Posted on 11/09/2004 3:38:29 PM PST by SandRat
TOMBSTONE - The folks in Tombstone love to find reasons for a party, so it comes as no surprise that the birthday of one of its adopted sons, Emmett Kelly Jr., is cause for three days of celebration this weekend.
Kelly turns 80 on Friday, and the celebration begins at noon with a hot dog and beer party at Helldorado Town, down at the end of Fourth Street. A full lineup of events will run until midnight, and the public is invited to participate in most of them.
After 44 years of entertaining others, the former clown deserves to be entertained himself, his daughter, Cherry Kelly Knapp, said.
"I miss doing it," Kelly said. "But so be it."
His health is a huge factor, as he's hooked up several hours a day to oxygen tanks. The tanks made it difficult to apply and remove the "Weary Willie" makeup first made famous by his father.
"It became such a hassle," Kelly said. "I was getting burned out."
Kelly blames five bouts of pneumonia and resultant scar tissue in his lungs for his breathing problems, caused by "running in and out" of hot buildings and air conditioning, and driving hundreds of miles overnight between performances.
"Your body's not made for that," Kelly said, while chain-smoking unfiltered Camels.
He's proud that the only time he ever missed a performance was when he came down with pneumonia in Moline, Ill., six or seven years ago.
Kelly officially retired this autumn, so the weekend also will commemorate his retirement and "passing of the nose" to his protégé, David Town, of Frankenmuth, Mich. Town will officially take on the name Emmett Kelly Jr. II.
Kelly's final road appearance was Sept. 21, in Terre Haute, Ind., promoting a line of clown figurines he's been selling. The collectible figurines have been produced since 1981. At one time, there were 37 different figurines of the "Weary Willie" character created by Kelly's father, Emmett Sr. Now there are 10, he said, and sales are down.
The son of the "Aerial Kellys," billed as the fastest double-trapeze act in show business, was born on Nov. 12, 1924, on the closing day of the season for the John Robinson Circus in Dyersburg, Tenn.
As a young child, he traveled about the country each year with his parents. When he reached school age, he stayed with relatives in Indiana and saw his parents as often as possible.
Kelly served with the Navy during World War II. After his discharge, he married and raised five children. He worked at a variety of jobs, in various locations, before settling down in Peru, Ind. He worked as a brakeman with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, struggling on $134 every two weeks.
"I couldn't get ahead," he recalled.
So, in 1960, he followed in his father's greasepaint and first appeared in Peru, Indiana's, "Circus City Festival" as a clown. He traveled the state fair circuit with Swenson's Thrillcade motor shows before joining Kodak at the New York's World Fair in 1964 and 1965. He became widely known during his two-year appearance at the fair's Kodak Pavilion.
For a number of years, he visited hospitals across the nation as an "Ambassador of Goodwill" for Kodak.
"My picture was on more telephone poles than Jesse James," he said.
He later founded and starred in his own "Emmett Kelly Jr. All-Star Circus," traveling around the U.S. and into eastern Canada for nearly two decades. His indoor, one-ring circus was the only circus in history to perform at the White House in Washington, D.C., which it did twice - in 1972 and 1973. The second year, his circus performed before 16,000 people during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. He stopped touring with the circus in 1984. Much of the equipment from those days is stored in the basement of his historic home.
The traveling took its toll on his family. He and his wife, Dorothy May, divorced during the 1960s. She died in 1986.
"The Clown Prince of Pantomime," as he dubbed himself, has a trunk full of memories, but one that stands out was being picked to appear at the world Boy Scout Jamboree in 1972, at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. His colleagues at the Jamboree were astronaut Scott Carpenter, Western movie star Rex Allen and movie star Jimmy Stewart.
At home in Tombstone
Kelly discovered Tombstone in 1967.
He would stop to visit friends while traveling between Tucson and El Paso, he recalled Monday, sitting in the kitchen of his cozy house. Needing a warm place to spend the winter, he and his wife stayed at the KOA campground from 1980 until 1984, when they bought a house up on Skyline Drive.
A former mining company assay office, the house was built by Chinese laborers in 1881, Kelly said, and has a pagoda-style roof. He proudly described the redwood structure and its many attractive features with almost as much passion as his collection of French-made automobiles out in the yard.
An avid fan of vintage and unique autos, Kelly will ride in a Duesenbeurg during the parade in his honor down Allen Street, set for 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Cherry was quick to point out that entries are still being accepted into the parade. For more information, call Ron Zatochill at 249-8944.
Other events on Friday will include casino-type card games from 2 to 6 p.m., the Linda Dailing Variety Show from 7 to 8:45 p.m., dinner from 8 to 9 p.m., and the Michael Hargis Show from 9 to midnight. All events will be in a big tent across Allen Street from the O.K. Corral.
Coffee and doughnuts will be served from 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturday in the tent, and an Army Band concert will follow the parade from noon to 12:45 p.m. in the tent. A special Tombstone Vigilantes performance will be staged from 1 to 1:45 p.m. at Helldorado, followed at 2 by a special Tombstone Repertory Co. performance at Schieffelin Hall.
Also on tap are more music and entertainment in the tent, an 1800s fashion show and a dance featuring Joe Anton's Desert Swing Big Band.
Events wind down Sunday with breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m., followed by music and dancing in the tent.
The cost per person will be $100 for the entire weekend, $50 each for Friday and Saturday ($30 without dinner) and $20 for Sunday. Tickets will be sold at the tent, but Cherry recommended calling her immediately at 457-3065 for dinner reservations.
For a complete listing of events, go online at www.ekjbirthdaybash.com.
Cherry said she was thrilled by the number of people who came together to help her put on the big bash and offered thanks to all of them, especially Ron Hoffman of RV City.
Although he was not close to his father, Kelly said he heard from a mutual friend that his dad was proud of him.
"I've done everything my dad did," Kelly said, including the famous act of sweeping away the spotlight.
"I had fun. That's what it's all about."
This time it's not the clowns crying, but us at the retirement of one of the Great Clowns of our time.
The second clown who retired in the last week-this one by choice.
bttt!!!!!!
God Bless you Emmett Kelly. You deserve a rest after so many years of bringing laughter and happiness to so many.
LOL!
"Kelly blames five bouts of pneumonia and resultant scar tissue in his lungs for his breathing problems, caused by "running in and out" of hot buildings and air conditioning, and driving hundreds of miles overnight between performances.
"Your body's not made for that," Kelly said, while chain-smoking unfiltered Camels. "
:o(
Perfect. A clown on a clown thread.
LOL!!
I use to get Emmit Smith of football fame and Emmit Kelly the clown mixed up. I'd be watching a football game with my husband and Smith would get the ball for a 50 yard run and I'd be commenting on Emmit Kelly running down the field. Would always break my husband up. The image of Smith running down the field in a big red nose in clown shoes always brings us a chuckle.
I'd walk a mile for a Camel.
Although he was not close to his father, Kelly said he heard from a mutual friend that his dad was proud of him.
"I've done everything my dad did," Kelly said, including the famous act of sweeping away the spotlight.
"I had fun. That's what it's all about."
Thanks for the ping!
Your body is not made for chain smoking Camel cigarettes either. That is what put both of my husband parents in the ground.
The image of Smith running down the field in a big red nose in clown shoes always brings us a chuckle.
LOL. and with big floppy feet.
Emmett Kelly jr. and I used to correspond back in the 90’s...He once said that if I couldn’t spell his name right ...to not even write him anymore. I spelled his name emmitt...just like you have. So please...spell Emmetts name correctly. He would like that....very much. Thanks.
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