A real life hero who saved many lives in the 1944 Hartford Ct circus fire.

i met him when i was a child in the hospital....he made me laugh.

@darkeu0r

3 жыл бұрын

Wow same here... I miss him

@arielruh7773

3 жыл бұрын

Awwww cool I wish I met him

There's maybe a single moment when he breaks character, notice the vigor and pride in how he signs his name. Every other motion thudding, lumbering, about, but just for that brief moment in that clear autograph you can see the artist behind the mask

emmet kelly brought many smiles, a VERY RICH CLOWN! When he walked in i thought, what beautiful hand writing!

@paulpitt52

7 жыл бұрын

Danielle and Mia especially that capital E!

My uncle took me to the circus in the 50's. I think it was at the old MSG, in NYC. We sat ringside watching Emmett Kelly try to sweep up the spotlight, I began to cry because he looked so sad. He came over and hugged me.

Emmett Kelly. God bless him. He was the best.

What an absolute gem. When I was very small and my sister still a babe in arms, we went to the circus where we saw him in person. He came over during his act and took my sister during the act, much to my outrage. My mother had to restrain me as I yelled "Bring back our baby! Bring back our baby!" Which brought forth chuckles from the crowd to my further consternation. Needless to say, she was returned totally unharmed. Perhaps his most famous routine: He seems to notice all of a sudden that a spot of light is following him around. After a few tries at eluding it, he grabs a broom and starts sweeping it up until it is just a small circle, and then he disposes of it.

I love his signature!

When I was very small, I saw him at the circus sweeping up the spotlight. I will never forget it.

Emmett Kelly (1898-79), Clown 'Weary Willie,' Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus from (1942-56.) I met him as a child of 6 on grounds in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. We carried water to the elephants! Then he gave me a small tour! "Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts." ~ a Baha'i quote that flashes in my mind when I fondly think of him.

@LearnEnglishESL

8 жыл бұрын

I believe that they were talking about Fred Allen. You are correct, Emmett Kelly, as you said, died in 1979.

@victoriataylor5457

5 жыл бұрын

LearnEnglishESL Me too, it was great, I almost got hit by one of the elephants that day. Boy did my mom tan my britches I got away from her, and ran practically right in front of an elephant. Will never forget him, the clown, or the spanking I got. lol

@theresefurnstahl2620

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks

I took care of his other son pat Kelly, a great friend of mine. We have so many books and pictures and history of all the boys. RIP to the Kelly's.

Normally I'm a hater of clowns and mimes but he's absolutely brilliant.

@essaboselin5252

6 жыл бұрын

He was also a hero during the 1944 Hartford Circus Fire, trying to put out the fire and help people get out of the burning tent.

@viktordickinson7844

2 жыл бұрын

No reason to hate clowns

@KINGMESSI33

Жыл бұрын

​@@viktordickinson7844 I agree

I love that they panel is smart enough (and well-informed enough) to know what Broadway shows, acts, and other events are in town at the moment. They often use this knowledge to accurately guess the identify of the Secret Guests. A delightful panel, and I would love to see a version of this today. It would be a challenge to assemble such an erudite group, but it could be done (any ideas?). And of course, they absolutely would have to wear evening dress!

It's amazing how he is so funny just by making simple expresions! Genius!!

Emmett Kelly was my great grandmas cousin, he grew up in Kansas while my grandma grew up in Oklahoma. It’s funny they both lived such exciting lives from why I’ve heard.

@MuhammadHAmad99

23 күн бұрын

I love and respect you ❤

What a beautiful man to be able to tug at our heartstrings.

I had the privilege of seeing him in person 70 years ago.

Real life hero❤

Glad to have found this! As a lid I saw Ringling Bros. on TV in the mid 70'2 and Kelly performed his "Sweepng the spotlights" bit..I was enchanted...and still am. Thank you Mr. Kelly.

He inspired me for so many reasons. I have a clown ministry and two awesome characters and of course the hobo is one in memory of this incredible man and the art of silent hobo clowns every where. ❤️ 🤡 Love you Emmett Love always, Patches Can-String

Gone but not forgotten. Class acts all of them.

Poignant. A tear in my eye. Good night Fred.

@reflecteddetcelfer

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed... ... .. .. . .

Emmett Kelly is my Great Great Great Great Uncle. I SWEAR. My mom meet him before i was born. RIP ='(

@willkittwk

7 жыл бұрын

Lady JPanda are you just as good looking?

Sadly he died in 1979 but his son, Emmett Kelly Jr. carries on the tradition :)

I came here hearing and learning about him for the first time after I found a emmet Kelly musical figure at good will today brand new working with tags for only 5.99! Same figure is on amazon for $135 now wanting to learn more about emmet Kelly and his son

He entertained and spoke(out of costume) with our actors and students in Cleveland in 1971 and there was a rift bewteen he and his son who was later impersonating him when he retired. So he lived on after this episode.

His hand is among the most magnificent that I've ever seen, worthy of copperplate, yet written in chalk on a blackboard.

@oksills

3 жыл бұрын

What silliness.

I was lucky and got to meet Mr. Kelly in Cleveland where he spoke sans make-up to us young actors and was very erudite and inspiring. A great cartoonist. Thx for the clip..I always love when John and Arlene would banter back and forth..How they are all missed!

In 1956 when this show aired live, many American cities still had streetcar systems, and the term "motorman" is used (and understood) to mean the driver of a streetcar.

I’m happy that emmet was a happy person I believe underneath the makeup

What beautiful handwriting! The mark of a true artist...

He's well known for being the subject, of some very famous paintings as well. :)

Not only do the male members of the panel stand to shake his hand (as they do in every episode of course), Mr. Kelly removes his hat, like a proper gentleman, when shaking hands with the ladies. These small niceties have been lost.

@hallieharker4384

3 жыл бұрын

I had to go back and look, but, yes, you're right, he did!

Red Skelton as Freddy the Freeloader reminds one of the great Emmett Kelly. Some names stand out over others; John Wayne, Andres Segovia, Enrico Caruso, Joe Louis, Babe Ruth, John Holmes... Emmett Kelly is a name that will forever be synonymous with the word "clown." He was truly an original.

Well said!

@mohamadtheclown

11 ай бұрын

❤

A truly meaningful, insightful and articulate response. I rest my case. Be Well.

Who knew you could make people smile by frowning

I bow to your greater knowledge. Thanks for the info.

So very true. It is why I go back to watch shows, like this one, instead of the mind-numbing garbage that is called "television", today. Wonderful stuff!

He had a beautiful hand!!

He died of a heart attack. As it was, WML was on his doctor's short "OK list" of projects, as the grind of all those radio shows did a number on him through the years. He was also writing another book at this time. I sure wish he had lived longer...

He didn't say a word, but he still made me laugh

Just Awesome!!!

All the W M L posts are wonderful, but this has my vote for BEST. We'll always love you, Miss Arlene.

Flawless.

A native of Bazaar, Kansas, he was elected to the Kansas Hall of Fame a few years ago. Few were more deserving of the honor.

@direcorbie

Жыл бұрын

I believe that he is from Sedan, Kansas actually.

artist thy name is _Emmett Kelly_

What a charming show. :)

I loved him. Still do

he is my hero

Very lovely indeed! :-)

love this

Awww I felt so bad for him I wanted to cryyyy :'(

i noticed that too it truly is a lost art...

Beautiful signature

The word play is on point

Amen to that!

I'm just barely old enough to remember this era of television. We were a much more civilized society back then.

@alexbrown1510

8 жыл бұрын

yes, much more civilized. People drank from the right water fountains and knew their place within the class structure... /sarcasm.

@fujifilm5127

7 жыл бұрын

DEATH IS A PREFERABLE ALTERNATIVE TO COMMUNISM

@mulberryman1305

6 жыл бұрын

there were flaws but generally yes it was much more civilized back then

@mercurydude

6 жыл бұрын

It's a preferable alternative to Trumpism as well.

@crucisnh

6 жыл бұрын

mercurydude If Trumpism is the alternative to nice, civilized elitist politicians lying to your face all the time and never doing what they say they'll do, I'll take Trumpism. At least, he's making a good effort to do what he said he'd do, damn the elitists (on both sides of the aisle).

Emmett is a hero❤🤡🎪

In Hartford a fire broke out when the Ringling Brothers Circus was playing, and 1600-something people died. There is a famous photo of Emmett Kelly carrying a bucket of water to help extinguish the flames. Pictures showing him were taken and put in the papers where he was crying. Some say it's one of the few times they've ever seen him cry.

@lilgiggler35

5 жыл бұрын

There were approximately 8,000 people attending the circus that hot July afternoon in 1944. 167 people died, mostly women and children because it was during WWII and most men were in the Armed Forces. It took less than 10 minutes for the fire to consume the big top, which was treated with a mixture of paraffin wax jellied gasoline (Vaseline.) This mixture acted like napalm when pieces of the tent roof fell onto the frenzied crowd below as they tried to get out.

One of the greatest clowns who ever performed in the iconic three-rings, Kelly should be held in the same esteem as Chaplin, Keaton, and Laurel & Hardy for genius physical comic timing.

Kelly seems like such a folk here and legend of the circus business. It's crazy for me to think he's only been dead for 43 years.

Emmett, his son and grandson... There's an interesting story worth reading.

I'm impressed with Arlene; first getting a refund on that 'no' from John, then getting the both occupation and man behind it all in one go.

@LoudCitizen While you are correct in your assessment, I often wished that the show would not allow the panel to ask a guest if they are currently playing in town. That seems to show a lack of true gamesmanship. Make the panel have to really dig to learn who the guest is.

my dads dad said Emmett Kelly is in my Family.

@suzycreamcheesez4371

6 жыл бұрын

your grandfather? in what way is he in your family?

Holy shit, she is good at that game!

A maquiagem dele é otima. Essa boca, maravilhosa!!!

Ah, love.

@awsomedudejacob He died of pneumonia complications on the 26th of november 2006, in sierra vista, he will be remembered forever, i am doing a school project on him, R.I.P

Wow Arlene was really sharp in this one haha she wasn't letting John get away from her :P

@truthbydesign5146

2 жыл бұрын

She had a hole in her blindfold, left eye. Cunning woman ;)

Fred Allen's last episode :(

That handwriting!

Charles Nelson Reilly, then 13 years old, was a spectator at that circus inferno, and because of the fire, he refused to sit in a theater house.

I know it's only makeup, but I felt so sad for him!

I cannot figure out how she got the line of his costume and makeup, and then the circus. I just don't get it.

@Raesling1

4 жыл бұрын

I thought she got that way too easily. That should have been hard!

@rickoc3022

4 жыл бұрын

The circus being in town probably gave it to her.

@comedyvideo

3 жыл бұрын

Ringling starts off their season every year at Madison Square Garden in NYC. The show was already publicized extensively at this point and well known that it was already in town. At the time, Emmett Kelly was one of the most recognized clowns, along with the fame of Ringling Bros. itself.

I agree :)

I want an emmet Kelly tattoo

Emmett Leo Kelly (9 de diciembre de 1898 - 28 de marzo de 1979), nacido en Sedan, Kansas, fue un artista de circo estadounidense, que creó el memorable payaso "Weary Willie," basado en el personaje de la persona sin hogar a causa de la época de la Gran Depresión. Kelly inició su carrera como trapecista. Hacia 1923 Emmett Kelly trabajaba en el trapecio del circo de John Robinson cuando conoció y se casó con Eva Moore, otra trapecista. Posteriormente trabajaron juntos como los "Aerial Kellys", con Emmett todavía actuando ocasionalmente como un payaso con la cara blanca.

Pain

I believe the fear of clowns really started after a horror movie about killer clowns came out (It). However, uneasiness about clowns can also be due to the fact that all the factors that allow us to read someone (facial expressions, body language) are disguised by their costumes and face paint, making it difficult to determine what the clown is really saying (hence determine trustworthiness). I don't fear clowns, but I have only ever really enjoyed clowns from around Kelly and Skelton's time.

he's gudd

"Do people pay you to perform?" And he looks at Fred, almost a bit pleading - it's pure genius :D

Stephen King ruined clowns.

@oscarsrealm

4 жыл бұрын

cam3lopard you’re right he did way more wrong

@EJNOVA

3 жыл бұрын

Wrong

@arielruh7773

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah I guess he did

You mean Arlene Francis? She was a truly dignified and elegant woman! She was the "grande dame" of WML!

I really believe that this is staged because, of all pathways to her questions, she chooses that of a costume.

@MarkyPaligs

5 жыл бұрын

I don't believe it's staged. I believe she already know the answer before the clown entered. I call she cheated, not that the show is staged.

Emmett Kelly died at the age of 80 of a heart attack on March 28, 1979, at his home in Sarasota, Florida.

@williejohnson3866

5 жыл бұрын

Jimmyfresshh okay? Not the guy OP was talkin about

It's a signature dude.

What year is this??

He indeed had a 'little clown' who later on stole his entire act against his father's wishes and performed it with little talent, cheapening his own father's one creation.

@Sunshine-zm1fx

5 жыл бұрын

Maybe his dad was wrong. Think about it.

@hallieharker4384

3 жыл бұрын

The little clown they were most likely referring to at that time was his daughter, Stacia. She was born right at about the time this originally aired. In fact, there is a photo out there of Emmett Kelly on the phone while in full Willie makeup, receiving the news that Stacia had been born... and it's the only known instance where Emmett Kelly broke character as Willie and SMILED... BEAMING, really... because he was so happy about his daughter's birth! Here's his daughter, Stacia's, story connected to that photo. It's really a BEAUTIFUL story about how God used that photo to comfort her when her father passed away: bolstablog.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/willie/

I thought this to be awsome, Myself as a professional clown I was in awwe of all he does, I had the great fortune to see many of his works I see many other famous clowns pick up on alot of his style. Spangle The Clown

He is so sad, he is my favorite clown

168 to be exact.

LOL! Well, it's hard to argue with that kind of logic.

@EpicArianas I'm doing a project on him as well. It's rather honerable as well to do this.

Sad clown is sad. :-(

Im related to him

I thought he was Red Skelton as Freddie the Freeloader.

@craigmooring2091

6 жыл бұрын

I think Emmett Kelly was the inspiration for Freddie, just as Edgar Bergen's Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd inspired Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smith.

@ThePsho

5 жыл бұрын

I thought the same thing from the thumbnail

@jeffmissinne3866

4 жыл бұрын

The difference was Kelly wasn't allowed to talk while Skelton couldn't shut up...

How bout Arlene figuring it out without any help??

One of the great entrances in the whole history of WML. Considering how important this kinescope is in TV history, G-T did not do a good job of preservation. The second mystery guest sequence is completely missing. For those who accuse Dorothy Kilgallen of being argumentative, ( 2:00 ) get a load of Arlene confronting John over definitions.