Red Skelton - Pantomimist, Career and Childhood
Red Skelton's Personal Details
Red Skelton was a prominent pantomimist and comedian
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | July 18, 1913 |
| Died on | September 17, 1997 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Film & Theater Personalities, Comedians, Pantomimist |
| City/State | Indiana |
| Spouses | Edna Marie Stilwell (m. 1931; div. 1943), Georgia Davis (m. 1945; div. 1971), Lothian Toland (m. 1973–97) |
| Known as | Richard Bernard Skelton |
| Birth Place | Vincennes |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Joseph E. Skelton |
| Mother | Ida Mae |
| Sun Sign | Cancer |
| Born in | Vincennes |
| Famous as | Comedian, Pantomimist |
| Died at Age | 84 |
Red Skelton's photo
Who is Red Skelton?
Red Skelton was one of the most illustrious faces of ‘comedy’ world-over. In his long and comical career, he came to be known as ‘The Sentimental Clown’ and ‘America’s Clown Prince’ for his emotionally-intricate comedy routines. He initially started off as a comedian for troubadour or burlesque shows and soon gained popularity with large audiences. His career slowly began to ascend as he got more shows on the radio and television and eventually began appearing in films. The son of a circus clown, Skelton went on to become one of the most-loved comedians in America and he owed it all to his family, without whom he believed, he would have never been bitten by the ‘showbiz bug’. He hit the road as a full-time entertainer, working in medicine shows and revue acts to grandstands and circuses. Today, his name is synonymous with 20th century American comedy and he is remembered by his contemporaries and audiences for his memorable roles such as, ‘Clem Kaddiddlehopper’ and ‘George Appleby’. Although his career was a fertile one, life on the personal front was not very successful. After two divorces and a personal loss, he became more of a social recluse which went on to affect his career. He was also a supporter of a number of children’s charities.
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Childhood & Early Life
Richard Bernard ‘Red’ Skelton was born on 18 July 1913, to circus clown, Joseph E. Skelton and house help, Ida Mae, in Vincennes, Indiana.
Due to the early death of his father he started working as a newspaper boy at the age of seven.
In 1923, fate played its cards when Ed Wynn, a comedian, bought all the papers from Skelton and offered to take him backstage for a show in town. It was during this time he realized that he wanted a career in showbiz.
He dropped out of school and became an expert performer, working in showboats and the local vaudeville circuit.
Career
After he got married, he and his wife began to put together the famous ‘Doughnut Dunkers’ acts, which gained them popularity and earned them a number of shows throughout Canada.
In 1932, he gave a failed screen test, which was his first connection with Hollywood. Five years later, he made his film debut in the role of a camp counselor in the movie ‘Having Wonderful Time’.
He made his first appearance on radio on ‘The Rudy Vallee Show’ on August 12, 1937. He became so popular, that he was invited for two more segments on the show. The following year, he substituted Red Foley as the host of ‘Avalon Time’ on NBC.
In 1941, he went on air, hosting his own show, ‘The Raleigh Cigarettes Program’, where he introduced his first character ‘Clem Kaddiddlehopper’. The next year, he starred in the films ‘Ship Ahoy’, ‘Maisie Gets Her Man’, ‘Panama Hattie’ and ‘Whistling in Dixie’.
From 1943 to 1946, he starred in a string of comedy films, ‘I Dood It’, ‘Whistling in Brooklyn’, ‘Bathing Beauty’ and ‘The Show-Off’. He also lent his voice for the short-film, ‘Radio Bugs’. During this time, he also began producing art work, but he kept it a secret.
In 1947, he was seen in the film adaptation of ‘Merton of the Movies’. The same year, he was seen in two short-subjects, ‘Weekend in Hollywood’ and ‘The Luckiest Guy in the World’; he lent his voice for the latter.
After his contract with MGM ended in 1951, he was signed a contract with NBC. He stated that he wanted to play the same characters he played on radio, on television as well. The next year, he became extremely famous with his portrayal of the clown in ‘Freddie the Freeloader’.
He switched to the CBS network in 1953–54, where he remained for nearly two decades. During this time, he also starred in the films, ‘The Clown’, ‘Half a Hero’, ‘The Great Diamond Robbery’ and ‘Susan Slept Here’.
By 1959, he became the only comedian with a regularly planned weekly TV show.
In 1962, he was given a full hour on the CBS network titled, ‘The Red Skelton Hour’, which consistently had high TRP’s on both NBC and CBS. Three years later, ‘Red Skelton’s Favorite Ghost Stories’ was published.
In 1969, he performed a self-written soliloquy about the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’. The next year, after one of his shows on NBC was cancelled, he never returned to television. He continued to entertain audiences with live performances.
In 1976, he appeared in the stop-motion animated film, ‘Rudolph’s Shiny New Year’ as the narrator and as ‘Baby Bear’.
In 1981, he made an HBO Special, ‘Freddie the Freeloader’s Christmas Dinner’ and three years later, he performed at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The same year, the books, ‘The Ventriloquist’ and ‘Old Whitey’ were published.
Towards the end of his life, Red Skelton stated that his daily routine involved writing a short-story a day. He kept himself busy by performing in nightclubs, casinos and other prestigious venues such as the Carnegie Hall.
Major Works
‘The Red Skelton Hour’, which premiered in 1951 on television, went on to become one of the highest-watched shows on both, the NBC and CBS. He reprised some of his most famous characters on the show including ‘George Appleby’ and ‘Clem Kaddiddlehopper’, which made the show a hit with audiences. The popular show had the highest TRP’s for nearly two decades since its inception.
Awards & Achievements
In 1961, he won an Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Writing-Comedy Series’. It was just one of the several Emmy Awards he had won.
He received a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from the Screen Actors’ Guild, in 1987.
He was inducted into the ‘Television Hall of Fame’ by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 1989.
Personal Life & Legacy
In 1931, he married Edna Stillwell, his first wife. They divorced in 1943.
In 1945, he married Georgia Davis and they went on to have two children; Richard and Valentina. However, Richard passed away due to leukemia, when he was a young boy, which left Skelton devastated. The couple divorced in 1971.
He married Lothian Toland in 1973. The couple lived together till his death.
Apart from being a comedian, he also created background music which he sent to corporations like ‘Muzak’. He was also interested in painting and photography. He loved horses and reared quarter horses at his ranch.
He passed away on 17 September 1997, due to pneumonia, and is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California.
The ‘Red Skelton Performing Arts Center’ was established in 2006 in his honor. The next year, the historic Pantheon Theater in Vincennes was named after Red Skelton.
Trivia
This famous American comedian and pantomimist was known for his ‘Doughnut Dunkers’ routine for which he ate nearly 45 doughnuts a day. He gained approximately 35 pounds due to his role and had to defer the routine due to his increasing weight and obesity issues.
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Red Skelton's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Golden Globe Awards | ||
| 1959 | Television Achievement | The Red Skelton Show (1951) |
Primetime Emmy Awards | ||
| 1961 | Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy | The Red Skelton Show (1951) |
| 1952 | Best Comedian or Comedienne | Winner |
Red Skelton biography timelines
- // 18th Jul 1913Richard Bernard ‘Red’ Skelton was born on 18 July 1913, to circus clown, Joseph E. Skelton and house help, Ida Mae, in Vincennes, Indiana.
- // 1923In 1923, fate played its cards when Ed Wynn, a comedian, bought all the papers from Skelton and offered to take him backstage for a show in town. It was during this time he realized that he wanted a career in showbiz.
- // 1931 To 1943In 1931, he married Edna Stillwell, his first wife. They divorced in 1943.
- // 1932In 1932, he gave a failed screen test, which was his first connection with Hollywood. Five years later, he made his film debut in the role of a camp counselor in the movie ‘Having Wonderful Time’.
- // 1937He made his first appearance on radio on ‘The Rudy Vallee Show’ on August 12, 1937. He became so popular, that he was invited for two more segments on the show. The following year, he substituted Red Foley as the host of ‘Avalon Time’ on NBC.
- // 1941In 1941, he went on air, hosting his own show, ‘The Raleigh Cigarettes Program’, where he introduced his first character ‘Clem Kaddiddlehopper’. The next year, he starred in the films ‘Ship Ahoy’, ‘Maisie Gets Her Man’, ‘Panama Hattie’ and ‘Whistling in Dixie’.
- // 1943 To 1946From 1943 to 1946, he starred in a string of comedy films, ‘I Dood It’, ‘Whistling in Brooklyn’, ‘Bathing Beauty’ and ‘The Show-Off’. He also lent his voice for the short-film, ‘Radio Bugs’. During this time, he also began producing art work, but he kept it a secret.
- // 1945 To 1971In 1945, he married Georgia Davis and they went on to have two children; Richard and Valentina. However, Richard passed away due to leukemia, when he was a young boy, which left Skelton devastated. The couple divorced in 1971.
- // 1947In 1947, he was seen in the film adaptation of ‘Merton of the Movies’. The same year, he was seen in two short-subjects, ‘Weekend in Hollywood’ and ‘The Luckiest Guy in the World’; he lent his voice for the latter.
- // 1951After his contract with MGM ended in 1951, he was signed a contract with NBC. He stated that he wanted to play the same characters he played on radio, on television as well. The next year, he became extremely famous with his portrayal of the clown in ‘Freddie the Freeloader’.
- // 1959By 1959, he became the only comedian with a regularly planned weekly TV show.
- // 1961In 1961, he won an Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Writing-Comedy Series’. It was just one of the several Emmy Awards he had won.
- // 1962In 1962, he was given a full hour on the CBS network titled, ‘The Red Skelton Hour’, which consistently had high TRP’s on both NBC and CBS. Three years later, ‘Red Skelton’s Favorite Ghost Stories’ was published.
- // 1969In 1969, he performed a self-written soliloquy about the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’. The next year, after one of his shows on NBC was cancelled, he never returned to television. He continued to entertain audiences with live performances.
- // 1973He married Lothian Toland in 1973. The couple lived together till his death.
- // 1976In 1976, he appeared in the stop-motion animated film, ‘Rudolph’s Shiny New Year’ as the narrator and as ‘Baby Bear’.
- // 1981In 1981, he made an HBO Special, ‘Freddie the Freeloader’s Christmas Dinner’ and three years later, he performed at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The same year, the books, ‘The Ventriloquist’ and ‘Old Whitey’ were published.
- // 1987He received a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from the Screen Actors’ Guild, in 1987.
- // 1989He was inducted into the ‘Television Hall of Fame’ by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 1989.
- // 17th Sep 1997He passed away on 17 September 1997, due to pneumonia, and is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California.
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Red Skelton's FAQ
What is Red Skelton birthday?
Red Skelton was born at 1913-07-18
When was Red Skelton died?
Red Skelton was died at 1997-09-17
Where was Red Skelton died?
Red Skelton was died in California, U.S.
Which age was Red Skelton died?
Red Skelton was died at age 84
Where is Red Skelton's birth place?
Red Skelton was born in Vincennes
What is Red Skelton nationalities?
Red Skelton's nationalities is American
Who is Red Skelton spouses?
Red Skelton's spouses is Edna Marie Stilwell (m. 1931; div. 1943), Georgia Davis (m. 1945; div. 1971), Lothian Toland (m. 1973–97)
Who is Red Skelton's father?
Red Skelton's father is Joseph E. Skelton
Who is Red Skelton's mother?
Red Skelton's mother is Ida Mae
What is Red Skelton's sun sign?
Red Skelton is Cancer
How famous is Red Skelton?
Red Skelton is famouse as Comedian, Pantomimist