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 […]
Ringling Brothers
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
Bumpsy Anthony
GEORGE “BUMPSY ANTHONY” HULME (1901-1989) “Bumpsy Anthony” was born George Anthony Hulme in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Bumpsy Anthony began his career in vaudeville with a […]
Paul Wenzel, famous producing clown
Professor Paul Wenzel was born in 1878, and performed as a circus clown for over 60 years throughout the United States of America. Paul Wenzel […]
Swede Johnson
Swede Johnson was born Carl Gehlert Johansen in Ribe, Denmark in 1903. Swede was a fourth generation circus performer, and traveled with his family in […]
Interview with Jeff McMullen
(Editor’s note: I was fortunate enough to interview Jeff McMullen, former Ringling Brothers clown, clown instructor and motivational speaker, in between performances during the summer of […]