Evening star., 1943-06-17
King of Ringing Clowns Louds
Simple Pleasures of the Past
Felix Adler Turns
Philosopher as He
Recalls Career
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
Look at that funny man with the
long nose!"
The little girl seeing her first cir
Gus broke into laughter. The clown
had won his first laugh from a new
fan. And it's quite possible the
girls mother, beaming on this mile
stone in childhood, first laughed at
circus when this very same clown
appeared.
For Felix Adler, most famous
of the 100 clowns of Ringing
Bros. and Barnum e. Bailey circus.
here this week. has been a jester Of
the SawduSt for we'll over a score of
years.
Naturally, Felix has no way of
computing how many children he
has introduced to the fun of clown
ing all these years. But he delights
in musing on the huge number there
must have been, and he turns visit
full as he looks back across the
years, for he's philosopher, as per-
haps all great clowns must be.
But circus Lasts.
When dad was a boy, the kids had
simple pleasures. he likes to remind
Junior They didn't need all these
complicated toys and games to save
them from boredom. Junior says,
"uh. huh" and goes back to building
an airdrome and assembling a cou-
pie of bombers. But if the contem-
porary child is more sophisticated
than his parents were at his age. he
still enjoys some of the things they
did-the circus, for instance
Felix Adler knows. He studies
audiences and their reactions as
carefully as he prepares his gags,
his makeup and costumes. Chill
dren, he feels, haven't changed es-
sentially. It's only because this is
an age Of machinery, complexity
and candor that the youngsters seem
so different from those of a genera
ton or two ago.
The veteran clown puts the finish
ing touches to his impersonation of
Comus, king of carnical. In this
role, he rides on a high throne in
this years spectacle of the United
Nations.
AS long as there are children"
he said. "therell be clowns"
Sets No Age Limit.
And he sets no age limit, know
ing that few persons ever grow up
entirely.
1t might be thought that the
more blase child of today would
require streamllned gags, and there
always is a certain amount Of topi-
cal routine, allusicns to matters in
the news. And vet some of the
oldest gags. some that grandpa saw
when he was a sapling, still draw
the biggest laughs.
This year" Felix explained,
we've gone sort of old-fashioned
throughout the circus. And we
clowns have tried tc get away from
the war, to let people forget it if
possible for couple Of hours.
We've revived old gags, and people
still seem to like them
The clowns have even brought
back, "by popular demand the old
flrehouse act which was evolved
goodness knows how many years
ago. 1t still fetches waves of laugh
ter as monkeys and funny men dash
in with their midget fire department,
amid innumerable mishaps.
Ran Away From Home.
Mr.. Adlers first job with circus
lasted exactly "a hours. He was
9 years old, and when he ran away
from his home at Chester, Iowa, his
father sent the sheriff after him.
Next day the lad was back under
the parental roof. But in his late
teens. Felix did get with a circus,
and he stuck this time. He was,
he explained, a caretaker for dogs,
monkeys and bears. And, while he
was delighted to be a part of the
show, he had always wanted to be
clown. He had hard time per-
suading the Ringlings that he'd
make Pagliacci. and he had to
quit a couple of times. But even
tually he got the assignment
He hasn't missed a single per-
formance. from sickness or any
other cause, for "a years-which is
a pretty fair record.
Maps Gags in Florida.
While clown gags are mapped
during the winter recess in Florida
there is more impromptu stuff than
most persons suppose. Sometimes,
Felix explained, clowns will i'm
provise when they see a certain
line is going over, while they'll cur
tail other routine which does not
happen to impress particular
audience.
He has been a frequent guest at
the White House and has more
invitations in most cities than he
can accept. This week he's address
ing Washington civic clubs.
The thrill-stirring Wallandas,
stars OF the high wire; the Loyal
Repensky troupe OF bareback riders.
the spectacular Changing the
Guard" and all the other acts, new
and traditional, are on tap at the
circus grounds, Bennings road and
Oklahoma avenue NE, daily at
2:15 and BIS. The last show is
Saturday night.