While the Kellys still considered themselves trapeze performers, Emmett was hired as a white-face clown with the Ringling-owned Hagenbeck-Wallace circus in 1932. A year later, the hobo character that had first been created on a drawing board in Kansas City came to life.

May 2, 2017 · Emmett Leo Kelly was a circus performer and one of the greatest American circus clowns of the 20th century. He created the character “Weary Willie,” the sad hobo clown, dressed in tattered clothes. Born in Sedan, in 1898, on December 9th, Emmett Leo Kelly was the son of an Irish railroad worker.

So-called tramp or hobo clowns first appeared in vaudeville and circuses in the late 19th century but had faded by 1917. However, during the Great Depression, hobo clowns made a comeback, as so many people could relate to being down on their luck.

Going against the trend, Emmett Kelly created Weary Willie, a down-and-out hobo who wore tattered clothes. Arguably his most famous routine involved him trying to sweep up a spotlight and then appearing startled when it disappeared. Kelly reportedly modeled his character on Depression-era tramps.

Sep 7, 2011 · History of the Tramp and Hobo clown. The sad tramp/happy hobo are primarily American inventions, though Charlie Chaplin’s “little tramp” had European origins as well. Visually, the happy hobo/sad tramp was based on the American hobo riding the rails, wiping the soot away from the mouth & eyes to create the typical tramp look.

Emmett Kelly (born December 9, 1898, Sedan, Kansas, U.S.—died March 28, 1979, Sarasota, Florida) was one of the great American circus clowns, best known for his role as Weary Willie, a mournful tramp dressed in tattered clothes and made up with a …

The postwar American hobo, the TV hobo—Red Skelton as Freddie the Freeloader, or Emmett Kelly as Ringling Brothers’ sad circus clown—had the unintended effect of reducing the hobo to a punch ...

Oct 21, 2024 · Clowns have lengthy been a staple of enjoyment evoking laughter pleasure and from time to time even worry. Their painted faces exaggerated expressions and quirky antics have captivated audiences for centuries.

Emmett Leo Kelly (December 9, 1898 – March 28, 1979) was an American circus performer, who created the clown figure “Weary Willie,” based on the hobos of the Great Depression in the 1930s. According to Charles W. Carey, Jr.: Kelly’s creation of Weary Willie revolutionized professional clowning and made him the country’s most familiar ...

Hobo clown - A clown in the made up of a hobo caught a lot of attention, what they really did was depict a way of life in America, and some people could relate to that. During the depression over 8,000 women & over 200,000 children rode the rails as well.