Lou Jacobs
From Circopedia
Clown
By Dominique Jando
One of the most recognizable clowns in recent circus history, Lou Jacobs' career in the United States spanned over 62 years, 60 of which he spent with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. He was born Johann Ludwig Jacob in 1903 in Bremerhaven, the seaport of the city of Bremen, Germany, where his father worked on a shipyard. Until WWII, Germany was Europe's circus and variety hotbed, and his parents had created a song-and-dance act with which they worked in local "varieté(German, from the French: ''variété'') A German variety show whose acts are mostly circus acts, performed in a cabaret atmosphere. Very popular in Germany before WWII, Varieté shows have experienced a renaissance since the 1980s." theaters.
At school, young Ludwig showed good dispositions for gymnastics, and he had a taste for show business. When WWI was over, his father started training him in basic acrobatics, barrel jumping (a specialty rarely seen today, but quite popular then, notably in Germany and Russia), and since Ludwig had a natural ability for it, contortion. By then, however, Ludwig had already made his debut in show business: in 1910, at age seven, he had appeared on stage as the rear end of an alligator—in a costume whose front end was animated by his elder brother, Karl.
After the first World War, the economic situation in Germany was abysmal, and in 1923, Ludwig followed his brother who had decided to immigrate in the United States. There he found employment as an acrobat, working with a father-and-son comedy acrobatic act in which he was 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 for the 1925 season.
Ludwig, who had Americanized his name as Lou, followed Davis, and made his debut with The Greatest Show On Earth in 1925. There he discovered that his avocation was in clowning, and in 1926, he became one of the dozens of clowns appearing in the show. Among them was Felix Adler: Lou was in good company. (Later, Lou would be joined on the show by another great German-born clownGeneric term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team., Otto Griebling, and by Emmett Kelly.)
Lou Jacobs' makeup was inspired by Albert Fratellini, one of the celebrated Fratellinis. A trio of extremely talented clowns, the Fratellinis were Europe's greatest circus stars at the time. Originally, Lou applied his makeup on a white base—which explains why, in many circus writings, he is often referred to as a "whiteface" clownGeneric term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team.. In later years however, his makeup had become closer to the original, with a flesh-colored base. This makeup, along with Lou's oversized and colorful costume hanging over his 6-foot 1-inch frame, are what made his silhouette so easily recognizable in the vast expanses of the Ringling's giant big topThe circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau) (and later, in sport arenas).
Lou Jacobs' clown face eventually became an iconic image for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's advertising, and in 1956, it even appeared on a U.S. postage stamp celebrating the circus.
As opposed to many of his colleagues, Lou Jacobs created his own gags, for which he had an unbridled imagination. He can be seen in Cecil B. DeMille's movie, The Greatest Show On Earth (1952) parading on the big topThe circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau) hippodrome track in his famous self-propelled bathtub. For the same movie, Lou helped Jimmy Stewart develop his character of Buttons-the-Clown. Lou's two best-remembered routines were a hunting scene with his chihuahua, Knucklehead (later replaced by PeeWee), playing a mischievous rabbit; and the 2x3-foot midget car in which the former contortionist squeezed all of his 6-foot 1-inch body.
Lou Jacobs married Jean Rockwell, a former Ringling showgirl, in 1953. They had two daughters: Lou Ann, who became an aerialistAny acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc. and, later, an elephant trainer; and Dolly Jean, who became one of America's greatest circus stars as an aerialistAny acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc., and eventually created Circus Sarasota with her husband, Pedro Reis.
Lou Jacobs retired from performing at the end of the 1985 season. He was 82 then, and his health was beginning to fail. He remained active however: since its inception in 1968, he was a Master Teacher at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, and continued this activity until 1991. He was, by all accounts, the College's most revered faculty member for the 23 years he taught there.
In 1987, Kenneth Feld presented Lou Jacobs with a Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The following year, Lou had his star on Sarasota's Circus Ring of Fame unveiled. In 1989, he was inducted into the Circus Hall of Fame in Peru, Indiana, and into the newly formed Clown Hall of Fame in Delavan, Wisconsin.
Lou Jacobs died of heart failure on September 13, 1992, in his hometown of Sarasota, Florida. He was 89 years old.
Image Gallery
Lou Jacobs (1951)
- Lou Jacobs Ringling advertisement 1963.jpg
Lou Jacobs, Ringling Advertisement (1963)
