On April 16, 1889, future Hollywood legend Charlie Chaplin 
was born Charles Spencer Chaplin in London, England.

Chaplin, one of the most financially successful stars of early
Hollywood, was introduced to the stage when he was five.

The son of London music hall entertainers, young Chaplin
was watching a show starring his mother when her voice
cracked. He was quickly shuffled onto the stage to finish
the act.

    
    
    
 
     
    
    
   
In 1972 received a special Academy Award for
“the incalculable effect he has had on making
motion pictures the art for and of this century.”

He was knighted Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin
in 1975. He died two years later.

                     
MIKE GRACIA                                                

Bert Lahr, was a actor and comedian. He was best known for his
role as the Cowardly Lion, as well as his counterpart Kansas
farmworker "Zeke", in the 1939Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adaptation
of The Wizard of Oz (below).

Army Private Skelton in 1944.

Red Skelton’s radio career started on Rudy Vallee’s Royal
Gelatin Hour before joining NBC’s 1939 variety series
Avalon Time.

Broadcast from Chicago, Avalon Time featured country
singer Red Foley and Red Skelton’s wife and gag writer,
Edna Stillwell.

Red Skelton was drafted into the Army in March 1944, but
returned to NBC in December of 1945, with the same
sponsor and timeslot.

Richard Bernard Skelton (July 18, 1913 – September 17, 1997)

   
   
Portraits of Clowns by Red Skelton.

    
  
MIKE GRACIA