Red Skelton?

Red Skelton and Indepak

Red Skelton (July 18, 1913 - September 17, 1997) was a popular actor and clown, composed music (over 8,000 pieces - played and recorded by the likes of Arthur Fiedler, Van Cliburn, David Rose, and the London Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra), and designed china plates. He was a writer of poetry ("The Circus," written in honor of his father, is his best known poem), short stories, children’s books, and motion pictures (22). He appeared in 43 motion pictures (including 36 over 15 years at MGM) and was perhaps best known for his TV show (20 consecutive years on CBS and NBC). During his spare time Red made needlepoint clowns, painted with oils, did pastel pencil drawings, and bookbinds. He also gardened (bonsai trees were his specialty) and has a rose named in his honor.

Since his death he has been acclaimed as an important painter - his artistry runs the gamut of still life, landscapes, etc., but clowns seems to be his forte. He commented in 1959, "I went into a gallery back in 1943, saw a painting I liked, and asked the price. The gallery owner replied, ‘Five thousand wouldn’t buy it.’ I quickly responded, ‘I’m one of the five thousand.’ Then I went out and bought a 73-cent canvas and some paints."

He grew up in humble circumstances. His father, a grocer who had once been a circus clown, died two months before Red was born. Later in life Red stated, "A clown is a warrior who fights gloom." He began his show business career at the age of 10 when he joined Doc Lewis’ Traveling Medicine Show. Later he quipped, "Mom used to say I didn’t run away from home, my destiny just caught up with me at an early age." At age 15 he joined the vaudeville circuit. During his career he performed from sawdust rings to Carnegie Hall. He played a command performance for Queen Elizabeth at Royal Albert Hall, entertained eight U.S. Presidents, and gave private performances for three popes.

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On Wednesday, November 18, Indepak had a company-wide meeting. During this gathering Dave Aho provided some thoughts about our Vision Statement - and particularly about the importance of the reference to our nation’s Pledge of Allegiance. Dave related that during Jan and his Hawaii trip earlier this year they stumbled across an art gallery full of clown paintings. They were surprised to learn that Red Skelton had painted them all!

Red Skelton’s love of country was strikingly demonstrated one evening, January 14, 1969, when on his television show he recited an experience he had as a boy in school with regard to the Pledge of Allegiance. This was a radical departure for a comedy show. Many thought a dramatic recitation might pull the audience down since Red wanted to do it at the beginning of the program. After all, some reasoned, Red is completely identified with comedy and clowning. But Red insisted. He did it, and the public reaction was phenomenal. Telephone calls coming in so rapidly to television stations across the country almost inundated the switchboards. Letters by the thousands poured in, most requesting a copy of the Pledge. Thousands also wanted a record of Red reciting it. Columbia Records issued a single record and it soon hit the best-selling charts, right up there with the kids’ popular rock’n roll. The Pledge of Allegiance was a hit! At our company meeting Dave displayed a framed copy of the text with a picture of Red reading it. As Dave contemplated the text on their Hawaii trip, he thought of our Indepak Vision Statement, which he wrote in 1994, and its reference to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Red Skelton’s Pledge of Allegiance has won 42 awards and has twice been read into the Congressional Record. Other honors bestowed upon Red include awards from the American Legion, the American Freedom Foundation, and the United Conference of Christians and Jews.

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Red Skelton Lobby Photos Dave and Jan liked most of Red’s paintings they saw in the gallery that day - especially two. They bought the one entitled "Old Glory," of Freddie the Freeloader carrying a fire extinguisher (in rebuke of the then current trend of flag burning) and an American flag in the background. What Dave didn’t know was that Jan acquired the other painting of Freddie the Freeloader with a can of pork and beans in front of him. This painting is entitled "My Thanks." Dave remarked that one of the reasons that he has such an affection for Red’s works is that he was a man of very humble beginnings - like Dave himself.

Both paintings and the Pledge of Allegiance hang in the main lobby at Indepak.

Dave ended this section of the Company Meeting by reading Red’s Good Night Song, which Red would use to close his weekly TV program.

Red’s Famous Good Night Song

"The time has come to say goodnight,

My how time does fly.

We’ve had a laugh, perhaps a tear,

And now we hear good-bye.

I really hate to say goodnight,

For times like these are few.

I wish you love and happiness,

In everything you do.

The time has come to say goodnight,

I hope I’ve made a friend.

And so we’ll say ‘May God bless you,’

Until we meet again."

- Red Skelton

Flag The Pledge of Allegiance
From the Red Skelton Hour, January 14, 1969

I had this one teacher, he was the principal of the Harrison School, in Vincennes, Indiana. To me, he was the greatest teacher, a real sage of my time. He had such wisdom. We were all reciting the Pledge of Allegiance one day, and he walked over. This little old teacher - Mr. Lasswell was his name. He said:

"I’ve been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it is becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each word?"

I - me, an individual, a committee of one.

Pledge - dedicate all my worldly goods to give without self-pity.

Allegiance - my love and my devotion.

To the Flag - our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there is respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody’s job.

Of the United - that means that we have all come together.

States - individual communities that have united into 48 great states. 48 individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common cause, and that’s love of country.

Of America.

And to the Republic - a republic - a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it’s from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.

For Which it Stands!

One Nation - meaning, so blessed by God.

Indivisible - incapable of being divided.

With Liberty - which is freedom and the right of power to live one’s life without threats or fear or any sort of retaliation.

And Justice - the principle and quality of dealing fairly with others.

For All. - which means, boys and girls, it’s as much your country as it is mine.

And now, boys and girls, let me hear you recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country, and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance - "under God." Wouldn’t it be a pity if someone said, "That is a prayer," and that would be eliminated from our schools too?

- Red Skelton

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