Everyone could use a good laugh, and Vincennes, Indiana, has an unusual museum dedicated to just that—the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy, located on the Vincennes University campus.
Who is Red Skelton? Many people today don’t know who Red Skelton was. Born in Vincennes, Indiana, in 1913, he had over a 70-year career as a comedian, although he preferred to be called a clown. The hallmark of his fame was not only being very funny, but all his jokes were clean. You could watch his TV programs with your kids.
The Museum
The museum tells the story of his career, from performing with traveling medicine shows to having his own radio and TV programs. He appeared in numerous films and was one of the most popular entertainers of his day. Bad for a kid from Vincennes. He won numerous Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, just a few honors. He even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
At the museum is a theater that plays an excellent film about his life—a great start before you dive into the museum. There’s a section about his early career in vaudeville, what it was like to be funny on the radio, and the kids will enjoy trying some of the radio special effects, maybe even you too.
Costumes
When Red moved to TV, he could show his wide range of comedy skills. The museum has an extensive collection of his costumes. He created a vast amount of funny characters that delighted audiences—characters like Jr., the mean little kid, the Sheriff, a shady real estate agent named San Fernando Red, a boxer named Cauliflower Nick Pug, a henpecked husband named George Appleby, a country hick named Clem Kadiddlehopper, and perhaps his most memorable and beloved character, Freddie the Freeloader.
Red appeared in over 40 movies, and you can watch a sample of his comedy genius.
Joke Book
The museum immerses you into the world of show business, from preparing for the show to describing the types of jokes a comedian still uses. Much of Red Skelton’s success was in keeping a joke book, as seen here. He would methodically write down funny observations and silliness he thought about daily. Red woke up at 5:00 a.m. each morning to paint and write jokes, stories, and music. He composed over 8,000 pieces of music.
Art
Red was also a talented artist; some of his work can be seen here. During his lifetime, he made over 2.5 million dollars a year just from selling his lithograph reproductions. After he died, his paintings sold for $80,000 a piece and beyond.
Clowns
His favorite subject was clown paintings, although he never would admit why. Red devoted his life to being a clown, and I suspect each clown portrait was like leaving a piece of himself behind.
Signatures
These boxes are in the same building as the museum but around the corner and down the hall. They house the signatures that were made of concrete by famous people. Here, you can find Red’s signature and footprints and that of his friend and comedy legend, Charlie Chaplin. In one corner of the building is a bust of Red Skelton.
Red said that his life’s work was to make people laugh; he wanted to be known as a clown and devoted all his energy to it for the next 70 years. In this world of uncertainty, we could all use a lot more clowns like Red. This is truly one of the best museums in Indiana.
