Classic Clown Aesthetics

A nostalgic look at clowns through vintage photographs and art, capturing their unique expressions and the sentimentality of clowning.

Vintage Photograph. Hobo clown with sack

FREDRIC MARCH in DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1931), directed by ROUBEN MAMOULIAN.

Close-up of an illuminated jack o' lantern with a person wearing a Halloween costume behind it

Jesters Bruise. In a part from one of Gosgrave's plays. Sir Robt Garran. July 01, 1951.;Jesters Bruise. In a part from one of Gosgrave's plays. Sir Robt Garran.

HUMPHREY BOGART in HIGH SIERRA (1941), directed by RAOUL WALSH.

DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS in ROBIN HOOD (1922), directed by ALLAN DWAN.

HANGMAN'S NOOSE (EV001581_H)

Happy and sad clown figuines (EV007909_H)

Lon Chaney Jr. "The Wolf Man"1941

BOB HOPE in SON OF PALEFACE (1952), directed by FRANK TASHLIN.

DAVID NIVEN in OLD DRAC (1974) -Original title: VAMPIRA-.

Willy Hanisch in the carnival costume as "Dr. d. Kukirolosophy

Anefo photo collection. Shooting Barend Napkin TV show, Eijve Blokker as a barling napkin. February 23, 1973

RUDOLPH VALENTINO in BLOOD AND SAND (1922), directed by FRED NIBLO.

LON CHANEY JR. in THE WOLF MAN (1941), directed by GEORGE WAGGNER.

A Martian in a glass ball, who directs the synthetically created giants, is menaced by Jimmy, before he is caught again by his mutant guard. Before the operation on Pat can begin, troops manage to break into the underground spaceship.Movie Depicts "Martian in Glass ball" Factors of environment are disregarded. May 08, 1953.

BASIL RATHBONE in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN (1939), directed by ROWLAND V. LEE.

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951), directed by ROBERT WISE.

JACK HALEY, JUDY GARLAND and RAY BOLGER in THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), directed by VICTOR FLEMING.

Samson and Delilah, 1915. ENRICO CARUSO.

Playful Cowboy and Indian Costumed Duo c.1958

Fred Bluett administrates point in Crucial varieties. August 13, 1934.

VINCENT PRICE in THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES (1971), directed by ROBERT FUEST.

MACK SWAIN and CHARLIE CHAPLIN in THE GOLD RUSH (1925), directed by CHARLIE CHAPLIN.

Puppet Series. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and Personnel

VOYAGE TO THE MOON (1902) -Original title: LE VOYAGE DANS LA LUNE-, directed by GEORGES MELIES.

Historic photograph, three clowns, around 1924

I SPY (EV002098_H)

CONRAD VEIDT and MARY PHILBIN in THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (1928), directed by PAUL LENI.

FRED ASTAIRE and GEORGE MURPHY in BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940 (1940), directed by NORMAN TAUROG.

BORIS KARLOFF in CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA (1936), directed by H. BRUCE HUMBERSTONE.

FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956), directed by FRED M. WILCOX.

Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett, on-set of the British Film, "The Family Way", British Lion Films, Warner Bros., 1966

Robbie the Robot, from the film 'Forbidden Planet', 1956. Artist: Unknown

FRANK FINLAY in A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984).

Vintage photograph. Closeup of male and female puppet together

JIMMY DURANTE in HELL BELOW (1933), directed by JACK CONWAY.

BORIS KARLOFF in FRANKENSTEIN: FRANKENSTEIN (1931) -Original title: FRANKENSTEIN-, directed by JAMES WHALE.

Diamond-back Rattlesnake is held up on open Bible by cult leader to open the meeting. The followers crowded into a small roped-off are surrounded by 200 curious spectators who were shown that snake's fangs, poison sacs were intact. August 27, 1944.

ORSON WELLES in THE STRANGER (1946), directed by ORSON WELLES.

ROBERT DE NIRO in TAXI DRIVER (1976), directed by MARTIN SCORSESE.

Charlie' Chaplin, KBE (1889-1977) The Kid (1921), with Jackie Coogan, combined comedy with drama and was Chaplin's first film to exceed an hour.

MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN and C. AUBREY SMITH in TARZAN, THE APE MAN (1932), directed by W. S. VAN DYKE.

GRANT WILLIAMS in THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957), directed by JACK ARNOLD.

The shows in full swing. April 16, 1938.

JOHN BARRYMORE in DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1920), directed by JOHN S. ROBERTSON.

'Gussie' Gets Chivalrous Treatment -- Little girl who gets especially chivalrous treatment from her brother is Rosemary Palairet, aged five, whose 'Gorgeous Gussie' costume is adjusted by Michael, nine, dressed as a knight at the Hyde Park Hotel, London, today (Thursday). They were attending the League of Pity's children's fancy dress party in aid of the Kensington Branch of the N.S.P.C.C.Five-year old Rosemary Palairet has her "Gorgeous Gussie" costume adjusted by her brother Michael, 9, before a fancy dress party at Hyde Park Hotel, London. January 11, 1951.

BORIS KARLOFF in THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), directed by JAMES WHALE.

THE BLACK HOLE (1979), directed by GARY NELSON.

R. KLEIN ROGGE in METROPOLIS (1927), directed by FRITZ LANG.

The Kid is a 1921 American silent comedy-drama film written, produced, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as his adopted son and sidekick. This was Chaplin's first full-length film as a director. It was a huge success, and was the second-highest grossing film in 1921.

Paul Winchell - 12This ventriloquist and his pert dummy are:(a) Martin and Lewis(b) Mutt and Jeff(c) Abbott and Costello(d) Winchell and Mahoney. June 27, 1952. (Photo by Look Magazine).

"Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars" 1938

IRRESISTIBLE IMPULSE (EV001098_H)

Caroling Grills. October 22, 1954.

Anefo photo collection. Jordan festival ladies visday. September 8, 1952

Anefo photo collection. Christmas game in the big or St. Bavo church in Haarlem. December 17, 1945. Haarlem, Noord-Holland

German Fire brandMax Reinmann, Chairman ***** Germany's Communist party, emphasises a point, while delivering a speech during a meeting of the Communist Party of Germany in the Franz Althoff Circus here, which drew some thousands of Germans in attendance. January 03, 1949.

BELA LUGOSI in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN (1939), directed by ROWLAND V. LEE.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN in THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940), directed by CHARLIE CHAPLIN.

Tony Calvin, Martine Beswick, on-set of the British Film, "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde", MGM-EMI Distributors, 1971

American actor Burgess Meredith playing the Penguin, American actor Cesar Romero playing the Joker, American actor Burt Ward (Bert Gervis Jr.) playing Robin, American actor Adam West (William West Anderson) playing Batman and American actress Julie Newmar playing Catwoman in the TV serie Batman. 1966. Batman, 1966, directed by Robert Butler, USA, TV serial, with Burgess Meredith, Cesar Romero, Burt Ward, Adam West, Julie Newmar, ABC

Looks don't mean anything (OV2019_404)

PETER SELLERS in AFTER THE FOX (1966) -Original title: CACCIA ALLA VOLPE-, directed by VITTORIO DE SICA.

MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970) -Original title: HEXEN BIS AUFS BLUT GEQUALT-, directed by MICHAEL ARMSTRONG.

THE TEST OF HONOR (1919), directed by JOHN S. ROBERTSON.

FREAKS (1932), directed by TOD BROWNING.

Lon Chaney and Marceline Day, London After Midnight, 1927 directed by (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures)

FIT FOR A KING (EV001695_H)

Anefo photo collection. Van Oekel Show Van VPRO; Sjefke van Oekel under Christmas tree. December 5, 1974

REVENGE OF THE CREATURE (1955), directed by JACK ARNOLD.

Robby the Robot, 'Forbidden Planet', 1956

LON CHANEY in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1923), directed by WALLACE WORSLEY.

KING KONG (1976), directed by JOHN GUILLERMIN.

VICTOR MATURE and CAROLE LANDIS in ONE MILLION B. C. (1940), directed by HAL ROACH.

DANNY KAYE in THE COURT JESTER (1955), directed by MELVIN FRANK and NORMAN PANAMA.

GUSTAV FROHLICH in METROPOLIS (1927), directed by FRITZ LANG.

1930s CIRCUS PERFORMER SMILING CLOWN ON STILTS STRIPED PANTS LOOKING AT CAMERA, DRINKING FROM WINE BOTTLE

BRIGITTE HELM in METROPOLIS (1927), directed by FRITZ LANG.

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, 1972

BERT LAHR, JACK HALEY and RAY BOLGER in THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), directed by VICTOR FLEMING.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN in THE RINK (1916), directed by CHARLIE CHAPLIN.

JAMES OLSON and CATHERINE SCHELL in MOON ZERO TWO (1969), directed by ROY WARD BAKER.

Anefo photo collection. Arrival Japanese dance group at Schiphol. Mr. Gennosuke Matsomote performs "Lion dance". In background two dancers. October 24, 1967. Noord-Holland, Schiphol

Not in darkest Africa but here in England, a hooded magician invokes the devil. November 9, 1954.

The Fireman And The Lady -- Michael Redgrave as a fireman, and Ludmilla Tcherina, seen today in a scene from the Powell-Pressburger colour and cinema scope film, Oh, Rosalinda, which is now is production at Elstree. Ludmilla has a solo as the Golden Hind, and wears a golden lame gown embroidered with multi-coloured sequins, silver horns and golden hooves.When a fireman rescues a beautiful girl like Ludmilla Tcherina, anything can happen, and producers of the new Cinema-Scope film, Oh, Rosalinda, see to it that it does. Bewildered fireman is Michael Redgrave. February 23, 1955.

Low angle view of a scarecrow

Historic photograph, theatre, around 1922

The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and the most well-known and commercially successful adaptation based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The film stars Judy Garland; Terry the dog, billed as Toto; Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, with Charley Grapewin and Clara Blandick

Masked Marvel

PAUL NEWMAN in THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS (1959), directed by VINCENT SHERMAN.

Lone Hertz, on-set of the Danish film, "Dr. Glas", original title:, "Doktor Glas", Laterna Film, 1968

The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Braum. Starring Judy Garland and Ray Bolger it featured what could be the most elaborate use of make up and special effects in a film at that time. It was not a box office hit at first in terms of earnings but the following years more than made up for it.

A curious child in a mouse costume peeking from behind stage curtains.

Street mime. Isolated on black

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