Clown (484 hits)
Category: NoneRating: -0.88 on 7 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by skaville (View user info) at 2004-09-28 14:09:51 EDT
OTTO GRIEBLING (1896 - 1972)
Inducted into the Clown Hall of Fame 1989, Otto Griebling was German born, and came to this(the U.S.) country at the age of 14. Otto started his circus career in Baraboo, Wisconsin, with the Hodgini Riding act. He was an excellent bareback comedy rider. He later worked for Sells Floto Circus. He toyed with his audiences emotions, sometimes being sassy, crazy and quite eccentric. Routines for which he was famous were juggling metal pie plates and attempts to deliver a block of ice, or a plant, or a package at different points throughout the show. The running gag would be the change over time -- for instance, the block of ice would become progressively smaller with each appearance, ending as an ice cube or a puddle of water. Another of his routines (essentially a warm-up) was banging tin pie plates together and pitting the audience on one side of a circus tent against the audience on the other in a contest of screams and applause.
He always performed a silent act. When in 1970 his larynx was removed, pantomime became a way of life both in and out of make-up. His pantomime skills served him well as one of the early tramp clowns in the circus, also known as a carpet clown. Not only was Otto a featured performer with Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus, but also other shows, including Cole Bros. He remained with Ringling Bros. until his death in 1972. His daughter, Joan Griebling Simons, has recently begun clowning in a re-creation of his "Otto" character.
He can be seen in the movie The Greatest Show on Earth
User Reviews
Submitted by NerfHerder (user info) at 2004-09-28 20:42:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
-1 for the post.
-1 because this is your second today.
Submitted by skaville (user info) at 2004-09-28 18:41:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2004-09-28 14:42:06 (#)
Ranking: -2
unlike you and your countrymen who fuel on that clown shit (yes, that's how we call it up here), i haven't ate mc donald since...i don't remember. so i don't even know what you're talking about.
congratulations on your lame attempt at insulting me
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What the hell has Canada contributed to the world besides hockey and bad haircuts ? I'll answer this one for you NOTHING ! The United States owns your sorry ass, so show a little more respect bitch !
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2004-09-28 14:42:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
unlike you and your countrymen who fuel on that clown shit (yes, that's how we call it up here), i haven't ate mc donald since...i don't remember. so i don't even know what you're talking about.
congratulations on your lame attempt at insulting me
Submitted by skaville (user info) at 2004-09-28 14:33:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Caulaincourt shut up , don't make me come down to that McDonalds you work at and kick your McAss all over the McParking lot !
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2004-09-28 14:15:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
you could stop posting every 10 seconds you irish scum
Submitted by X-File (user info) at 2004-09-28 14:13:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Wow... that's everything I wanted to know about my favorite clown, Otto.
Submitted by Monarch (user info) at 2004-09-28 14:11:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Uh... so?