The "How Many Remember A Fellow Named Red Skelton?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a list of performers who have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Checking out some of the latest "Star" recipients and saw "The Lettermen" and "Dr. Phil."  Then I began to look over the entire list of 2,690 "Stars" who are on the Walk of Fame and found one guy whom I haven't heard about for years.  

Richard "Red" Skelton

Guy by the name of Richard "Red" Skelton.  I can remember watching him when he had a comedy show known as "The Red Skelton Hour" which began in 1962 when I was a senior in high school.  The show was on CBS and we watched it in black and white.  But, that wasn't his first television show, since he began his television career on September 30, 1951 when he starred in "The Red Skelton Show" on NBC.  His show on CBS had high ratings, but for some reason was canceled in 1970 when the network believed that more youth-oriented programs were needed to attract younger viewers and their spending power.  Hey, I was a young viewer and I loved the show!  Guess I didn't have enough money to suit them.  

How I remember Red Skelton

Mr. Skelton began developing his comedic and pantomime skills at the age of 10, when he became part of a traveling medicine show.  He then spent time on a showboat, worked the burlesque circuit and entered into vaudeville in 1934.  The "Doughnut Dunkers" pantomime sketch launched a career for him in vaudeville, radio and films.  But, I remember him best from television.  After leaving television, he spent his time making personal appearances as well as working on his paintings.  Now, I must admit that I had no idea that Red Skelton was an artist.  As it turns out, he was a prolific and talented artist who painted clowns.  Then in 1964 his wife, Georgia, persuaded him to show his work at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas while he was performing there.  Sales of his original paintings were successful.  He also sold prints and lithographs and earned $2.5 MILLION yearly on lithograph sales.  So why would he want to try to entertain people with his comedy when he could paint and make big bucks?  Well, Red believed that his life's work was to make people laugh and he'd rather have been known as a clown than an artist.  

Red in his later years.

I must admit I never knew he was an artist until I began to read about his life.  His career as a performer and entertainer lasted 70 years and covered three generations of Americans.  When he died on September 17, 1997, his art dealer said that Red had earned more money through his paintings than from his television performances.  After his death, his widow donated many of his personal and professional effects to Vincennes University, including prints of his artwork.  Red was born in Vincennes, Indiana on July 18, 1913.  Today his artwork is part of the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy in Vincennes.

A few of his paintings.