About
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...
Known for
Climax!Series • 1954
The Jack Benny ProgramSeries • 1950
Around the World in 80 DaysMovie • 1956
Bathing BeautyMovie • 1944
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 MinutesMovie • 1965
Rudolph's Shiny New YearMovie • 1976
That's Entertainment!Movie • 1974
That's Dancing!Movie • 1985
Neptune's DaughterMovie • 1949
Susan Slept HereMovie • 1954
That's Entertainment, Part IIMovie • 1976
Ziegfeld FolliesMovie • 1945
Thousands CheerMovie • 1943