Red Skelton
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 18, 1913
- Died
- September 17, 1997 (aged 84)
- Birthplace
- Vincennes, Indiana, USA
Biography
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
Around the World in 80 Days
Ocean's Eleven
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
The Oscars
That's Entertainment!
Ziegfeld Follies
That's Entertainment, Part II
Neptune's Daughter
Bathing Beauty
Susan Slept Here
What's My Line?
Photos
Filmography
A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
Movie · as Self (Archival)
Pioneers of Primetime
Movie
Red Skelton: America's Greatest Clown
Movie · as Red Skelton
Elf: Christmas in Tinseltown
Movie · as Self (archive)
Red Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
Movie · as Himself (Host)/Various Characters
Television: The First Fifty Years
Movie · as Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage)
Inside the Dream Factory
Movie · as Self
A Tribute to Houdini
Movie · as Self
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
That's Dancing!
Movie · as From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
Red Skelton: A Royal Command Performance
Movie · as Himself
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner
Movie · as Freddie the Freeloader
The Hollywood Clowns
Movie · as (archive footage)
The People's Command Performance: '77
Movie · as Self
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Movie · as Father Time / Baby Bear (voice)
America on Parade
Movie · as Host
That's Entertainment, Part II
Movie · as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment!
Movie · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
Movie · as Self (uncredited)
Swing Out, Sweet Land
Movie · as Self
Honor America Day
Movie · as Self
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
Movie · as Self (uncredited)
Clown Alley
Movie · as Freddie the Freeloader
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
Movie · as The Neanderthal Man
The Big Parade of Comedy
Movie · as Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Ocean's Eleven
Movie · as Self
The Man in the Funny Suit
Movie · as Self
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Public Pigeon No. 1
Movie · as Rusty Morgan
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
TV · as Red Skeleton · 1 ep
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Around the World in 80 Days
Movie · as Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon
The Country Husband
Movie · as Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Steve Allen Show
TV · as Self - Cameo / Clem Kadiddlehopper · 1 ep
Red Skelton Christmas Classics
Movie · as Main
Susan Slept Here
Movie · as Oswald from North Dakota (uncredited)
The Great Diamond Robbery
Movie · as Ambrose C. Park
Climax!
TV · as Rusty Morgan · 1 ep
The Clown
Movie · as Dodo Delwyn
Half a Hero
Movie · as Ben Dobson
The Oscars
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Lovely to Look At
Movie · as Al Marsh
This Is Your Life
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Texas Carnival
Movie · as Cornie Quinell
Excuse My Dust
Movie · as Joe Belden
The Red Skelton Show
TV · as Host · 672 eps
Three Little Words
Movie · as Harry Ruby
The Yellow Cab Man
Movie · as Augustus 'Red' Pirdy
Watch the Birdie
Movie · as Rusty Cammeron / Pop Cammeron / Grandpop Cammeron
The Fuller Brush Girl
Movie · as Red Skelton - Fuller Brush Man (uncredited)
The Jack Benny Program
TV · as Red Skelton · 1 ep
The Bob Hope Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
What's My Line?
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Neptune's Daughter
Movie · as Jack Spratt
The Fuller Brush Man
Movie · as Red Jones
A Southern Yankee
Movie · as Aubrey Filmore
Texaco Star Theater
TV · as Clem Kadiddlehopper · 5 eps
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV · as Self · 8 eps
Merton of the Movies
Movie · as Merton Gill aka Clifford Armytage
The Show-Off
Movie · as J. Aubrey Piper
Ziegfeld Follies
Movie · as J. Newton Numbskull (segment "When Television Comes")
Bathing Beauty
Movie · as Steve Elliott
Twenty Years After
Movie · as (archive footage)
Du Barry Was a Lady
Movie · as Louis Blore / King Louis
Thousands Cheer
Movie · as Red Skelton
Whistling in Brooklyn
Movie · as Wally 'The Fox' Benton
I Dood It
Movie · as Joseph 'Joe' Rivington Renolds
Ship Ahoy
Movie · as Merton K. Kibble
Whistling in Dixie
Movie · as Wally Benton
Maisie Gets Her Man
Movie · as Herbert P. 'Hap' Hixby
Panama Hattie
Movie · as Red
Lady Be Good
Movie · as Joe 'Red' Willet
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
Movie · as Vernon Briggs
Whistling in the Dark
Movie · as Wally Benton
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
Movie · as Vernon Briggs
Flight Command
Movie · as Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
Seeing Red
Movie · as Red / Doorman / Coatroom Attendant / Waiter / Emcee
The Broadway Buckaroo
Movie · as Red
Having Wonderful Time
Movie · as Itchy