Felix Adler: The King of Clowns

Photo Credit: Chicago Daily News
Date: 23 Jul 1927

Frank Bartlet Adler (17 Jun 1895 – 01 Feb 1960), better known by his stage name Felix Adler, was a circus performer and entertainer known as "The King of Clowns" who performed under the big top for over 20 years. Adler's jovial image adorned several classic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus posters, and he can even be seen performing in Cecil B. DeMille's 1952 film The Greatest Show on Earth. His face was immortalized for all time as a commercial mask created and sold by Verne Langdon of Hollywood's renowned Don Post Studios, and was once photographed by American designer Charles Eames for the his visual slide presentation accompanied by circus music--a photograph which today retains fame in the form of the album cover for Langdon's Circus Clown Calliope. During the course of his career under canvas, the legendary entertainer performed before millions of circus fans throughout North America, and was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989.

With the Ringling Bros. Circus, Adler waddled the rings in a droopy clown suit followed by a piglet which he trained to climb a small ladder and slide down a greased slide to receive a nip of milk from a baby bottle as a reward. These pigs made their debut only after intensive training from Felix and later his wife, Amelia. Once the pigs grew too large for entertainment purposes, they were given to families along the road, who often kept in touch with the Adlers. Because they grew so quickly, more than 360 pigs were trained during Adler's circus career. After his marriage in 1948, Adler's pigs were all named "Amelia." Some of the performances were not in script. During a "Big Bad Wolf" act, a pulley broke loose from some of the high tackle and hit Adler, knocking him unconscious momentarily. The pigs started climbing all over him and making great noise as the audience howled. John Ringling urged Adler to keep that in his act, but he was never able to repeat the act.

Source: Felix Adler Children's Discovery Center