Lou Jacobs - Revision history

Djando at 00:16, 24 November 2025

2025-11-24T00:16:42Z

Djando: /* See Also */

2025-06-10T01:43:12Z

‎See Also

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

2025-06-10T01:42:47Z

‎Image Gallery

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

2025-05-18T22:54:39Z

‎Image Gallery

Djando: /* Lou in America */

2025-05-18T19:10:24Z

‎Lou in America

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

2019-08-01T17:48:42Z

‎Image Gallery

Djando: /* A Master Clown */

2019-08-01T17:40:12Z

‎A Master Clown

Djando: /* Lou in America */

2019-08-01T17:39:11Z

‎Lou in America

Djando: /* Lou in America */

2019-08-01T17:38:39Z

‎Lou in America

Djando at 17:37, 1 August 2019

2019-08-01T17:37:02Z

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 Lou Jacobs died of heart failure on September 13, 1992, in his hometown of Sarasota, Florida. He was 89 years old. In 2013, his native city of Bremerhaven, in Germany, recognized him on its website with a [http://www.bremerhaven.de/meer-erleben/stadtleben/hall-of-fame/lou-jacobs-von-geestemuende-aus-in-die-groesste-show-der-erde.78841.html special tribute].
 ==Image Gallery==
@@ Line 56: / Line 61: @@
 Image:Jacobs_family.jpg|Lou, Dolly, and Jean Jacobs (c.1980)
 </gallery>
 [[Category: Artists and Acts|Jacobs, Lou]]
 [[Category: Clowns|Jacobs, Lou]]

@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 ==See Also==
-* Biography: [[Dolly Jacobs]]
+* Biography: [[Dolly Jacobs]], [[Lou Ann Jacobs]]
 [[Category: Artists and Acts|Jacobs, Lou]]
 [[Category: Clowns|Jacobs, Lou]]

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 File:Lou_Jacobs_and_Michu_(1974).jpeg|Lou Jacobs and Michu (1974)
 File:Lou_Jacobs_and_Michu_2_(1974).jpeg|Lou Jacobs and Michu (1974)
 File:Lou_Jacobs,_Dolly,_Feld.jpeg|Dolly, Lou, Irvin Feld (c.1980)
 Image:Jacobs_family.jpg|Lou, Dolly, and Jean Jacobs (c.1980)

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 <gallery>
 Image:Lou_Jacobs_%26_Emmett_Kelly_at_RBBB_(1943).jpg|Lou Jacobs and Emmett Kelly at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (1943)
 Image:Lou_Jacobs_and_elephant.jpg|Lou Jacobs on a promotional postcard (c.1950)

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 Jacobs, who had by then Anglicized his name to Lou, made his debut with ''The Greatest Show On Earth'' in 1925. There he discovered that his vocation was clowning. In 1926, he became one of the dozens of clowns appearing in the show. Jacobs found himself in good company: among the other clowns was [[Felix Adler]]. (Later, Jacobs would be joined in the show by another great German-born clown, [[Otto Griebling]], and by [[Emmett Kelly]].)
-Jacobs's makeup was inspired by Albert Fratellini, one of the celebrated [[Les Fratellini|Fratellinis]]. A trio of extremely talented clowns, the Fratellinis were among Europe's greatest circus stars. Originally, Jacobs applied his makeup on a white base (which explains why, in many circus writings, he is often referred to as a "whiteface" clown). In later years, however, his makeup became closer to the Fratellini original, with a flesh-colored base. His distinctive and efficient makeup, along with Jacobs's oversized and colorful costume (which he wore over his 6'11" frame) made him easily recognizable in the vast expanses of the Ringling's giant big top (and later, in sport arenas).
+Jacobs's makeup was inspired by Albert Fratellini, one of the celebrated [[Les Fratellini|Fratellinis]]. A trio of extremely talented clowns, the Fratellinis were among Europe's greatest circus stars. Originally, Jacobs applied his makeup on a white base (which explains why, in many circus writings, he is often referred to as a "whiteface" clown). In later years, however, his makeup became closer to the Fratellini original, with a flesh-colored base. Jacob's distinctive and efficient makeup, along with his oversized and colorful costume (which he wore over his 6'11" frame) made him easily recognizable in the vast expanses of the Ringling's giant big top (and later, in sport arenas).
 Jacobs's clown face eventually became an iconic image for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's advertising; in 1966, it even appeared on a U.S. postage stamp celebrating the circus.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 ===A Master Clown===
-[[File:Lou_Jacobs_(1951).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Lou Jacobs and his midget car (1951)]]Unlike many of his fellow clowns, Jacobs's created his own gags, for which he had an unbridled imagination. He can be seen in Cecil B. DeMille's film ''The Greatest Show On Earth'' (1952), parading on the hippodrome track in his famous self-propelled bathtub. For the same movie, Jacobs helped Jimmy Stewart develop his character of Buttons the Clown. Jacobs's two best-remembered routines were a hunting scene in which his chihuahua, Knucklehead (later replaced by PeeWee), played a mischievous rabbit, and the 2x3-foot midget car into which the former contortionist squeezed all of his 6'1" body.
+[[File:Lou_Jacobs_and_Knucklehead.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Lou_Jacobs_and_Knucklehead (c.1955)]]Unlike many of his fellow clowns, Jacobs's created his own gags, for which he had an unbridled imagination. He can be seen in Cecil B. DeMille's film ''The Greatest Show On Earth'' (1952), parading on the hippodrome track in his famous self-propelled bathtub. For the same movie, Jacobs helped Jimmy Stewart develop his character of Buttons the Clown. Jacobs's two best-remembered routines were a hunting scene in which his chihuahua, Knucklehead (later replaced by PeeWee), played a mischievous rabbit, and the 2x3-foot midget car into which the former contortionist squeezed all of his 6'1" body.
 Jacobs married Jean Rockwell, a former Ringling showgirl, in 1953. They had two daughters: [[Lou Ann Jacobs|Lou Ann]], who became an aerialist and an elephant trainer, and [[Dolly Jacobs|Dolly Jean]], an aerialist who became one of America's greatest circus stars, eventually creating [[Circus Sarasota]] with her husband, [[Pedro Reis]].

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ===Lou in America===
-[[File:Lou_Jacobs_and_Knucklehead.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Lou_Jacobs_and_Knucklehead (c.1955)]]The economic situation in Germany was abysmal after the first World War. In 1923, Jacobs followed his brother to the United States. There, he found employment as an acrobat, working with a father-and-son comedy acrobatic act in which he played the straight man. Then, in late 1924, he teamed up in another comedy act with a contortionist named Davis, who had signed a contract with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for the 1925 season.
+The economic situation in Germany was abysmal after the first World War. In 1923, Jacobs followed his brother to the United States. There, he found employment as an acrobat, working with a father-and-son comedy acrobatic act in which he played the straight man. Then, in late 1924, he teamed up in another comedy act with a contortionist named Davis, who had signed a contract with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for the 1925 season.
 Jacobs, who had by then Anglicized his name to Lou, made his debut with ''The Greatest Show On Earth'' in 1925. There he discovered that his vocation was clowning. In 1926, he became one of the dozens of clowns appearing in the show. Jacobs found himself in good company: among the other clowns was [[Felix Adler]]. (Later, Jacobs would be joined in the show by another great German-born clown, [[Otto Griebling]], and by [[Emmett Kelly]].)

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:37, 1 August 2019
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	[[File:Lou_Jacobs_poster.jpg\|~~200px~~\|right]]	+	[[File:Lou_Jacobs_poster.jpg\|300px\|right]]
	==Clown==		==Clown==