Emmett
Kelly
Emmett Kelly Sr. was the most well-known of
the tramp clowns of the circus and a frequent visitor to Tampa.
His character, Weary Willy, was the perpetual underdog, who never
gave up - and, because of it, occasionally won.
The most famous clown in the world, Kelly was in Tampa often
to record television commercials for clients all over America
and to spend time with close friends.
In 1975, while at WFLA-TV to tape a spot for a Washington, D.C.
department store, he had an hour-long conversation about world
events with Channel 8 reporter Tony Zappone. He then excused
himself to put on his makeup and returned 20 minutes later as
Emmett Kelly to a shocked Zappone, who had no idea he'd been
talking to the world's most famous clown.
The famous funnyman had many friends
he had made from his circus days who had settled in the Tampa
Bay area upon their retirement
and could often be seen with them at area events…if you
knew what he looked like without his clown makeup.
Kelly was born in Sedan, Kansas. His
first career was in cartooning. His circus career, which spanned
55 years, began as a trapeze
performer with the Howe's Great London Circus. He went into clowning
(portraying Weary Willy, a cartoon character he had drawn years
earlier as a cartoonist). He worked with Hagenbeck & Wallace,
Sells-Floto, Cole Bros. and London's Mill Circus.
In 1942 he joined Ringling Bros. & Barnum
and Bailey Circus, where he appeared until 1956. While there,
he appeared in the
movie The Greatest Show on Earth with the legendary James Stewart.
His most famous routine was most likely the sweeping the spotlight,
which he used in many of the commercials he did at Tampa TV stations.
Following the departure from the circus, he worked in night clubs,
indoor circuses, trade shows and resorts.
He performed for royalty of the world; Queen Elizabeth, Winston
Churchill and Harry Truman. Kelly also appeared in Broadway plays,
on TV and in the movies. In 1956 he clowned with the Brooklyn
Dodgers baseball team.
In 1957 he joined the Shrine Circus. He settled in Sarasota
and continued appearing in commercials and on special shows until
he was eighty. He died on March 28, 1979. |