Person
Red Skelton
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…
IMDbKnown for
Popular titles
Photos
More stills of Red Skelton
Biography
A closer look
Read full 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.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
-
2026
A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
Movie Self (Archival)
-
2005
Pioneers of Primetime
Movie
-
2005
Red Skelton: America's Greatest Clown
Movie Red Skelton
-
2004
Elf: Christmas in Tinseltown
Movie Self (archive)
-
2001
Red Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
Movie Himself (Host)/Various Characters
-
1999
Television: The First Fifty Years
Movie Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage)
-
1995
Inside the Dream Factory
Movie Self
-
1987
A Tribute to Houdini
Movie Self
-
1985
That's Dancing!
Movie From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
-
1985
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
1984
Red Skelton: A Royal Command Performance
Movie Himself
-
1981
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner
Movie Freddie the Freeloader
-
1979
The Hollywood Clowns
Movie (archive footage)
-
1977
The People's Command Performance: '77
Movie Self
-
1976
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Movie Father Time / Baby Bear (voice)
-
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
Movie (archive footage)
More credits
-
1976
America on Parade
Movie Host
-
1974
That's Entertainment!
Movie (archive footage) (uncredited)
-
1970
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
Movie Self (uncredited)
-
1970
Honor America Day
Movie Self
-
1970
Swing Out, Sweet Land
Movie Self
-
1968
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
Movie Self (uncredited)
-
1966
Clown Alley
Movie Freddie the Freeloader
-
1965
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
Movie The Neanderthal Man
-
1964
The Big Parade of Comedy
Movie Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage)
-
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV show Self
-
1960
Ocean's Eleven
Movie Self
-
1960
The Man in the Funny Suit
Movie Self
-
1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
TV show Self
-
1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
TV show Red Skeleton
-
1957
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
TV show Self
-
1957
Public Pigeon No. 1
Movie Rusty Morgan
-
1956
The Country Husband
Movie Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
-
1956
Around the World in 80 Days
Movie Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon
-
1956
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
TV show Self
-
1956
The Steve Allen Show
TV show Self - Cameo / Clem Kadiddlehopper
-
1955
Red Skelton Christmas Classics
Movie Main
-
1954
Climax!
TV show Rusty Morgan
-
1954
Susan Slept Here
Movie Oswald from North Dakota (uncredited)
-
1954
The Great Diamond Robbery
Movie Ambrose C. Park
