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 (80 titles)
MovieA Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
Self (Archival) · 2026
MoviePioneers of Primetime
2005
MovieRed Skelton: America's Greatest Clown
Red Skelton · 2005
MovieElf: Christmas in Tinseltown
Self (archive) · 2004
MovieRed Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
Himself (Host)/Various Characters · 2001
Television: The First Fifty Years
Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage) · 1999
8.0MovieInside the Dream Factory
Self · 1995
6.0MovieA Tribute to Houdini
Self · 1987
6.9MovieThat's Dancing!
From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage) · 1985
2.0MovieHollywood'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
MovieThe Hollywood Clowns
(archive footage) · 1979
MovieThe People's Command Performance: '77
Self · 1977
6.4MovieRudolph's Shiny New Year
Father Time / Baby Bear (voice) · 1976
7.0MovieThat's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage) · 1976
9.0MovieAmerica on Parade
Host · 1976
7.4MovieThat's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited) · 1974
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
Self (uncredited) · 1970
MovieHonor America Day
Self · 1970
5.7MovieSwing Out, Sweet Land
Self · 1970
7.6MovieThe Dean Martin Christmas Show
Self (uncredited) · 1968
10.0MovieClown Alley
Freddie the Freeloader · 1966
6.8MovieThose Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
The Neanderthal Man · 1965
7.2MovieThe Big Parade of Comedy
Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage) · 1964
7.5ShowThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · 1962
6.4MovieOcean's Eleven
Self · 1960
The Man in the Funny Suit
Self · 1960
6.3ShowWestinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Self · 1958
8.7ShowThe Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Red Skeleton · 1957