Red Skelton

Richard “Red” Skelton was born in Vincennes, Indiana in 1913. His father’s died two months before he was born, and Skelton had to go to work at the age of seven. Skelton started working as an entertainer at age 10 and by 14, he was a veteran vaudeville performer. In the 1930s, Skelton started appearing in comedy and musical films, as well as on radio programs. Skelton got his own TV show in the 1950s, The Red Skelton Show. The variety show ran for two decades, from 1951 to 1971. After his show ended, Skelton returned to live performances, making several HBO specials. Skelton also produced short stories, music, and art. He died in 1997 at age 84.