The terrifying clown emerged from the primitive and bawdy circuses of the 19th century

The scary clown became a staple of horror.

Starring Art Clown as the major villain, Damien Leone’s filmCreepy 2” is so gruesome that there are reports of spectators vomiting and fainting In the theatre. And every Halloween you will note indignant clowns haunted house attraction stalking or trick or treater dressed as Pennywisethe evil clown from Stephen King’s It.

It’s hard to assume a time when clowns were frequently invited to kid’s birthday parties and hospital wards – to not terrorize, but to please and entertain. For most of the twentieth century it was the so-called standard clown role.

However, clowns have at all times had a dark side. Before the twentieth century, clowns in American circuses were largely considered a form of adult entertainment.

IN my very own research about the history of the 19th-century circus, I spend so much of time in archives, where I frequently come across vintage photos of clowns.

Now I do not consider myself a one who is afraid of clowns. In fact, I at all times attempt to remind those who today’s clowns exist serious artists with extensive education in his craft. But even I even have to confess that the clowns I see in old circuses give me the creeps.

Drunk, dirty clowns in drag

For most of the 19th century, circuses were relatively small single-ring events through which spectators could take heed to performers give speeches.

There were these performances noisy affairs during which the audience could freely shout, whistle and hiss at the performers. Typically, the clowns would banter with the stoic emcee, who was often the butt of the clowns’ jokes. Borrowing comedy traditions from blackface minstrel showcircus clowns used puns, non sequiturs, and exaggerated burlesque humor.

One very fashionable clown performance that Mark Twain introduced in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” there was a performer dressed as a drunken circus patron who shocked the audience by entering the ring and clumsily attempting to ride one of the horses participating in the show, before dramatically revealing himself as a participant in the show. The famous 19th century clown Dan Rice was known for posting local gossip and political commentary of their performances and impersonating distinguished personalities in each city they visit.

The jokes they told were often misogynistic and full of sexual double entendres, which was not an issue since the circus audience at the time consisted mainly of adults and men. In those days, circuses were: a stigmatized form of entertainment considered shameful in the US as a result of associations with gambling, cheating, scantily clad performers, profanity and alcohol. Church leaders frequently warned their congregations not to come back to the circus. Some states even had this regulations completely prohibiting circus performances.

Clowns played a task in the circus’s dismal repute.

Showman noted PT Barnum this part of the charm of circuses “consisted of the clown’s vulgar jokes, accentuated by even more vulgar and suggestive gestures.” Clowns also challenged gender norms, with many appearing in drag, often exaggerating women’s figures with cartoonishly large fake breasts.

In the early 19th century, some circuses also had a separate tent where “cooch shows” were held. Male patrons were invited, for a fee, to look at women dance and undress.

Circus historian – notes Janet Davis that in some of these performances, clowns “played gender-bending pranks on stunned men who expected to see naked women.” In a shocking discovery, Davis also notes that in some Cooch Show performances, gay clowns engaged in sexual activity with male viewers “during and after scenes with the anonymous crowd.”

Suffice it to say, these clowns weren’t for youngsters.

Clowns clean up their act

It was not until the Eighteen Eighties and Nineties that entertainment impresars akin to Barnum made efforts to “clean up” circus to draw a bigger audience, that the clowns really bonded with the children.

When circuses began traveling by rail, they may carry more equipment, which allowed them to expand from one ring to a few. Audiences could now not hear the performers, so the clown became a pantomime comedian, eliminating potentially vulgar and suggestive language.

Circus owners, wanting to earn as much money as possible, tried to appeal to a wider audience, including women and children. This involved removing any scandalous behavior and closely monitoring worker behavior.

The hottest shows were Barnum and Bailey’s The Greatest Show on Earth referred to as “Sunday school” performances., free from any inappropriate content. They successfully played the role of providers of good, clean fun.

Clowns played a task on this transformation. Since silent shows nowadays focused on physical comedy, their performances were easy for youngsters to know. The clowns remained tricksters, but their slapstick comedy was seen nearly as good fun.

This had an enduring effect. Clowns entertained families at the circus, and as entertainment moved into film and television, so did child-friendly clowns. Clowns became a staple of kid’s entertainment in the twentieth century. A well-liked TV program presenting, amongst others, Bozo the Clown operated for 40 years, from 1960 to 2001. Since the Eighties, clowns have grow to be regular visitors to kid’s hospitals cheer up young patients. And firms like McDonald’s they used clowns as mascots to make their brands appealing to children.

However, in the twenty first century there was a pointy turn. 2008 study he concluded that today’s “clown children are universally disliked.” Some point to a clown turned serial killer John Wayne Gacy as a turning point, while others may blame Stephen King’s “It” for harnessing clowns to horror.

When you have a look at the history of the American circus, it’s possible you’ll get the impression that the period of the twentieth century when children loved clowns was different from the norm. Today’s scary clowns usually are not a departure from tradition, but a return to it.