photo: Lucille Ball and Gale Gordon were a legendary Clown Duet albeit on TV, for 23 years.
One of THE Greatest Clown Routines
No one in Clown knows everything about Clown. Every single one of those who would claim to know ‘everything’ about Clown does not know my Method which locates Universal Principles which apply directly to: Clown; Acting; Performance whether in live performance or in screen performance.
I’ve been somewhat active in Clown is a variety of ways for 50 years officially since September 1975.
Before that I was already a severe fan of TV clowns. Mildly obsessed with seeing clowns of all sorts on television and film by the age of 5.
At that age I started elementary school First Grade at Wightman Elementary. My Sister walked me to school that first day. Family legend is that somehow, one can only say “mysteriously” when my Sister returned home to get ready to attend her High School… I was sitting on the front stoop of our house. Waiting for my Sister. That was a bit of a shock for her and then for my Parents when then heard about the ‘mystery’. After the shock presumably my Sister either walked me back to school or told me to get back to school immediately.
It has already been planned that first day I was to walk myself home after school, to let myself in the front door and to make myself a refrigerated chicken pot-pie or mini-pizza as a snack that I would heat in the oven.
Then take my heated snack and I would watch The Three Stooges tv show. In Pittsburgh at least, we had The Stooges in time for children coming home from school.
From the age of 5 to 8 Monday to Friday I watched The Three Stooges. I taught myself how to do pratfalls; and how to fall down a stairway; and how to fall out of a chair; and how to walk into walls and pretending to bump my nose; etc. Like that whole generation of children in the USA who became clowns and actors… we imitated the stars, actors, singers, clowns who we saw on TV.
At age 9 The Three Stooges did a national tour and when they came to Pittsburgh they stayed at and performed at The Holiday House. That was located in or near the suburb of Pittsburgh name Monroeville. My Father, who some knew as a ‘clown’ i.e. a funny man, knew some clowns of Vaudeville and Burlesque as Pittsburgh long had plenty of both genres. So, my Father arranged for us to meet The Three Stooges at their accomdation at the foyer of the hotel/motel part The Holiday House.
At that period of my life they specifically were my favorite clowns. But I also seriously loved and imitated other favorites such as Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Jerry Lewis; etc.
Below is one of the greatest clown acts that I have ever seen.
I’ve only seen it today for the first time.
That came about because of a running yet sporadic dialogue with my friend and colleague and a Patron of I.S.A.A.C. (International School for Acting And Creativity). That is Prof. Tom Bishop. Tom is a scholar of Shakespeare; Renaissance Art; a Translator of Latin Literature; and, the History of Commedia dell’Arte. He knows much more in other related fields including Clown, and Music. As with any scholar, Tom has his own specialities within those fields.
We were looking at videos of classic circus’s Rag Doll Acts also known as Doll In The Box Routines. He remembered having seen Lucy enact such a routine in her TV show. I know the classic routine quite well. I created two contemorary adaptations of that/those acts Rag Doll/Doll In The Box.
Then a day later Tom located the specific Lucy episode that he remembered which has Lucy enacting the Doll WITHIN the scripted drama of a TV episode of The Lucy Show. In a moment I will see what is mentioned about that episode with The Lucy Book – A Complete Guide to Her Five Decades on Television.
Before Television, Lucy was a model, actress, and dancer. Very early in her career she acted and danced in a number of feature films. First as a chorus dancer. Then as a straight and engenue actress. Then as a featured actress and in several films as the Leading Lady.
Lucy was also a Television, Film, and Studio Producer. In a brief period she was mentored by Buster Keaton when they worked at MGM. Later Lucille Ball mentored the great clown/actress Carol Burnett.
This episode ‘seals the deal’ that Lucille Ball was one of the greatest Clowns in modern recorded history.
Yet this is just one episode!!! She clowned in every episode of her main TV series including: I Love Lucy; and, The Lucy Show.
As those who are Members of Clown Secret Group of Facebook know, I have several themed threads for my Posts on that site. One is “2 CLOWNS“. Usually that one is only a single photo per Post. Although often it is actually of two professional clowns. Sometimes I take liberty with the word or definition of ‘clown’ so “2 CLOWNS” is not always two professional clowns. (If you want to become a Member of Clown Secret Group… it is best to write to me via FB and introduce yourself first please).
Another thread is “NON-CLOWN CLOWNS“. Clowns appear possibly in every social group of any type. “There’s one in every group”. Again I take liberty in the word or definition of ‘clown’.
One more thread is “Writers & Clowns + Directors“. Generally I am referring to those working on screen in television and film. Although in a VERY rare case, Charlie Chaplin, was a prolific Auteur i.e he wrote and directed and starred in his own works of art. But, he had several teachers before he directed on his own. Mack Sennett; Roscoe Arbuckle; and Mabel Normand. But crucially the first few films that Chaplin acted in were directed/created by Henry Lehrman!! In at least one, Lehrman and Chaplin acted together albeit briefly.
Photo: Chaplin acting with the film’s Director Henry Lehrman
Additionally, Chaplin had a friend and colleague who acted in 30 of Chaplin’s films, Henry Bergman. Bergman is an enigmatic person. Little is known about him. He was in a touring acting company and one of their shows was on Broadway. It is likely that Bergman was also a singer. Bergman was Chaplin’s assistant and he sat in on all Production Meetings and famously Bergman’s opinions Chaplin always sought at those meetings to the chagrine of others seeking to have their voice and ideas taken up. i.e. vying for attention and kudos. Bergman was also ever along side Chaplin during filming and regularly was the ‘outside eye’ watching and giving feedback on Chaplin’s own acting scenes. Chaplin also worked loyally with cinematographers.
In the sense of Auteur clowns in film who were most prolific second only to Chaplin is Woody Allen. Although for many years Woody has hired many actors to play his ‘clown’, the ‘clown’ is still Woody’s character. Woody has a single script ‘outside eye’. His Sister. He’s only had one producer (originally two but one of the partners passed away). Like Chaplin, Woody was faithful primarily with one cinematographer. And one Casting Agent, and, one Designer.
Chaplin in the Keystone Comedies, and Mack Sennett tradition faithfully worked with team of ‘regulars’ i.e. actors who knew slapstick and knew the Clown business inside out. Most of which came from a background in circus and/or Vaudeville.
The sitcom genre also applies to Radio which was a great clown field that arose directly from Vaudeville and Film but preceded Television.
One of the first to establish Radio ‘sitcoms’ was the actress, writer, producer Gertrude Berg, whose domestic clown character’s name was Molly Goldberg. Berg’s Goldberg show was on Radio for 20 years in which Berg wrote thousands of her 15 minutes episodes. She then was one of the first to create sitcoms for Television.
My point here is that Clowns in film and television, as well as in radio were reliant on Writers and Directors and fellow Actors!!!!
Especially in Film and Television, Producers were also absolutely crucial to the careers of many great clowns.
Even in the case of Jerry Lewis who literally knew every aspect of film work and was certainly a great Auteur. However all of the legendary Marin & Lewis films were directed by 4 fine clown/comedy directors who mentored Jerry as his literally absorbed anything and everything about the film business including technically.
It is said that Lucille Ball could not improvise. That only means she was adament that she required writers, a script, and directors as well as producers.
However, Lucille Ball was one of the greatest improvisers ever, with a script. The script allowed her genius for sponaneity to flourish. She was a consumate professional actor. And one of the GREATEST Clowns in recorded history. So, although she improvised from the first moments of working on a script, she also as a dance trained actor… could and would tightly choreograph her ‘real clowning’ scenes which mostly involved other clown actors. There are 100’s of such scenes of Lucy’s and fellow actors. Most famously was Vivian Vance!!!
But there is a secret background to my “Lucille Ball/Vivian Vance Exercise“.
photo: Vivian Vance and Lucille Ball
I have a ‘theory’ or idea or ‘belief’ or ‘instinct’ that in Shakespeare plays, whenever there are 2 or more female characters together on stage – the quickest way to ‘crack the scene’ is to imagine or even play “As If” the two female characters were Lucy and Ethel ie “Lucille Ball/Vivian Vance”. I am NOT suggesting in the end that the actors play the scene in performance as Lucy/Ethel or Lucille/Vivian…. but that the actresses should be encouraged to ‘clown about’ “As If” in rehearsal and development of those scenes.
The producer of I Love Lucy was her husband Desi Arnez. Lucy was also a producer at their Desilu Studios. But in interviews Lucille openly acknowledge’s Desi’s talent as a producer. In a very real sense Desi taught or mentored Lucy in Producing. Desi also produced her own tv show after they divorced and she remarried to comic/clown Gary Morgan in 1961. Morgan became her agent/manager for the rest of her long career. 1962 the new tv show began The Lucy Show. Several years later Lucy’s third TV series was produced by Morgan.
The main video as said shows, or proves that Lucy was a truly GREAT clown. But, she was also an excellent actress. But…. she worked with one of the greatest Straight Man – Gale Gordon. This episode proves that. Obviously. It also proves that Gale Gordon was actually a great Clown. In their tv roles Gordon’s character yells often. American style. Loudly. Also as per TV episodes each is a mini drama. So the premise, the first minutes of each episode are essential to the craftsmanship of the Writers.
Naturally, the TV shows from the late 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, are ‘olde school’. The series from the 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s are also dated but in other ways. Particularly the late 40’s, 60’s, 70’s TV shows and series were largely filled with extremely experienced clowns, comedians, actors, even in some cases actual Vaudeville and Burlesque clowns.
photo: Lucille Ball with her TV clowning partner Gale Gordon who played her boss the bank manager
Gale Gordon was as great a Straight Man as Dean Martin; Steve Rossi; George Burns; Dan Rowan; or Bud Abbott. Not to take anything away from those five most legendary Straight Men. But each of such Straight Men were totally unique in their character and timing.
There were many GREAT clown double acts in which one sort of plays the ‘straight man’ to a minor degree. But really those were much more pure Double Acts without either actor fully playing the Straight Man. The Two Ronnies; The Smothers Brothers; Little Britain Laurel & Hardy; etc.
“After his discharge, Rowan returned to California, where he teamed up with Dick Martin and started a comedy nightclub act. Martin was originally the straight man and Rowan the comic, but it did not work—as Rowan recalled, Martin could never remember lines if they were not funny. They switched roles and found steady work in nightclubs.”
“In addition to acting, Gordon was an accomplished author, penning two books in the 1940s titled Nursery Rhymes for Hollywood Babies and Leaves from the Story Trees, and two one-act plays. After he and his wife purchased 150 acres (61 ha) in Borrego Springs, Gordon did much of the construction of the house and his art studio himself. He also built and restored his own furniture on the property and used the land to become one of the few commercial carob growers in the United States. Gale Gordon: From Mayor of Wistful Vista to Borrego Springs, by Jim Manago, published by BearManor Media in 2016, is the first biography of Gordon.”
One of THE Greatest Clown Routines
FOR THE FULL TREAT… WATCH THE WHOLE EPISODE. It is about 30 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKeq0K23uzQ
And a snippet of ‘icing on the cake’ – Lucy with her first great Straight Man!!
This blog – One of THE Greatest Clown Routines – is my 100th.
https://iraseid.com/2025/11/ira-seidenstein-blog-of-100-blogs-title-with-each-link-i-s-a-a-c.html
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