Since I was a little kid, I have always loved Red Skelton. I remember watching movies of; him with Lucille Ball and Esther Williams. Neptune's Daughter was my very favorite movie, with Esther Williams. But, most of all I will always remember The Red Skelton Hour. He was a wonderful man and a great Humanitarian and one of America's most beloved clowns. In 1989, he was inducted into the Clowns Hall of Fame, along with another of my favorite clowns, Emmet Kelly.
Richard Red Skelton, was born on July 18, 1913, in Vincennes, Indiana, two months after his father passed away. His father was a circus clown with the Hagebeck and Wallace Circus. By the time Red was 16, he was a clown in the same circus. He entered vaudville and made it to Broadway in 1936. He made at least 23 movies and had his own radio and televison show. Millions of people tuned in every week to see his Freddy the Freeloader, Clem Kadiddlehopper, Sheriff Deadeye, and many other charatures....he was known as the man of many faces. His son, Richard, died of leukemia as a child and Red did many things for sick children. He was a performer, writer of children's books,composer and an excellent painter, mostly of clowns and his paintings now sell starting at $50,000 a painting.
Red Skelton died on September 17, 1997, in Rancho Mirage, California, after a long illness. He was 84 years old, but he will live on in the hearts of all who ever seen him and will always be remembered as one of America's most beloved entertainers.
Red Skelton as Freddie
Below is Red Skelton and Lucy Ball
Doing a skit together.
At the end of his show, Red always smiled and said:
"May God Bless"...."Good night"
wmv clip 1 MB: Red Skelton TV Show
Video: Red Skelton in "The Pledge Of Allegiance" 1969
2006 - 2009 Richard's Creations