Red Skelton
Born
July 18, 1913
Died
September 17, 1997 (84 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Vincennes, Indiana, USA
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.
Known For
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
Red Skelton: America's Greatest Clown
Red Skelton
2005
Red Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
Himself (Host)/Various Characters
2001
Television: The First Fifty Years
Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage)
1999
Inside the Dream Factory
Self
1995
A Tribute to Houdini
Self
1987
That's Dancing!
From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
1985
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
1985
Red Skelton: A Royal Command Performance
Himself
1984
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner
Freddie the Freeloader
1981
The Hollywood Clowns
(archive footage)
1979
The People's Command Performance: '77
Self
1977
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Father Time / Baby Bear (voice)
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
1976
America on Parade
Host
1976
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
Self (uncredited)
1970
Honor America Day
Self
1970
Swing Out, Sweet Land
Self
1970
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
Self (uncredited)
1968
Clown Alley
Freddie the Freeloader
1966
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
The Neanderthal Man
1965
The Big Parade of Comedy
Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage)
1964
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
1962
Ocean's Eleven
Self
1960
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Self · (2 episodes)
1958
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Red Skeleton · (1 episode)
1957
Public Pigeon No. 1
Rusty Morgan
1957
The Country Husband
Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
1956
Around the World in Eighty Days
Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon
1956
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self · (1 episode)
1956
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Cameo / Clem Kadiddlehopper · (1 episode)
1956
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Recipient · (1 episode)
1956
Red Skelton Christmas Classics
Main
1955
Climax!
Rusty Morgan · (1 episode)
1954
Susan Slept Here
Oswald from North Dakota (uncredited)
1954
The Great Diamond Robbery
Ambrose C. Park
1954
Half a Hero
Ben Dobson
1953
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953
The Clown
Dodo Delwyn
1953
This Is Your Life
Self · (1 episode)
1952
Lovely to Look At
Al Marsh
1952
Texas Carnival
Cornie Quinell
1951
The Red Skelton Show
Host · (672 episodes)
1951
Excuse My Dust
Joe Belden
1951
Watch the Birdie
Rusty Cammeron
1950
The Jack Benny Program
Self · (1 episode)
1950
The Fuller Brush Girl
Red Skelton - Fuller Brush Man (uncredited)
1950
Three Little Words
Harry Ruby
1950
The Bob Hope Show
Self · (1 episode)
1950
The Yellow Cab Man
Augustus 'Red' Pirdy
1950
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest · (2 episodes)
1950
Neptune's Daughter
Jack Spratt
1949
A Southern Yankee
Aubrey Filmore
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (8 episodes)
1948
Texaco Star Theater
Clem Kadiddlehopper · (5 episodes)
1948
The Fuller Brush Man
Red Jones
1948
Merton of the Movies
Merton Gill aka Clifford Armytage
1947
The Show-Off
J. Aubrey Piper
1946
Ziegfeld Follies
J. Newton Numbskull (segment "When Television Comes")
1945
Bathing Beauty
Stephen "Steve" Sherman Elliott
1944
Twenty Years After
(archive footage)
1944
Whistling in Brooklyn
Wally 'The Fox' Benton
1943
Thousands Cheer
Red Skelton
1943
I Dood It
Joseph 'Joe' Rivington Renolds
1943
Du Barry Was a Lady
Louis Blore / King Louis XV
1943
Whistling in Dixie
Wally Benton
1942
Panama Hattie
Red
1942
Maisie Gets Her Man
Herbert P. 'Hap' Hixby
1942
Ship Ahoy
Merton K. Kibble
1942
Lady Be Good
Joe 'Red' Willet
1941
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
Vernon Briggs
1941
Whistling in the Dark
Wally Benton
1941
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
Vernon Briggs
1941
Flight Command
Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
1940
Seeing Red
Red / Doorman / Coatroom Attendant / Waiter / Emcee
1939
The Broadway Buckaroo
Red
1939
Having Wonderful Time
Itchy
1938