Red Skelton
The son of a former circus clown turned grocer and a cleaning woman, Red Skelton was introduced to show business at the age of 7 by Ed Wynn, at a vaudeville show in Vincennes. At age 10, he left home to travel with a medicine show through the Midwest, and joined the vaudeville circuit at age 15. At age 17, he married Edna Marie Stilwell, an usher who became his vaudeville partner and later his chief writer and manager. He debuted on Broadway and radio in 1937 and on film in 1938. His ex-wife/manager negotiated a seven-year Hollywood contract for him in 1951, the same year The Red Skelton Hour (1951) premiered on NBC. For two decades, until 1971, his show consistently stayed in the top twenty, both on NBC and CBS. His numerous characters, including Clem Kaddiddlehopper, George Appleby, and the seagulls Gertrude and Heathcliffe delighted audiences for decades. First and foremost, he considered himself a clown, although not the greatest, and his paintings of clowns brought in a fortune after he left television. His home life was not completely happy--two divorces and a son Richard who died of leukemia at age 9--and he did not hang around with other comedians. He continued performing live until illness, and he was a longtime supporter of children's charities. Red Skelton died at age 84 of pneumonia in Rancho Mirage, California, on September 17, 1997. Red is interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California, in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Benediction.
Filmography
A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
as Self (Archival)
A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
as Self (Archival)
Pioneers of Primetime
Pioneers of Primetime
Red Skelton: America's Greatest Clown
as Red Skelton
Red Skelton: America's Greatest Clown
as Red Skelton
Elf: Christmas in Tinseltown
as Self (archive)
Elf: Christmas in Tinseltown
as Self (archive)
Red Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
as Himself (Host)/Various Characters
Red Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
as Himself (Host)/Various Characters
Television: The First Fifty Years
as Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
as Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage)
Inside the Dream Factory
as Self
Inside the Dream Factory
as Self
A Tribute to Houdini
as Self
A Tribute to Houdini
as Self
That's Dancing!
as From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
That's Dancing!
as From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
as Self (archive footage)
Red Skelton: A Royal Command Performance
as Himself
Red Skelton: A Royal Command Performance
as Himself
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner
as Freddie the Freeloader
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner
as Freddie the Freeloader
The Hollywood Clowns
as (archive footage)
The Hollywood Clowns
as (archive footage)
The People's Command Performance: '77
as Self
The People's Command Performance: '77
as Self
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
as Father Time / Baby Bear (voice)
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
as Father Time / Baby Bear (voice)
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
America on Parade
as Host
America on Parade
as Host
That's Entertainment!
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
That's Entertainment!
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
as Self (uncredited)
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
as Self (uncredited)
Honor America Day
as Self
Honor America Day
as Self
Swing Out, Sweet Land
as Self
Swing Out, Sweet Land
as Self
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
as Self (uncredited)
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
as Self (uncredited)
Clown Alley
as Freddie the Freeloader
Clown Alley
as Freddie the Freeloader
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
as The Neanderthal Man
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
as The Neanderthal Man
The Big Parade of Comedy
as Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage)
The Big Parade of Comedy
as Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage)
Ocean's Eleven
as Self
Ocean's Eleven
as Self
The Man in the Funny Suit
as Self
The Man in the Funny Suit
as Self
Public Pigeon No. 1
as Rusty Morgan
Public Pigeon No. 1
as Rusty Morgan
The Country Husband
as Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
The Country Husband
as Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
Around the World in 80 Days
as Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon
Around the World in 80 Days
as Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon
Red Skelton Christmas Classics
as Main
Red Skelton Christmas Classics
as Main
Susan Slept Here
as Oswald from North Dakota (uncredited)
Susan Slept Here
as Oswald from North Dakota (uncredited)
The Great Diamond Robbery
as Ambrose C. Park
The Great Diamond Robbery
as Ambrose C. Park
Half a Hero
as Ben Dobson
Half a Hero
as Ben Dobson
The Clown
as Dodo Delwyn
The Clown
as Dodo Delwyn
Lovely to Look At
as Al Marsh
Lovely to Look At
as Al Marsh
Texas Carnival
as Cornie Quinell
Texas Carnival
as Cornie Quinell
Excuse My Dust
as Joe Belden
Excuse My Dust
as Joe Belden
Watch the Birdie
as Rusty Cammeron / Pop Cammeron / Grandpop Cammeron
Watch the Birdie
as Rusty Cammeron / Pop Cammeron / Grandpop Cammeron
The Fuller Brush Girl
as Red Skelton - Fuller Brush Man (uncredited)
The Fuller Brush Girl
as Red Skelton - Fuller Brush Man (uncredited)
Three Little Words
as Harry Ruby
Three Little Words
as Harry Ruby
The Yellow Cab Man
as Augustus 'Red' Pirdy
The Yellow Cab Man
as Augustus 'Red' Pirdy
Neptune's Daughter
as Jack Spratt
Neptune's Daughter
as Jack Spratt
A Southern Yankee
as Aubrey Filmore
A Southern Yankee
as Aubrey Filmore
The Fuller Brush Man
as Red Jones
The Fuller Brush Man
as Red Jones
Merton of the Movies
as Merton Gill aka Clifford Armytage
Merton of the Movies
as Merton Gill aka Clifford Armytage
The Show-Off
as J. Aubrey Piper
The Show-Off
as J. Aubrey Piper
Ziegfeld Follies
as J. Newton Numbskull (segment "When Television Comes")
Ziegfeld Follies
as J. Newton Numbskull (segment "When Television Comes")
Bathing Beauty
as Steve Elliott
Bathing Beauty
as Steve Elliott
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
Whistling in Brooklyn
as Wally 'The Fox' Benton
Whistling in Brooklyn
as Wally 'The Fox' Benton
Thousands Cheer
as Red Skelton
Thousands Cheer
as Red Skelton
I Dood It
as Joseph 'Joe' Rivington Renolds
I Dood It
as Joseph 'Joe' Rivington Renolds
Du Barry Was a Lady
as Louis Blore / King Louis
Du Barry Was a Lady
as Louis Blore / King Louis
Whistling in Dixie
as Wally Benton
Whistling in Dixie
as Wally Benton
Panama Hattie
as Red
Panama Hattie
as Red
Maisie Gets Her Man
as Herbert P. 'Hap' Hixby
Maisie Gets Her Man
as Herbert P. 'Hap' Hixby
Ship Ahoy
as Merton K. Kibble
Ship Ahoy
as Merton K. Kibble
Lady Be Good
as Joe 'Red' Willet
Lady Be Good
as Joe 'Red' Willet
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
as Vernon Briggs
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
as Vernon Briggs
Whistling in the Dark
as Wally Benton
Whistling in the Dark
as Wally Benton
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
as Vernon Briggs
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
as Vernon Briggs
Flight Command
as Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
Flight Command
as Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
Seeing Red
as Red / Doorman / Coatroom Attendant / Waiter / Emcee
Seeing Red
as Red / Doorman / Coatroom Attendant / Waiter / Emcee
The Broadway Buckaroo
as Red
The Broadway Buckaroo
as Red
Having Wonderful Time
as Itchy
Having Wonderful Time
as Itchy