Red Skelton: An Unauthorized Biography

Very indepth book. Only just started. Its very interesting And a lot of detail if his life., Truly a talented man

Growing up in the late 50s and early 60s, Ol' Dad's television preferences rubbed off on the rest of the family when we all gathered around the clunky B & W set. In terms of comedy, his favorites were Jackie Gleason and Red Skelton, especially the former. On the other hand, I particularly enjoyed Skelton (and Abbott & Costello and Bob Hope). For some reason, Milton Berle never made much of an impression. Later, Mom and I graduated to Bill Cosby when he did his early comedy albums: she never tired of his Noah skit. Red died in 1997. RED SKELTON is an overview of his life from 1913 to 1977, and focuses chiefly on his rise through the ranks of on-stage comedy from medicine shows to tent shows to riverboats to circuses to burlesque to walkathons (i.e. dance marathons) to vaudeville to nightclubs to radio to movies to television to Las Vegas. This book is self-described as an "unauthorized biography", and it certainly is that. While author Arthur Marx gives due credit to Skelton's brilliance as the consummate clown, his monetary generosity to others, and his love for his children, especially son Richard who died of leukemia in 1958, he makes no attempt to gloss over Red's excruciating second marriage, his alcoholism, his paranoia, his vengefulness, his wretched treatment of his television writers and business associates, and his debilitating insecurity. We're all dysfunctional to some degree, but it's comforting to read of somebody rich and famous more dysfunctional than oneself. There, but for the grace of God, go I, etc. RED SKELTON includes a reasonably adequate photographic section, at the end of which is a happily posed picture of the comedian with his second wife Georgia at their home in Palm Springs, which implies that they were still genially married at the conclusion of the story. Actually, Skelton married his third wife, Lothian, in 1973, and Georgia died of a self-inflicted gunshot in 1976. There's no snap of Lothian, and only one that includes Red's first wife, Edna, who accomplished more in building Skelton's career than Georgia ever did. RED SKELTON is a well-written, revealing, and somewhat disenchanting look at a childhood icon. Approaching 58, I should know better than to retain any belief in heroes, especially those that rise to the surface in Tinseltown. "Good night, and God bless."

If you were a Red Skelton fan you will enjoy this book. It provided an insight to Red that I was unaware. Red was a complex individual and had his bad points. He had three wifes. The first wife (Edna) was actually the best, but their relationship became platonic. She continued managing many of Red's business affairs for years. The second wife (Georgia) committed suicide on her second attempt on the anniversary of their son's death. That's right, Red's only son died when he was 12 or 13. Little is mentioned about Red's third wife other than how they met and that she was much younger than Red. Red disliked business managers and made some bad investments but overall had plenty of good investments to make him independently wealthy. Red had a problem with drinking, but was able to straighten himself out later in life at least of hard alcohol, while he still drank beer. His health was such that liquor would have eventually killed him.

I have been a fan of Red Skelton since a child watching him on the black & white TV. So when I had the opportunity to read this book, I jumped at it. Maybe I'm to big a fan and had Mr Skelton on a pedistal and was a little shocked by the content of this book. It was often hard for me to read some chapters. He was human and had frailities like all men. The book gave a great deal of detail to his struggling years, both professionaly and personally. There are many quotes from coworkers that show a different, behind-the-scenes Red Skelton. This man among clowns had a life quite different for what the public saw through televison. I'm just glad he surrived and became a master comedian.