Gimmicks for Clowns (Jan, 1947)

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Gimmicks for Clowns

Come on kids from eight to 80 years old, let’s go be-hind the scenes at the circus with the “gimmick” man.

THE lions roar. The bareback rider whirls ’round the ring. High above, the trapeze artist does the triple flip, but it’s the clowns who get the laughs.

Here’s one dressed as an enormous rooster, laying an enormous egg. From the egg pops a barking fox terrier. And there’s 6-foot clown Adam going into the Adam Smasher. Boom! Smoke pours out—he’s a goner sure! Then out spring four midget clowns.

The crowd roars. But it’s not easy, getting these laughs. There’s lot of ingenious thought, and a lot of work making the props and costumes called “gimmicks.”

Shown here are Paul Jung’s, of Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey.