JULY 18, 1913
Red Skelton was born Richard Bernard Skelton in Vincennes, Indiana. He left school after the third grade to join a traveling medicine show and from there entered vaudeville.
He was best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program “The Red Skelton Show.”
The son of a circus clown, he always considered himself more clown than comedian. His most famous character was the tramp Freddy the Freeloader. He was dubbed ‘America’s Clown Prince’. Lucy and Red were both famous for their hair color, although Skelton’s was real!
“My mother told me something I’ve never forgotten: ‘Don’t take life too seriously, son, you don’t come out of it alive anyway.” ~ Red Skelton
His first film was Having Wonderful Time in 1938, which is where he first met Lucille Ball. Note that he used his real name “Richard” in the credits, with (Red) in parentheses.
The pair went on to appear together in Du Barry Was a Lady (1943), a musical film in which the two sang Cole Porter’s “Friendship” with Gene Kelly.
That same year, both were featured in Thousands Cheer (1943), a wartime celebration of music and romance in which both played themselves (along with 28 other stars).
In Ziegfeld Follies (1945), Ball and Skelton were in different segments, she as a showgirl lion tamer and he as a TV spokesman for a miracle tonic laced with alcohol.
This was this routine that inspired Lucy’s famous Vitameatavegamin routine on “I Love Lucy.”
Their final film together before their respective television fame was The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) in which Lucille Ball takes over the lead created by Red Skelton in The Fuller Brush Man (1948), and makes a cameo appearance in this comedy sequel.
On television, Red Skelton ruled Tuesday nights on NBC just as Lucy did Mondays on CBS.
In 1956, now firmly established as two of America’s favorite small screen celebrities, Ball and Skelton were two of the many stars to help celebrate the eighth anniversary of “The Ed Sullivan Show”.
A year later, Lucy, Desi and Red appeared on “The Jackie Gleason Show” to mark the 65th Birthday of Eddie Cantor, who Lucille worked with when she first got to Hollywood in the early 1930s. Coincidentally, Lucille is on the cover of TV Guide that week to celebrate TV’s tenth year!
“I’m nuts and I know it. But so long as I make ’em laugh, they ain’t going to lock me up.” ~ Red Skelton
In 1959, Skelton appeared on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” – his first time on a Lucille Ball television show. The episode was a tribute to Alaska’s statehood and set in Nome, although filmed California and Sun Valley, Idaho.
Skelton revives his Freddie the Freeloader character in a pantomime and musical number with Lucille Ball especially written for the show.
Nine years later, on the 1968 “Dean Martin Show” Christmas Show, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball (and may other stars) make brief cameo appearances as themselves promising that toys and gifts will be sent to children’s orphanages and hospitals across North America.
Two years later, both stars were among a group wishing Dean Martin well on his sixth season opener. Skelton played Willy Lump Lump, Dean’s surprised guest in the closet!
Two months later, in November 1970, Lucille Ball and Skelton turn up in uncredited cameos to mark “Jack Benny’s 20th Anniversary”. Lucy plays Jack’s maid, Janet, and Red plays a Western Union messenger! Naturally, he doesn’t get a tip from the famous miser! Both stars are on screen for less than a minute each!
Two weeks later, both stars answered the call of mutual friend John Wayne for “Swing Out, Sweet Land” a television celebration of Americana. Lucy voiced the Statue of Liberty, while Red was a colonial printing process operator.
In 1978, Ball and Skelton hosted segments of “TV: The Fabulous ‘50s”. It was re-run in 1980. Ball’s segment was on sitcoms, while Skelton’s was about comedy itself.
Later that same month (March 1978), they were part of “A Tribute to Mr. Television, Milton Berle” on NBC.
In 1979, Red and Lucy joined what seemed like half of Hollywood at the Kennedy Center for “Happy Birthday, Bob” – a tribute to Bob Hope on his 75th birthday!
On September 29, 1979, Red and Lucy turned up on “General Electric All-Star Anniversary” on CBS.
John Wayne hosted this program which recalls the music, song, and comedy of the past 100 years and marked the one-hundredth anniversary of the General Electric Company. Lucille sang, danced, and chatted with the host while Skelton was glimpsed as an old man watching a parade.
At the start of the 1980′s (their last decade of stardom), Red and Lucy (and many others) honored Old Blue Eyes in “Sinatra: The First 40 Years.”
In 1984′s “Bob Hope’s Unrehearsed Antics of the Stars” Lucille Ball told the story of her audition for Gone With The Wind. Skelton was also on hand.
At “The 38th Primetime Emmy Awards” on September 21, 1986, Lucille Ball presents The Governor’s Award to Red Skelton.
In late 1988 (aired early 1989) on Fox, Red Skelton was inducted into the “Television Academy Hall of Fame”. Lucille Ball (an inaugural inductee) was in attendance. Skelton was introduced by Burt Lancaster.
This was the last time Lucy and Red would appear on television together.
Lucille Ball died in April 1989, while Red Skelton (two years younger than Lucy), lived until September 1997, passing away at age 84.
His last television appearance was on “Inside the Dream Factory” on November 1, 1995, hosted by Faye Dunaway.
He was married three times and had two children; Valentina and Richard.
“All men make mistakes, but married men find out about them sooner.” ~ Red Skelton
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