Red Skelton
Known for Acting · 79 credits
- Born
- 1913-07-18
- Died
- 1997-09-17
- Place of birth
- Vincennes, Indiana, USA
- Also known as
- Ред Скелтон · Richard Red Skelton · Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton · Richard Bernard Skelton
Biography
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 considered himself a clown, although not the greatest, and his paintings of clowns brought in a fortune after he left television. His home life was not completely happy--two divorces and a son Richard who died of leukemia at age 9--and he did not hang around with other comedians. He continued performing live until illness, and he was a longtime supporter of children's charities. Red Skelton died at age 84 of pneumonia in Rancho Mirage, California, on September 17, 1997. Red is interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California, in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Benediction.
Known For
TV Shows (14)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self / Self (archive footage)
What's My Line?
1950
as Self - Mystery Guest
Climax!
1954
as Rusty Morgan
The Red Skelton Show
1951
as Host
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
The Oscars
1953
as Self
The Bob Hope Show
1950
as Self
The Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self - Cameo / Clem Kadiddlehopper
The Jack Benny Program
1950
as Self
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
as Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956
as Self
This Is Your Life
1952
as Self
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
1957
as Red Skeleton
Texaco Star Theater
1948
as Clem Kadiddlehopper
Movies (65)
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon
Ocean's Eleven
1960
as Self
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
1965
as The Neanderthal Man
The Clown
1953
as Dodo Delwyn
Flight Command
1940
as Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
Bathing Beauty
1944
as Steve Elliott
That's Entertainment!
1974
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
as Self (archive footage)
That's Dancing!
1985
as From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
Ship Ahoy
1942
as Merton K. Kibble
Television: The First Fifty Years
1999
as Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (archive footage)
Susan Slept Here
1954
as Oswald from North Dakota (uncredited)
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
Ziegfeld Follies
1945
as J. Newton Numbskull (segment "When Television Comes")
The Fuller Brush Girl
1950
as Red Skelton - Fuller Brush Man (uncredited)
Texas Carnival
1951
as Cornie Quinell
The Big Parade of Comedy
1964
as Aubrey Filmore in 'A Southern Yankee' (archive footage)
Du Barry Was a Lady
1943
as Louis Blore / King Louis
Whistling in the Dark
1941
as Wally Benton
Three Little Words
1950
as Harry Ruby
Swing Out, Sweet Land
1970
as Self
The Dean Martin Christmas Show
1968
as Self (uncredited)
Neptune's Daughter
1949
as Jack Spratt
Twenty Years After
1944
as (archive footage)
Panama Hattie
1942
as Red
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
1976
as Father Time / Baby Bear (voice)
The Hollywood Clowns
1979
as (archive footage)
Having Wonderful Time
1938
as Itchy
Lovely to Look At
1952
as Al Marsh
Thousands Cheer
1943
as Red Skelton
A Southern Yankee
1948
as Aubrey Filmore
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner
1981
as Freddie the Freeloader
Inside the Dream Factory
1995
as Self
Maisie Gets Her Man
1942
as Herbert P. 'Hap' Hixby
I Dood It
1943
as Joseph 'Joe' Rivington Renolds
Excuse My Dust
1951
as Joe Belden
The Fuller Brush Man
1948
as Red Jones
The Great Diamond Robbery
1954
as Ambrose C. Park
Public Pigeon No. 1
1957
as Rusty Morgan
Lady Be Good
1941
as Joe 'Red' Willet
Merton of the Movies
1947
as Merton Gill aka Clifford Armytage
Whistling in Dixie
1942
as Wally Benton
Whistling in Brooklyn
1943
as Wally 'The Fox' Benton
Watch the Birdie
1950
as Rusty Cammeron / Pop Cammeron / Grandpop Cammeron
The Show-Off
1946
as J. Aubrey Piper
The People's Command Performance: '77
1977
as Self
Clown Alley
1966
as Freddie the Freeloader
The Broadway Buckaroo
1939
as Red
Jack Benny's 20th Anniversary TV Special
1970
as Self (uncredited)
The Yellow Cab Man
1950
as Augustus 'Red' Pirdy
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
1941
as Vernon Briggs
Pioneers of Primetime
2005
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
1941
as Vernon Briggs
Red Skelton: Bloopers, Blunders, and Ad Libs
2001
as Himself (Host)/Various Characters
Half a Hero
1953
as Ben Dobson
Honor America Day
1970
as Self
Seeing Red
1939
as Red / Doorman / Coatroom Attendant / Waiter / Emcee
The Country Husband
1956
as Self - Announcing Next Week's Show
Red Skelton: America's Greatest Clown
2005
as Red Skelton
Red Skelton: A Royal Command Performance
1984
as Himself
A Brave Engineer: Buster Keaton's Last Ride
2026
as Self (Archival)
Red Skelton Christmas Classics
1955
as Main
America on Parade
1976
as Host
The Man in the Funny Suit
1960
as Self
A Tribute to Houdini
1987
as Self
About Red Skelton
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 f… With 79 credits spanning from 1938 to 2026, Red Skelton has appeared in 65 films and 14 TV shows.
Fans searching for Red Skelton movies, Red Skelton filmography, or the latest projects starring Red Skelton can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Red Skelton Movies
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956) — as Drunk in Barbary Coast Saloon
- Ocean's Eleven (1960) — as Self
- Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes (1965) — as The Neanderthal Man
- The Clown (1953) — as Dodo Delwyn
- Flight Command (1940) — as Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
Where to Watch Red Skelton Films
Most Red Skelton movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Red Skelton, check our movies catalogue and browse page.