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.
Acted in 50
2000s
- 2005
Pioneers of Primetime
Movie
Red Skelton: America's Greatest Clown
Red Skelton
1970s
- 1979
The Hollywood Clowns
(archive footage)
- 1976
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Father Time / Baby Bear (voice)
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
- 1974
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1960s
- 1966
Clown Alley
Freddie the Freeloader
- 1965
- 1964
The Big Parade of Comedy
Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage)
1950s
- 1957
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Red Skeleton · 1 episode
Public Pigeon No. 1
Rusty Morgan
- 1956
- 1955
Red Skelton Christmas Classics
Main
- 1954
The Great Diamond Robbery
Ambrose C. Park
- 1953
Half a Hero
Ben Dobson
The Clown
Dodo Delwyn
- 1952
Lovely to Look At
Al Marsh
- 1951
Texas Carnival
Cornie Quinell
Excuse My Dust
Joe Belden
- 1950
Watch the Birdie
Rusty Cammeron / Pop Cammeron / Grandpop Cammeron
The Fuller Brush Girl
Red Skelton - Fuller Brush Man (uncredited)
The Yellow Cab Man
Augustus 'Red' Pirdy
1940s
- 1949
- 1948
A Southern Yankee
Aubrey Filmore
The Fuller Brush Man
Red Jones
- 1947
Merton of the Movies
Merton Gill aka Clifford Armytage
- 1946
The Show-Off
J. Aubrey Piper
- 1945
Ziegfeld Follies
J. Newton Numbskull (segment "When Television Comes")
- 1944
Twenty Years After
(archive footage)
- 1943
Whistling in Brooklyn
Wally 'The Fox' Benton
Thousands Cheer
Red Skelton
I Dood It
Joseph 'Joe' Rivington Renolds
- 1942
Whistling in Dixie
Wally Benton
Maisie Gets Her Man
Herbert P. 'Hap' Hixby
Ship Ahoy
Merton K. Kibble
- 1941
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
Vernon Briggs
Whistling in the Dark
Wally Benton
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
Vernon Briggs
- 1940
Flight Command
Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
1930s
- 1939
Seeing Red
Red / Doorman / Coatroom Attendant / Waiter / Emcee
- 1938
Having Wonderful Time
Itchy
Wrote 4
1970s
- 1976
America on Parade
Writer
1960s
- 1966
Clown Alley
Writer
1950s
- 1951
- 1950
Produced 1
1950s
- 1951
Appearances24
2020s
- 2026
A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
Self (Archival)
2000s
- 2004
Elf: Christmas in Tinseltown
Self (archive)
- 2001
Red Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
Himself (Host)/Various Characters
1990s
- 1995
Inside the Dream Factory
Self
1980s
- 1987
A Tribute to Houdini
Self
- 1985
1970s
- 1977
The People's Command Performance: '77
Self
- 1976
America on Parade
Host
- 1970
Honor America Day
Self
Swing Out, Sweet Land
Self
1960s
- 1968
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
Self (uncredited)
- 1962
- 1960
1950s
- 1958
- 1957
- 1956
The Country Husband
Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
- 1953
- 1952
- 1951
- 1950
1940s
- 1948
