Twenty Years After (archive footage) 1944-01-01
Bathing Beauty Stephen "Steve" Sherman Elliott 1944-06-27
I Dood It Joseph 'Joe' Rivington Renolds 1943-09-01
Thousands Cheer Red Skelton 1943-09-13
Du Barry Was a Lady Louis Blore / King Louis XV 1943-08-13
Whistling in Brooklyn Wally 'The Fox' Benton 1943-12-01
Ship Ahoy Merton K. Kibble 1942-04-16
Whistling in Dixie Wally Benton 1942-12-31
Panama Hattie Red 1942-09-30
Maisie Gets Her Man Herbert P. 'Hap' Hixby 1942-06-01
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day Vernon Briggs 1941-08-22
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare Vernon Briggs 1941-05-02
Whistling in the Dark Wally Benton 1941-08-08
Lady Be Good Joe 'Red' Willet 1941-09-18
Flight Command Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin 1940-12-27
The Broadway Buckaroo Red 1939-06-03
Seeing Red Red / Doorman / Coatroom Attendant / Waiter / Emcee 1939-08-25
Having Wonderful Time Itchy 1938-07-01