Clown of renown (usually in sad-faced hobo's makeup although on some occasions he sported classic whiteface) with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, who acted in a handful of films.
Inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians, 1996.Emmett Kelly wrote and published his memiors: "Clown" in l954. He was also a part of a nightclub comedy team with entertainer and radio/TV broadcaster, Linn Sheldon, during the l930s.Emmett Kelly originally wanted to be a newspaper cartoonist. Unable to find any work with a newspaper syndicate or an animation studio, he joined a circus as a chalk talk artist (drawing pictures to help illustrate the stories that he told his audiences). Later on, Mr. Kelly became a trapeeze artist at the circus. Working with his first wife, he created and performed as several different clown characters, including a whiteface buffoon. He finally found success with his sad face hobo character: "Weary Willie".Inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989.His son, Emmett Kelly Jr. (d. 2006) followed in his footsteps to become a circus clown.He was originally a member of the Knickerbocker Circus and helped rescue several children when the circus tent caught fire, killing a number of people. The event was known forever after as "the day when the clowns cried.".Henry Fonda portrayed Emmett on "General Electric Theater: Season 3, Episode 25, The Clown" (1955), which was a short biographical piece.
Are you sure, you want to order The Greatest Show on Earth ?
To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground. Subplots involve the secret past of Buttons the Clown and the efforts of racketeers to move in on the game concessions. Let the show begin!