A sad face that launched a thousand smiles

Monday, May 16, 2005

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Emmett Kelly entertained people throughout the country with his circus.

His was a sad face that made people smile.

Emmett Kelly Jr. followed in his father's footsteps as a clown and became one of America's most recognizable and beloved entertainers for 40 years. He was a familiar pitchman for companies like Kodak and toured the country with his own circus.

Now 80, Kelly is appearing simply as himself through June at the Clown Rushmore Museum in Davenport.

He thinks he knows why people could relate to a sad-faced clown.

"I think it's like looking at me in a mirror at themselves,'' Kelly said.

Kelly, 80, said his signature clown face appealed to everyone. He will be at Clown Rushmore in Polk County until June.

"They look at me like, this guy's got divorce problems or money problems or whatever his problem is. He's looking at me and thinking, 'yea that's me.'"

Kelly has devoted fans throughout the world. People have flocked to the Clown Rushmore Museum to see the many figurines made in Kelly's likeness.

Kelly figures 8,000 different figurines have been made resembling him. He is touring the country to autograph those figurines for fans like Edna and Gordon Leimbach of Maryland. They both remember how Kelly's sad persona brought a smile to their face.

"Probably the old banana peel thing,'' Edna Leimbach said. "It's not nice to see someone fall, but it always makes you laugh."

Kelly said about 8,000 different figurines were made to resemble his famous sad clown face.

Kelly said that sad expression painted on his face doesn't represent how he really feels about his life.

"Well, if I was to die tonight, I could say that I lived a full life," Kelly said.

The Clown Rushmore Museum is located on Highway 27 in Lake Hamilton. Call the museum at 863-439-8928 for the exact times he will be appearing.