Red Skelton
Acting
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
Acting80
movieA Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
2026
Self (Archival)
movieElf: Christmas in Tinseltown
2004
Self (archive)
movieRed Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
2001
Himself (Host)/Various Characters
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage)
movieThat's Dancing!
1985
From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
movieHollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
Self (archive footage)
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner
1981
Freddie the Freeloader
movieThe Hollywood Clowns
1979
(archive footage)
movieRudolph's Shiny New Year
1976
Father Time / Baby Bear (voice)
movieThat's Entertainment, Part II
1976
(archive footage)
movieThat's Entertainment!
1974
(archive footage) (uncredited)
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
1970
Self (uncredited)
movieThe Dean Martin Christmas Show
1968
Self (uncredited)
movieClown Alley
1966
Freddie the Freeloader
movieThose Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
1965
The Neanderthal Man
movieThe Big Parade of Comedy
1964
Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage)
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
Self / Self (archive footage)
tvThe Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
1957
Red Skeleton
moviePublic Pigeon No. 1
1957
Rusty Morgan
movieThe Country Husband
1956
Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
movieAround the World in 80 Days
1956
Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon
tvThe Steve Allen Show
1956
Self - Cameo / Clem Kadiddlehopper / Self
tvClimax!
1954
Rusty Morgan
movieSusan Slept Here
1954
Oswald from North Dakota (uncredited)
movieThe Great Diamond Robbery
1954
Ambrose C. Park
movieHalf a Hero
1953
Ben Dobson
tvThe Oscars
1953
Self
movieThe Clown
1953
Dodo Delwyn
movieLovely to Look At
1952
Al Marsh
movieTexas Carnival
1951
Cornie Quinell
movieExcuse My Dust
1951
Joe Belden
movieWatch the Birdie
1950
Rusty Cammeron / Pop Cammeron / Grandpop Cammeron
tvThe Jack Benny Program
1950
Red Skelton
movieThe Fuller Brush Girl
1950
Red Skelton - Fuller Brush Man (uncredited)
movieThree Little Words
1950
Harry Ruby
movieThe Yellow Cab Man
1950
Augustus 'Red' Pirdy
movieNeptune's Daughter
1949
Jack Spratt
movieA Southern Yankee
1948
Aubrey Filmore
Texaco Star Theater
1948
Clem Kadiddlehopper
movieThe Fuller Brush Man
1948
Red Jones
movieMerton of the Movies
1947
Merton Gill aka Clifford Armytage
movieThe Show-Off
1946
J. Aubrey Piper
movieZiegfeld Follies
1945
J. Newton Numbskull (segment "When Television Comes")
movieBathing Beauty
1944
Steve Elliott
movieTwenty Years After
1944
(archive footage)
movieWhistling in Brooklyn
1943
Wally 'The Fox' Benton
movieThousands Cheer
1943
Red Skelton
movieI Dood It
1943
Joseph 'Joe' Rivington Renolds
movieDu Barry Was a Lady
1943
Louis Blore / King Louis
movieWhistling in Dixie
1942
Wally Benton
movieMaisie Gets Her Man
1942
Herbert P. 'Hap' Hixby
movieShip Ahoy
1942
Merton K. Kibble
movieLady Be Good
1941
Joe 'Red' Willet
movieDr. Kildare's Wedding Day
1941
Vernon Briggs
movieWhistling in the Dark
1941
Wally Benton
movieThe People Vs. Dr. Kildare
1941
Vernon Briggs
movieFlight Command
1940
Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
movieSeeing Red
1939
Red / Doorman / Coatroom Attendant / Waiter / Emcee
Writing4
movieClown Alley
1966
Writer
tvThe Bob Hope Show
1950
Writer
Production1
tvThe Red Skelton Show
1951
Producer