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JEST FOR CLOWNS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 VOL. 2.6 I first met Emmett Kelly one balmy afternoon in Venice, Florida at Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. Emmett was invited by the current dean, Bill Ballantine, to stop by and say hello to the students in attendance that year. It was Bill’s last year as the director, and I would be taking over the position as dean and director the following year. Just prior to the day’s lunch break, Bill asked if I wanted to join him, Emmett Kelly and Lou Jacobs for lunch. Of course, I accepted the invitation. As background, Lou Jacobs, as well as Emmett Kelly, both toured as clowns with Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey for many years. Emmett told me that he was originally an aerialist and a clown on the Cole Bros circus, and then in 1942, joined Ringling and stayed for about 15 years. I knew that Lou toured with Ringling for most of his entire life - a total of almost fifty years and was still performing with Ringling at the time of our luncheon get-together. Bill drove the four of us to a nice gulf-front seafood restaurant called,“The Crow’s Nest”, located at an exclusive local dockside boat marina. I found it funny that here we were, four professional clowns in a car, yet Lou Jacobs mentioned to Bill that this rental car was a bit tiny and cramped. I say funny, Emmett Kelly, Sr. because if we wanted, we could have squeezed twenty-six clowns inside of it. © COPYRIGHT 2020 The SEVERINI We arrived at the restaurant and were seated by the maître d’ at a reserved Company, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED table by the window overlooking the marina. We also had a stunning picturesque view of the Gulf of Mexico. Upon being seated, I gazed out and admired all the expensive boats tied to telephone pole-like pilings. I was quite charmed by the many seagulls and pelicans flying around outside. I remember Emmett commenting that each pelican had its own post to sit upon, and he quipped, “ONLY if they were the rich snowbird pelicans that could afford such prime Florida waterfront real estate”. The waitress took our orders. Bill and I ordered the “Special of the day”, the sea bass. I found it a bit strange that both Lou and Emmett each ordered a whole roasted chicken for themselves. During this captive time together, the conversation quickly became an Emmett and Lou comedy competition, clearly instigated by Emmett trying to prove who was the funniest amongst the two of them. Each time Lou Jacobs would say something, Emmett seemed compelled to try harder to comedically top him - it felt like this great American circus clown was needlessly trying to impress me. (Maybe Emmett was looking for me to hire him on the next year’s Clown College staff? I don’t really know.) I also Emmett Kelly, Sr. remember thinking how strange it was to see Emmett out of his hobo clown © COPYRIGHT 2020 The SEVERINI make-up, and even more shocking, to hear this great silent pantomimist’s voice. Company, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Amble down to the next page for more on Emmett Kelly . JEST FOR CLOWNS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 VOL. 2.6 He was quite a chatterbox. the most well-known and recognized We sat for a long time before the waitress finally arrived and clown name in America. What helped brought our soup, salads and all of our entrees - unfortunately all Emmett Kelly Sr. greatly was the fact at the same time. Our table was completely filled with food; we he hired a personal PR agent to started to eat. Emmett took one bite of his chicken and represent him to work towards immediately made a very sour face. Then Emmett turned to Lou garnering as much publicity as and quipped: “Hey Lou, how many pelicans were out there when Emmett could receive. Then, in 1952, we first came in, ‘cause I think there must be two less birds out Emmett was offered a great featured there now.” spot within the Cecil B. Demille There I was, honored to be sitting with two of the most famous Academy Award-winning epic movie, American circus clowns of the twentieth century and loving every “The Greatest Show on Earth” starring minute of it. I really didn’t care what the food tasted like or if the Charlton Heston, Jimmy Stewart, Betty waitress ever came back. Hutton and Cornell Wilde. This film I asked Emmett about his clown character, “Weary Willie”. He greatly added to Emmett’s national told me that he first created it while he was a cartoonist, and then notoriety; so much so, that after a he actually became his cartoon character. He said: “Weary Willie while, Emmett left Ringling and did was more than a character, as he was very real to me.” acting roles on Broadway and then, in I asked Emmett if he could elaborate even more on the major motion films. He also struck a personality traits of Weary Willie. deal to become the mascot for the His answer impressed me greatly, as he certainly knew and Brooklyn Dodgers. Following that defined the complexity of his clown’s character: “Weary Willie is a adventure, he landed appearances in man who has given up; the boat has gone and left him; the cards more films, TV Commercials and are stacked against him; he's content to make out with what he's Game Shows which helped supplement got; he knows he'll go no further; a down-and-out character that the income he was receiving from his had nothing except hope and a little self-dignity.” (You see, during merchandising sales. During the latter the great depression of the late 1920’s and 1930’s, tramps and period of his career, Emmett really hobos were much more prevalent around the U.S. Times were wasn’t performing much any longer. tough. Lots of people were poor and hungry and down on their He had mentioned to me, in a very luck. The “Weary Willie” character symbolized those down-on-their- melancholy and heart-felt manner that luck people. It struck a chord within lots of Americans during he missed the laughter that he had those most difficult times.) created. He said, “The laughter of I then asked him about his “Weary Willie” character’s make-up. children is a sound that I can never He said, “A clown's makeup and his character is what he has to forget. It has stuck in my mind all sell. You must always love and believe in that character and never through my life, and every so often, if step out of that character when you are in your make-up and I try, I can still hear the echo of it costume.” warming my heart!” I had heard that Emmett made quite a good income from the Emmett seemed very proud of what eventual merchandising of his “Weary Willie” character. I also knew he had accomplished in his lifetime, that in later years his son, Emmett Kelly Jr. presented and and rightfully so. performed a very similar tramp/hobo clown character. It was said He created a wonderful character that that Emmett Kelly Sr. did not approve of Emmett Kelly Jr. also brought laughter to millions of people, using a “Weary Willie” Hobo/Tramp clown character. especially at a time in history when As a result, the relationship between father and son became America needed to laugh. estranged. There’s an unwritten law amongst clowns that no clown Emmett passed away in 1979, about should ever copy another clown’s make-up, costume or character. a year and a half after this first In this particular scenario, it became exceptionally confusing to meeting of ours, at eighty-one years of the general public when both father and son had similar age. It was sad to me, but probably in characters, similar make-up and the same name. keeping with the unluckiness of the During the 20th century, the name Emmett Kelly was probably hobo/tramp character of “Weary Mosey down to the next page for more on Emmett Kelly from Ron Severini . JEST FOR CLOWNS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 VOL. 2.6 Willie”, that Emmett Kelly Sr. never received the VED honors and recognition that he duly deserved during his lifetime. It was not until after his death that he received the great honor of being RIGHTS RESER inducted into the International Clown Hall of ALL Fame in 1989, as well as inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame in 1994. , LLC. Emmett and Lou both ended up sending back the pelican-tasting chicken and traded them in for the sea bass. We all ordered the key lime pie and a cup of coffee. Everyone’s tummy was full, and my The SEVERINI Company heart was smiling. A great and memorable 2020 experience. Bill picked up the check. JFC © COPYRIGHT Lou Jacobs, Bill Ballantine, Ron Severini and Emmett Kelly VED RIGHTS RESER ALL , LLC. The SEVERINI Company 2020 © COPYRIGHT E sss F lllsss The Emmett Kelly Feature is written by Ron Severini ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN JESTFORCLOWNS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 ISSUE 2.6 https://JestForClowns.com.

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