Fort Worth

Clown warning: 22 photos of clowns from Star-Telegram archive that might scare you

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Updated October 3, 2022 12:50 PM

These clowns were shot by the Star-Telegram from the 1930s to 1960s. — These clowns were shot by the Star-Telegram from the 1930s to 1960s. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

FORT WORTH

All the world loves a clown, right? Right?

These clowns entertained (or frightened) Fort Worth crowds at circuses, parades and even Christmas from the 1930s into the 1960s, from the Star-Telegram photo archives.

A clown smiles in a portrait wearing an oversized polka-dot bow tie. — July 13, 1936: A clown from Billy Rose’s Jumbo building, Fort Worth Frontier Centennial. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Mr. Hays is shown wearing a clown costume, holding a broken umbrella and standing on a ladder. — Aug. 15, 1944: Laws of gravity are just something to be broken when Jack Hays gets his ladder to rocking. A veteran of four Recreation Department circuses, he is one of the featured performers in the show that will be presented at the Sycamore Park soft ball field. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Aug. 5, 1940: Recreation Department circus. Bob Totten, clown, and “Toughie,” dog, seen performing an act using an umbrella. — Aug. 5, 1940: Recreation Department circus. Bob Totten, clown, and “Toughie,” dog, seen performing an act using an umbrella. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Mr. Beall is dressed in an artist costume wearing a berret, scarf, and trench coat drawing on a small pad. Mrs. Brown is wearing a clown costume, complete with the painted face, posing for the drawing. — Feb. 3, 1940: A Masquerade Ball is being held at the River Crest Country Club for the benefit of the Day Nursery Association. Attending the party in their creative costume are Mr. K. H. Beall, left, and Mrs. John S. Brown. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

March 11, 1963: Ebo the Clown leaves the M & O Subway at Leonards Department Store with a baby elephant and two dogs to kick off the Spring Downtown Days free shows between 2nd and 3rd Streets, Fort Worth. — March 11, 1963: Ebo the Clown leaves the M & O Subway at Leonards Department Store with a baby elephant and two dogs to kick off the Spring Downtown Days free shows between 2nd and 3rd Streets, Fort Worth. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Two men wearing hats that say "Fort Worth" stand on either side of a plump clown — Feb. 4, 1942: Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show. Harrell C. Ashburn, left, and B. H. Glenn, right, shown with Bobo, the clown. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

A clown bends down to a banquet table where two little girls stare at his smiling face with mystified expressions. — Dec. 23, 1952: Second only to Santa Claus at the All Church Home party given by the Lions Club was Paul Jung, world-famous clown, flanked by Linda Gail Adams, 4, left, and Rita Lemmer, 4. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Aug. 12, 1952: Recreation Department annual circus. Allene Williams, Barbara Jean Wilson and Lalita Hurd. — Aug. 12, 1952: Recreation Department annual circus. Allene Williams, Barbara Jean Wilson and Lalita Hurd. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

A hesitant looking girl shakes the hand of a clown bending down to say hello. — May 8, 1958: Clown Jess Langston welcomes Vanessa Vandergriff, daughter of Arlington Mayor and Mrs. Tommy Vandergriff, to Arlington’s Community Fair, which opened a three-day run with approximately 10,000 persons on the grounds at Arlington State College. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Three children dressed as clowns pose for a photo making faces. — Aug. 5, 1952: Recreation Department annual circus. Ralph Cochran, Leslie Burks and Edward Cochran. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

May 27, 1939: All state Shriners Association in Fort Worth parade through downtown. Albert Marx, a Houston businessman, dressed as clown. — May 27, 1939: All state Shriners Association in Fort Worth parade through downtown. Albert Marx, a Houston businessman, dressed as clown. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

MORE: Halloween photos in Fort Worth over the decades

A large man dressed like a clown on a horse holds a little girl who has a blank look on her face while a little boy stares at the horse. — April 27, 1950: Patsy McGehee, 2, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P.R. McGehee of Gainesville, gets a better look at Peruna, the SMU mascot, from the arms of H.G. (Tiny) Newberry, a Gainsville government worker who uses his 6 feet, 6 inches to be a clown in the Gainsville Community Circus. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

A crowd of kids and their parents gather around a large clown holding a candy cane. — Dec. 5, 1945: Teamed with Santa Claus again to provide merry moments for struggling Christmas shoppers and the youngsters who accompany them is Paul Jung, circus clown. He is going through one of his many acts for a typical group of children at Leonard Brothers department store. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Two clowns pose with a fake cannon, with one smiling and looking into the barrel. — Aug. 7, 1950: John Martin and Grover Hudson are shown practicing a clown act for the recreation department’s 20th annual circus, held at LaGrave Field. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Aug. 20, 1940: Recreation Department circus. Bob Echols, left, and Dickle Norman stare in the mirror. — Aug. 20, 1940: Recreation Department circus. Bob Echols, left, and Dickle Norman stare in the mirror. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

A clown poses with huge oversized shoes holding a giant candy cane. — Nov. 22, 1944: Paul Jung, clown from Ringling Brothers Circus, is at Leonard Brothers department store, to add to the merriment of kids and adults in the pre-Christmas holiday season. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Three kids sit on the ground, two of them dressed as clowns, appearing with serious expressions. — Aug. 15, 1950: These children were among the hundreds taking part in the Recreation Department’s circus. Left to right, Frances Ferguson, Clifford Meadows and Jimmy Kimbell await their cue for entrance. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

The three children dressed as clowns are holding a fake dumbbell labeled as 1,000 pounds. — July 30, 1953: One thousand pounds is a lot of weight but the clowns in the recreation department circus prove here they can handle anything. These clowns, of the many in the circus cast, are Mike Hickey, Kenneth Allow and Joseph Turner. The show, open to the public, was held at LaGrave Field. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Mr. Cameron is holding a broken umbrella. Both men have face paint and are wearing their circus clown costumes. — Aug. 14, 1945: Two of the clowns who will perform at the Community Circus of the Recreation Department are, left to right, Joe Cameron and Don Quinn. They will be featured in an act with 30 other clowns tumbling out of an automobile. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Two men dressed like clowns stare at each other as one opens a large crate where the other is squatting. — Oct. 17, 1943: Polock Brothers Circus sponsored by Shriners. Shown here are Frank and Bernie Black, a brother act. They’re a pair of pantomimics. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

A clown is shown in the middle of seventy-nine children, one on his knee. — Dec. 5, 1946: The Moslah Shrine Circus season is opening at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth. Laughter is rolling from “Section C” as clown Charlie De Melo made his way into the audience. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

Mr. Edwards is holding a pole with what appears to be plates in the shape of UFOs. The children are looking at the objects while seated on a parade float. — April 19, 1950: Clown R. R. Edwards, Jr. (in real life owner of an auto store), bobbed his flying saucers before delighted eyes of Sandra Lou Edwards, Linda Kay Smith, and Mary Sue Riley. A parade in Gainsville celebrating the town’s 100th birthday. Mazziotta, John Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

A toddler leaning over a wire fence smiles at a boy dressed like a clown. — Aug. 14, 1953: 11-month-old Jamelyn Eldredge, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Eldredge, can’t believe her eyes as she sees her first circus clown. The clown is Glenn Ray Walker, 12. Fort Worth Star-Telegram archives/UT Arlington Special Collections

MORE: Check out these other photo galleries from the Star-Telegram archives:

This story was originally published October 3, 2022 at 12:40 PM.

Matt Leclercq

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Matt Leclercq is senior managing editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He previously was an editor at USA Today in Washington, national news editor at Gatehouse Media in Austin, and executive editor of The Fayetteville (NC) Observer. He’s a New Orleans native.