Red Skelton: America's Clown

Vincennes, Indiana will honor it's beloved native son, America's favorite clown. Red Skelton, whose real name was Richard but because of his red hair everyone started calling him red. He use to sell newspapers on a corner, this red headed child was asked once by an out of towner, "what do you do in this little town in Indiana." He was pointing across the street to a theater, he always dreamed about being a performer like his dad, this 9 year old answered that a very famous person was going to appear. When the stranger bought all of his remaining newspapers, back then sold for around three cents each.

This stranger also told the youngster that he would talk to the manager about getting the child in for the show. So this red headed boy ran home, gave all of his money to his mother because they were poor and he was helping her pay bills, and hurried back to the theater where a seat was there for him. The youngster was shocked when the show began and the performer walked out on stage. The star was the stranger "Ed Wynn" whom he met at his newspaper site.

Then during the shows intermission, Ed Wynn invited the boy back stage and held him up to look through the curtains. This was the boy's first look at an audience. This youngster later in life would often reminisce about when he fell in love with the audience. His name Richard Skelton, this Hoosier boy grew up to be the most famed entertainer "Red" Skelton. And during the month of June 9th and 10th, his Indiana birthplace will honor its beloved native son with the Second Annual Red Skelton Festival. "Red Skelton never did forget his hometown, and they never forgot him." The guest performer for the festival is someone who was close to Red Skelton, it is "Debbie Reynolds," she starred in the movie "Three Little Words," which starred Red Skelton and Fred Astaire, that is when her career took off.