Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Emmett Kelly(1898-1979)

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Emmett Kelly, circa 1958.
Emmett Kelly was born on 9 December 1898 in Sedan, Kansas, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for General Electric Theater (1953), Wind Across the Everglades (1958) and The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). He was married to Elvira Gebhardt, Mildred Richey and Eva Mae Moore (actress). He died on 28 March 1979 in Sarasota, Florida, USA.
BornDecember 9, 1898
DiedMarch 28, 1979(80)
BornDecember 9, 1898
DiedMarch 28, 1979(80)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank

Photos7

View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster

Known for

Ronald Reagan in General Electric Theater (1953)
General Electric Theater
6.8
TV Series
  • Willie the Tramp
Wind Across the Everglades (1958)
Wind Across the Everglades
6.5
  • Bigamy Bob
  • 1958
Charlton Heston, James Stewart, Gloria Grahame, Betty Hutton, Dorothy Lamour, and Cornel Wilde in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
The Greatest Show on Earth
6.5
  • Emmett Kelly
  • 1952
Rock Hudson, Emmett Kelly, Julie London, and J. Scott Smart in The Fat Man (1951)
The Fat Man
6.2
  • Ed Deets
  • 1951

Credits

IMDbPro

Actor

  • Emmett Kelly in The Clown and the Kids (1967)
    The Clown and the Kids
    5.5
    • The Piper
    • 1967
  • Walter Matthau and Frank McGee in The DuPont Show of the Week (1961)
    The DuPont Show of the Week
    6.4
    TV Series
    • Narrator
    • 1962
  • Ed Sullivan in The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)
    The Ed Sullivan Show
    7.9
    TV Series
    • Clown
    • 1960
  • Wind Across the Everglades (1958)
    Wind Across the Everglades
    6.5
    • Bigamy Bob
    • 1958
  • The Bob Crosby Show
    TV Series
    • 1958
  • Playhouse 90 (1956)
    Playhouse 90
    8.3
    TV Series
    • Weary Willie
    • 1957
  • Greer Garson and Florenz Ames in Telephone Time (1956)
    Telephone Time
    7.0
    TV Series
    • 1956
  • Ronald Reagan in General Electric Theater (1953)
    General Electric Theater
    6.8
    TV Series
    • Willie the Tramp
    • 1955
  • Charlton Heston, James Stewart, Gloria Grahame, Betty Hutton, Dorothy Lamour, and Cornel Wilde in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
    The Greatest Show on Earth
    6.5
    • Emmett Kelly
    • 1952
  • Rock Hudson, Emmett Kelly, Julie London, and J. Scott Smart in The Fat Man (1951)
    The Fat Man
    6.2
    • Ed Deets
    • 1951

Writer

  • Ronald Reagan in General Electric Theater (1953)
    General Electric Theater
    6.8
    TV Series
    • based on a book by
    • 1955

Additional Crew

  • Ronald Reagan in General Electric Theater (1953)
    General Electric Theater
    6.8
    TV Series
    • technical director
    • 1955

Personal details

  • Born
    • December 9, 1898
    • Sedan, Kansas, USA
  • Died
    • March 28, 1979
    • Sarasota, Florida, USA(heart attack)
  • Spouses
      Elvira GebhardtApril 20, 1955 - March 28, 1979 (his death, 2 children)
  • Other works
    Active on Broadway in the following production:
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Biographical Movie
    • 2 Print Biographies
    • 6 Articles

Did you know

  • Trivia
    He was originally a member of the Knickerbocker Circus and helped rescue several children when the circus tent caught fire, killing a number of people. The event was known forever after as "the day when the clowns cried.".
  • Trademark
    His tramp persona, known as Weary Willie

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Recently viewed

You have no recently viewed pages
Get the IMDb app
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
Follow IMDb on social
Get the IMDb app
For Android and iOS
Get the IMDb app
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • License IMDb Data
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.