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The Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy in Vincennes, Indiana (new state in the van!) is a museum dedicated to the life, works, and legacy of Red Skelton, and not, as the name implies, about any other comedians or comedy in general.
I would have skipped this museum, having no recollection of ever having seen a Red Skelton skit, but Doug had fond memories of his television show and wanted to go. It was an interesting visit, I admit, and worth a stop.
Skelton (1913-1997) had a long career trying to make America laugh, starting when he was just ten years old and joined a traveling medicine show!
He rose to fame with his radio appearances in his early 20s and debuted in his first film in 1938.
Over the next two decades he starred in 19 films! In 1951 the Red Skelton Show (later the Red Skelton Hour) premiered on television, and it ran all the way until 1970.
After his show was canceled Skelton continued to make personal appearances, and began a new career as a painter, primarily of clowns. I found them kinda creepy, to be honest, but the prints and lithographs were popular, earning him $2.5 million a year!
After his death, Skelton’s wife donated many of his personal and professional effects, forming the basis of the museum, which opened in 2013.
