COLOR photos Evil Clowns 1946

[Veronica Parra]

American kids had it tough in the '40s. Look at the clowns they had to deal with:

http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/collections/cushman/full/P03779.jpg



And, of course, food was involved:

http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/collections/cushman/full/P04494.jpg

 

[Sefton]

Yeah, the little blond haired boy in that picture doesn't exactly seem to be laughing....
I've always found clowns to be somewhat disturbing and that photo shows why!

 

[Veronica Parra]

Actually, I think that boy is laughing. It's me who wants to run away!

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Luckily

I was never exposed to clowns as a child!

 

[CharlieH.]

If you ask me, that kid in the first pic is about to cry his guts out. And that tall clown in the orange jacket bears a disturbing resemblance to a bully from jr. high school (I later found out the guy was a fledgling neo-nazi).

And how about that horrendous walking Jell-o ad?

 

[matei]

Clowns... I don't like 'em. Just like Indiana Jones didn't like snakes, I don't like clowns.

"Clowns - why'd it have to be clowns?"

There used to be a "professional" clown-for-hire in the town I lived in as a kid in NY. It was a bit surreal seeing a clown driving around in the middle of the day, doing not-so clownlike things. Every so often you'd see him/her/it ("Bobo" doesn't imply a particular gender, and you couldn't guess from the clothing) out refuelling it's car - a not-so funny, big, dilapidated "Uncle Buck" type '70s American car - or entering/exiting one of the several bars in town.

Seeing clown reality like that made me realise that it isn't all smiles and gags.

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Clowns... I don't like 'em. Just like Indiana Jones didn't like snakes, I don't like clowns.

"Clowns - why'd it have to be clowns?"

There used to be a "professional" clown-for-hire in the town I lived in as a kid in NY. It was a bit surreal seeing a clown driving around in the middle of the day, doing not-so clownlike things.

lol Yup. Matei, we had an 8th grade civics teacher at my high school who did that when he wasn't teaching, sometimes for whatever reason would show up at school in the getup.

Artist Andr?©e Ruellan's 1940s rendering of a clown:

Its amazing on a search for "vintage clowns" how many sites you turn up where people say things like "To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kind of scary." One guy goes on: "I've wondered where this started and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus, and a clown killed my dad."

Apparently it's an international thing: Above's the vintage French version. <real low voice> Gonnnna Geeeet Youuuuuuuu...

Maybe clowns need to start some kind of (nonthreatening) outreach program or something to keep from going extinct...

See now we need more clowns like this:

Swing High,
- Cousin Hepcat

 

[Lauren]

I LOVE the Jello clown! lol

 

[Lena_Horne]

That child looks like he was enjoying himself to me. Besides, those clowns don't look scary to me at all, but then I wasn't exactly a true-blue easy scare as a child. I would have wanted to see those clowns and have them make me balloon animals.

L_H

 

[mysterygal]

I never liked clowns when I was little either...somebody wearing that much make-up was just not trustable!
A lot of the clown toys from back then were pretty freaky looking too

 

[Naama]

Ah, Clowns are scary! That's a known fact! And I'm pretty sure that the boy is crying!

Naama

 

[Story]

Little wonder what inspired King to write IT.
Glub glub, they all float down here...

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

Ah, Clowns are scary! That's a known fact! And I'm pretty sure that the boy is crying!

Naama

Agreed, Naama - To me it looks beyond doubt.

Little wonder what inspired King to write IT.
Glub glub, they all float down here...

Oh yeah, Story, jolly ol' Pennywise the Clown...

he didn't do much for making me like clowns as a kid, either.

Now if I'd seen more of these kind...

(gonna find her, and marry her! don't Care if that's not makeup)

Swing High,
- Cousin Hepcat

 

[Marc Chevalier]

In the summer of '67, half of San Francisco looked like her.

 

[J.B.]

Unnghh!

coulrophobia (fear of clowns) :rage:
clinophobia (fear of going to bed)
phagophobia (fear of being eaten)

 

[Cousin Hepcat]

In the summer of '67, half of San Francisco looked like her.

**TRIED**, maybe...

- Cousin Hepcat

 

[LeFonque]

Clown use to scare the crap out of me. Come to that they still do!

 

[funneman]

"Shakes the Clown"

Anyone ever see this classic dark comedy starring Bobcat Goldthwait?
Possibly one of the craziest films I've ever seen. Sort of like slowing down to observe an accident scene.

From Florence Henderson as the washed up, down and out, alcoholic, shack-up girlfriend to the clown cast system that puts Birthday Party Clowns just one rung above mimes, this is a must see.

 

[Senator Jack]

C'mon, ya gotta love those creepy old clowns! In fact, I'd pay good money to see a bona fide, creepy clown show - some troupe should be out there recapturing this former glory.

I dimly recall from my theatre studies that today's clown evolved from the medieval mystery plays where the characters would whack the devil with sticks and all other sorts of comic ills would befall him. This in turn evolved into the Commedia Dell'arte where the devil became the buffoon. Thus, the grotesque pointed lips we see on clowns from the past. The friendlier rounded lips are a fairly recent concession, professional clowns having realized they were scaring the bejesus out of kids. The fear of clowns, therefore, is somewhat justified because the clown really represents the archetypal devil.

Hope that explains some of your fears.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[Story]

Unnghh!

coulrophobia (fear of clowns) :rage:
clinophobia (fear of going to bed)
phagophobia (fear of being eaten)

I won't close my eyes, I can't close my eyes,
I never close my eyes
You see, they're always there with funny hair,
Oh, I'm so scared

It happens to me every night
Can't sleep, the clowns will eat me
They always want to take a bite
Can't sleep, the clowns will eat me
And if you think this isn't real
I'll show you wounds that never heal
To them I'm just a happy meal
Can't sleep, the clowns will eat me