Red Skelton

Personal Info

Birthday

July 18, 1913

Day of Death

1997-09-17

(84 years old)

Place of Birth

Vincennes, Indiana, USA

Also Known As

Ред Скелтон

Richard Red Skelton

Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton

Richard Bernard Skelton

Red 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.