clown: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Oct. 6, 2026

Photos

Joseph Grimaldi as the clown in Harlequin Padmanada; or, The Golden Fish

Four grotesque, colorful clowns with exaggerated features stand under bright lights in a scene from the movie Killer Klowns from Outer Space, 1988.

Grock, also known as Charles Adrien Wettach, smiling broadly in clown makeup and costume in his dressing room at the Medrano Circus.

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Topics

10 Famous Clowns: From Comical to Creepy Why Do Clowns Have Red Noses?Auguste Pickelherring vidushaka Why Are People Afraid of Clowns?theatrical production circus mime chorus fool jongleur Spielmann theatre puppetry acting directing stand-up comedy magic

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Key People

Kelly, Emmett

Emmett Kelly

American clown

default image

Red Skelton

American actor

Grock

Grock

Swiss clown

Joseph Grimaldi as the clown in Harlequin Padmanada; or, The Golden Fish

Joseph Grimaldi

English clown and pantomimist

Not in costume

Dan Rice

American clown

Popov, Oleg

Oleg Popov

Russian clown

Illustrations of Clowns

Clowning Around