To celebrate, let's all enjoy one of my favorite circus photos of one of my favorite clowns, Chesty Mortimer, taken from Maxwell Frederic Coplan's 1945 book of outstanding photography, PINK LEMONADE.
Paul "Chesty" Mortimer
"Chesty, as he is known to all circus followers has been with Ringlings ever since they brought him to the United States a quarter of a century ago.
"How's the skating today?" might well be asked of Chesty, as one of his current gags is a glorified Sonja Henie on huge, realistic wooden blades - trugging along on the sawdust.
"Things are a little rough, but I'll manage all right, thank you", smiles Chesty a bit breathless, for he is now well past the half-century mark- and you can just bet he will make it for Chesty has overcome many rough spots since he performed in his native Belguim so many years ago.
Chesty's big twinkling star-like eyes, wide open mouth and self-erected veins are a delight to the photographers. He was a pioneer in the clown boxing field. His clowning in sports is a natural, he is still quite an athlete . In recent years he's confined his activities to water sports, especially swimming and fishing, at his Florida home where he goes between seasons."
From the book EYES-LIGHT by B. Boyd Blount - A Bobbee Book
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