Butch Remembers Red Skelton Show

   Are there any funny comedians around today? Ok, let me restate that…Are there any comedians around today who are NOT loud, profane, obnoxious, vulgar, politically motivated or woke? At one time there were several great comedians on TV, such as Jonathan Winters, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, George Burns, Abbott and Costello, Jackie Gleason and Jerry Lewis … just to name a few. They made us laugh without resorting to crude jokes, political swipes and vicious put-downs.

   One of the most popular TV entertainers of all time was Red Skelton, who had a comedy / variety show on NBC and then CBS from 1951 to 1971. Red was born in Vincennes, Ind., and had appeared on stage, on the radio and in movies for many years before having his own TV show. He was quite versatile … hilarious, comic, clown, slapstick and mime. Red could make people laugh by just mugging and imitating a character. And he certainly used many of those in his skits. Do you remember Clem Kadiddlehopper, Cauliflower McPugg, San Fernando Red, the Junior the Mean Widdle Kid, George Appleby, Freddie the Freeloader, and of course those cross-eyed seagulls…Gertrude and Heathcliff? Red could also put on a sad skit, make us think, and even evoke a few tears with some of his characters.

   I remember tuning in to The Red Skelton Show on Thursday evenings. At the beginning, Red stood sheepishly on stage alone, smiling and waving to the audience. He then performed a monologue, using one of his characters. Each show had a dance routine, music and various skits in which guest stars appeared. Two guest stars I recall were Phyllis Diller and John Wayne. The show also had musical guests like the Supremes and the Beach Boys. Red’s TV show was rated in the Top Ten most-watched shows during those 20 years.

   At the end of the hour-long show, Red usually did a silent pantomine of Freddie the Freeloader. He always closed his show by looking into the camera and saying, “Good night and may God bless.”

   After his last TV show in 1971, Red kept up a full schedule of appearances. He wrote several books, short stories and musical symphonies…and he was an accomplished artist. Red Skelton passed away in 1997 at the age of 84. When interviewed before his death, Red stated, “If I have been able to brighten your lives just a little bit by the gift of laughter, then my purpose has been fulfilled.”

    Why couldn’t today’s comedians be more like Red Skelton….We miss you, Red, and “may God bless.”

John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 36 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.