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The Clown

  • 1953
  • Approved
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
564
YOUR RATING
Red Skelton in The Clown (1953)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:59
1 Video
14 Photos
ComedyDrama

Former Ziegfeld star Dodo Delwyn now performs as a clown due to alcoholism. His son Dink's faith in him and a brief separation inspire Dodo to accept a TV opportunity arranged by his former ... Read allFormer Ziegfeld star Dodo Delwyn now performs as a clown due to alcoholism. His son Dink's faith in him and a brief separation inspire Dodo to accept a TV opportunity arranged by his former agent Goldie.Former Ziegfeld star Dodo Delwyn now performs as a clown due to alcoholism. His son Dink's faith in him and a brief separation inspire Dodo to accept a TV opportunity arranged by his former agent Goldie.

  • Director
    • Robert Z. Leonard
  • Writers
    • Martin Rackin
    • Leonard Praskins
    • Frances Marion
  • Stars
    • Red Skelton
    • Jane Greer
    • Tim Considine
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    564
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Robert Z. Leonard
    • Writers
      • Martin Rackin
      • Leonard Praskins
      • Frances Marion
    • Stars
      • Red Skelton
      • Jane Greer
      • Tim Considine
    • 22User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Clown
    Trailer 2:59
    The Clown

    Photos13

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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Red Skelton
    Red Skelton
    • Dodo Delwyn
    Jane Greer
    Jane Greer
    • Paula Henderson
    Tim Considine
    Tim Considine
    • Dink Delwyn
    Loring Smith
    Loring Smith
    • Benjamin Y. 'Goldie' Goldenson
    Philip Ober
    Philip Ober
    • Ralph Z. Henderson
    Lou Lubin
    Lou Lubin
    • Little Julie
    Fay Roope
    Fay Roope
    • Dr. Strauss
    Walter Reed
    Walter Reed
    • Joe Hoagley
    Eddie Marr
    Eddie Marr
    • Television Director
    • (as Edward Marr)
    Jonathan Cott
    Jonathan Cott
    • Floor Director
    Don Beddoe
    Don Beddoe
    • Gallagher
    Steve Forrest
    Steve Forrest
    • Young Man
    Monya Andre
    • Convention Dinner Guest
    • (uncredited)
    David Bair
    • TV Pageboy
    • (uncredited)
    Billy Barty
    Billy Barty
    • Billy - Coney Island Midget
    • (uncredited)
    Mary Bayless
    • Convention Dinner Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Hal Bell
    • TV Cameraman
    • (uncredited)
    Linda Bennett
    • Judy Henderson
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Robert Z. Leonard
    • Writers
      • Martin Rackin
      • Leonard Praskins
      • Frances Marion
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews22

    6.5564
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    Featured reviews

    7weird be

    Made me cry!

    Just a kid when I saw this movie. Red Skelton should have got a good review for his part. To have made me cry, as a kid, not bad for a comic.
    jimdandy43

    Skelton as you've probably never seen him

    I used to watch The Red Skelton Show every Tuesday night at 9:30, with my dad. And every Tuesday night we'd laugh and hope that Red would perform as Freddy The Freeloader... which he often did.

    I only knew Skelton as a comic on TV. When The Clown played at our neighborhood theater, I asked my mom if we could go see it. "Sure can"..says she, and that weekend we were off to the movies.

    I walked into the theater fully expecting to leave with a belly ache caused by my laughter. To my great surprise, and later even greater delight, The Clown featured Skelton as a SERIOUS actor. And as a serious actor, Skelton excelled! I've never forgotten his performance.
    8bkoganbing

    The Champ of show business

    As dramatic actor Red Skelton reached the height of his career with this remake of The Champ. It's not pugilism that this film deals with rather another grueling profession show business. Skelton being the son of a man who was a druggist and former circus clown was the perfect choice to play The Clown.

    The Clown has Skelton as a former top comedian and star of Ziegfeld Follies having let bad habits get the better of him. He travels with his young son Tim Considine and it's Considine sometimes you would think was the grownup in the relationship.

    If you've seen Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper in The Champ then you know exactly how this one comes out. Skelton reaches down no doubt into some of the experience of both his childhood and early years in show business though in his case that blends quite a bit as he started young. He gets down in the depths and drags up a dramatic performance that he never did before or since. I think once was enough for Red Skelton who thought of himself as a clown who great fortune smiled on. In the case of his character Dodo Dolwyn he took quite a few knocks and fortune eventually smiled on him, but too late.

    Jane Greer and Philip Ober are fine as Skelton's former wife and her new husband. But the scenes with Skelton and Considine are special.

    A must for Red Skelton fans.
    10vitaleralphlouis

    Red Skelton's Crowning Glory!

    When I plunked down my half-dollar at Washington DC's most deluxe Loew's Capitol Theatre in 1953 --- for a matinée of THE CLOWN plus their Stage Show --- I had no idea the powerhouse of raw emotion and dramatic excellence waiting on the screen inside.

    THE CLOWN is without a doubt the finest work of one of America's best comedy actors. This film is loaded with belly-laugh humor, drama, tragedy, hope, redemption, pathos. More than 50 years later I can still feel the emotion of this great film.

    Skelton plays a down-and-out comedy star who's drifted into a daze of alcoholism. He's given up on reconnecting with his ex-wife, but has hopes of a relationship with his young son. IF ONLY... if only he can stay off the sauce.... if only he can find somebody who'll let him perform again......
    8kittyvista

    A Remake of "The Champ"

    Red Skelton does a great job in a straight role as a former vaudeville star, now an alcoholic drifting from one gig to another, and raising a son. Skelton's Dodo depicts an alcoholic quite well - he continually makes promises not to drink, to get steady work, etc. And then sabotages his own efforts, leaving Dink to clean up after him. Dink - a child forced to grow up sooner than he should - adores his father, even though he is frustrated by his behavior as well. The movie is pretty much a remake of Wallace Beery's "The Champ," but even so, the pathos stays intact. This ranks as a minimum two-hanky feature, and is well worth watching.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The ballet sequence in this film is taken from Bathing Beauty (1944), an MGM musical in which Red Skelton starred opposite Esther Williams.
    • Goofs
      After Dodo talks to Henderson in the hallway about Dink, Dodo goes to open the door to his apartment twice between shots.
    • Connections
      Edited from Bathing Beauty (1944)

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    FAQ14

    • How long is The Clown?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 16, 1953 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Alma de payaso
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Loew's
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $887,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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