Frank "Slivers" Oakley
Frank Oakley, aka. Slivers, 1871-1916 Frank Oakley, also known as Slivers (1871 – 1916) was the most popular circus clown of his generation. Born in […]
Articles
Bert Williams
Bert Williams (Egbert Austin Williams) (1874 – 1922) Born in the West Indies, Bert Williams was a black entertainer appearing as a song-and-dance clown in […]
Curly Robbins
W.D. Robbins – Curly Robbins – 1928 – 2002 Curly Robbins began his clown career in 1959. He volunteered to be a clown at a […]
Happy Kellems
Harold “Happy” Kellems (February 6, 1905 – February 9, 1987) Happy Kellems was a tramp-character clown, minstrel, and vaudeville performer. A native of Evansville, Indiana, […]
Bill Irwin
Bill Irwin (April 11, 1950 – present) Everyman clown Bill Irwin graduated from the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Clown College in 1974. The next […]
Charlie Cairoli
Charlie Cairoli (1915-1980)
Barry Lubin – Grandma
Biography of Barry Lubin – “Grandma” (July 3, 1952 – ) A member of the 1974 class of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown […]
Irvin Romig
Irvin ‘Ricky’ Romig (1920-2010) Irvin ‘Ricky’ Romig was born into show business and was working in the family’s acts by the age of four. An […]
Footit and Chocolat
George Footit (1864-1921) was a British equestrian, acrobat and clown who was brought into his profession at the young age of twelve. He was known […]
Jackie Le Claire (1927 – 2019)
Jackie’s parents were performers with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus when he was born. He started clowning at a very young age, […]