list of Famous Clowns of the circus, stage, screen and television

Famous Clowns in history

Much of the information presented herein is borrowed shamelessly from the Clown Hall of Fame.  Much thanks to them. If you’re ever in the neighborhood, drop by – you won’t be disappointed.A listing of some of the famous clowns of history. If you don’t see someone listed that you think is deserving, please add a note in the comments, or email us.

• Bud Abbott  (October 2, 1895 – April 24, 1974)
• Felix Adler  (1895-1960)
• Paul “Prince Paul” Alpert  (1913 – 1987)
• Robert Armin
• Mark Anthony
• Frank Avruch
• Roly Bain
• Lucille Ball  (1911-1989)
• Bob Bell (WGN-TV’s Bozo)  (1922-1997)
• Charlie Bell (1886-1964)
• Bev Bergeron “Rebo”
• Roy “Cooky” Brown  (1932 – 2001)
• Ernie “Blinko” Burch  (1929-1997)
• Don Burda “Homer”  (1935 – )
• Art Carney  (1918-2003)
• Francesco Caroli  (1992 – )
• Charlie Chaplin
• Pinto Colvig
• Lou Costello
• Bob Denver (Gilligan)
• Dmitri  (1935 – )  NEW!
• Avner “Avner the Eccentric” Eisenberg  (1948 – )
• W. C. Fields
• Footit and Chocolat
• George Fox
• Albert Fratellini  (1886-1961)
• Annie Fratellini
• Francois Fratellini
• Paul Fratellini
• Jackie Gleason (1916 – 1987)
• Otto Griebling  (1896-1972)
• Joseph Grimaldi  (1778-1837)
• Poodles Hanneford
• Tommy Hanneford
• Oliver Hardy
• Shorty Hinkle
• Jim Howle  (1939 – )
• Bill Irwin
• Lou Jacobs  (1903 – 1992)
• Joe Jackson Sr. (1873 – 1942)
• Paul Jerome (1889 – 1960)
• Swede Johnson (1903 – 1977)
• Paul Jung  (1901 – 1965)
• Bobby Kay  (1908-1983)
• Danny Kaye
• Bob Keeshan “Captain Kangaroo”, “Clarabell”  (1927-2004)
• Emmett Kelly, Sr.  (1898-1979)
• William Kempe
• Don Knotts  (1924-2006)
• Stan Laurel  (1890-1965)
• Jackie Le Claire
• Gene “Cousin Otto” Lee  (1920 – 2016)
• Jerry Lewis
• Glenn “Frosty” Little
• Barry Lubin “Grandma”
• Marcel Marceau

• The Marx Brothers

  • Chico Marx
  • Groucho Marx
  • Harpo Marx
• Leon “Buttons” McBryde  (1943 – )
• Frank “Slivers” Oakley (1871 – 1916)  NEW!
• Arthur Pedlar  (1932 – )
• Oleg Popov  (1930 – )
• Nola Rae
• Dan Rice  (1823 – 1901)
• Charlie Rivel (1896 – 1983)
• Curly Robbins (1928 – 2002)
• A. Robins – The Banana Man (1886-1950)
• Al Ross  (1907 – 1981)
• Frankie Saluto (1906-1982)
• Red Skelton  (1913-1997)
• Steve Smith “T. J. Tatters”
• Richard Snowberg “Snowflake”
• Richard Tarleton

• The Three Stooges

  • Moe Howard
  • Larry Fine
  • Curly Howard
  • Shemp Howard
  • Joe Besser
  • Curly Joe DeRita
• Duane “Uncle Soapy” Thorpe  (1924 – 1995)
• Paul Wenzel
• Karl Adrien “Grock” Wettach  (1880 – 1959)
• Bert Williams (1874 – 1922)  NEW!
• Peggy Williams
• Ed Wynn  (1886-1966)

• Clown Hall of Fame – 1989 –  Otto Griebling,  Red Skelton,  Emmett Kelly Sr.,  Felix Adler,  Mark Anthony,  Lou Jacobs
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1990 –  Joseph Grimaldi,  Leon ‘Buttons’ McBryde,  Bob Keeshan
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1991 –  Yankee Dan Rice,  Frankie Saluto,  Bobby Kaye,  Coco,  Glenn ‘Frosty’ Little
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1992 –  Arthur Pedlar,  Gene “Cousin Otto” Lee,  Grock,  Paul “Prince Paul” Alpert,  Paul Jung
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1993 –  Albert Fratellini,  Al Ross,  Oleg Popov,  Roy “Cooky” Brown,  Steve “T.J. Tatters” Smith
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1994 – George “Bumpsy Anthony” Hulme,  Nicolai “Coco” Polakovs, Joe Jackson Sr.,  Annie Fratellini,  Jim Howle
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1995 –  Edwin “Poodles” Hanneford, The Sherman Brothers [Chester Sherman & Joe Vani], Dimitri,  Don Burda, Jim “Happy” Williams
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1996 – Bill “BOOM-BOOM” Baily,  Bob “BOZO” Bell, Egbert “BERT” Austin Williams, Jackie LeClaire
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1998 –  Peggy Williams,  Ernie “Blinko” Burch,  Robert Armin
• Clown Hall of Fame – 1999 –  Richard “Snowflake” Snowberg,  Robert Armin
• Clown Hall of Fame – 2000 –  Francesco Caroli,  Nola Rae,  Francois Fratellini,  Duane “Uncle Soapy” Thorpe,  George L. Fox
• Clown Hall of Fame – 2001 –  Billy Baker, Bill Ballantine, Charlie Chaplin, Irvin Romig
• Clown Hall of Fame – 2002 –  Avner Eisenberg, Barry “Grandma” Lubin, Charlie Cairoli, Harold “Happy” Kellems
• Clown Hall of Fame – 2004 –  Earl “Mr. Clown” Chaney, Pinto Colvig, W.D. “Curly” Robbins, Giovanni “Nino” Zoppe
• Clown Hall of Fame – 2014 –  Swede Johnson, Dougie Ashton, Chuck Burnes, Paul Wenzel
• Detailed history
• National Clown Week Proclamation

Unlike the rest of this list, Pierrot is not an individual, but a character. One of the main characters of the Commedia del Arté, Pierrot (along with Clown and Pantaloon) form the basis for what in later centuries became the white-faced clown.