Trivia

One of Red's writers filled in for him one night when he took a serious fall, injuring himself. That writer's name was Johnny Carson.

On May 10, 1976, his ex-wife Georgia Davis committed suicide by gunshot on the 18th anniversary of their son's Richard Freeman Skelton's death.

It's been said that Skelton was deeply offended by "blue humor," but this isn't entirely true. In fact, Red Skelton could be as ribald as anyone, as evidenced by the now-infamous tapes of Martha Raye and Skelton trading dirty jokes during a rehearsal. What truly offended Skelton was that, as time went on, comedians started to use language and shock value to entertain audiences as opposed to genuine wit and pathos, which Skelton considered essential to a comedian's work.

Served in the United States Army during World War II (1944-1945). His date of induction to the U.S. Army was Wednesday 7 June 1944. (Associated Press, "Red Skelton Inducted", The San Bernardino Daily Sun, San Bernardino, California, Friday 9 June 1944, Volume 50, page 9.). The pressures of entertaining troops, and fulfilling his duties as a soldier, resulted in Skelton's hospitalization for a nervous breakdown in 1945.

In 1971, following a successful 30 year run on CBS (often placing among the top ten shows) his ratings finally slipped and The Red Skelton Hour (1951) was quickly canceled by the network. He never forgave them. Television historians have long suspected that he was a victim of the 1971 television purge that took place after the success of All in the Family (1971) wherein CBS rid itself of all "nice shows" and "rural shows" in favor of shows with edgier subject matter.

In 1944 when Red Skelton was stationed at Camp Roberts in California his fellow soldiers, upon his arrival, tacked a sign on his barracks door that read: "Tour a Movie Star's Home -- Twenty-Five Cents.".

Often said that of all the characters he'd played, Freddie the Freeloader was by far his favorite. When asked why, he said that Freddie was the purest soul of his characters and that he was a tribute to the clowns that he knew and treasured.

Inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989.

He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 6650 Hollywood Boulevard; and for Radio at 6763 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Used his "Guzzlers Gin" comedy sketch as his successful 1940 screen test for MGM. It was later filmed in Ziegfeld Follies (1945).

A bridge was built and named after him that spans the Wabash River separating Indiana and Illinois on US 50, just outside Skelton's hometown of Vincennes, Indiana. The Red Skelton Performing Arts Center located on the campus of Vincennes University was founded n his memory.

In 1960, he purchased the old Charles Chaplin Studios on La Brea Avenue, where he produced his weekly television shows. He established Red-Eo-Tape (Red-Tape) Video Productions. His three RCA TK-41 camera mobile units became the first live color production company in Hollywood.

He insisted on getting his television skits done on the first take, even if it meant ad-libbing around blown lines and failed props. In one famous incident on live television, he managed to ad-lib while a cow defecated on stage ("Not only does she give milk, but also Pet-Ritz pies!").

Skelton's first wife, Edna Marie Stilwell, a former usher, negotiated his 1951 $5 million, seven-year Hollywood contract.

Although famous for his "drunk" comedy sketches, he never drank and was, in fact, allergic to alcohol.

According to Skelton, in his appearance with Johnny Carson rebroadcast on TCM 7/19/14, his real name was Richard Red Skelton -- Red was really his middle name. When a teacher insisted he come up with a "real" middle name, he chose "Bernard" from the name of a local clothier, and the teacher was satisfied. He was surprised many years latter when FBI director J Edgar Hoover addressed him as "Bernard". It turned out that Bernard was in his FBI dossier.

He is credited with having uttered one of the greatest put-downs in Hollywood history. Attending the funeral of much loathed Columbia Pictures studio chief Harry Cohn. Red reputedly turned to a friend and remarked about the large turn-out: "Old Harry was right after all - You give the public what they want and they'll always show up!".

Interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, USA, in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Benediction.

Skelton earned over $2.5 million annually at one time as an artist, after the cancellation of his variety show The Red Skelton Hour (1951). Clowns were his lifelong trademark. His clown paintings have sold for upwards of $80,000.

The day after his wedding on March 9, 1945, Skelton checked into the hospital for a tonsillectomy.

In a People Magazine interview late in his life, Skelton admitted that he fudged his officially accepted birth year, but did not elaborate. The year 1910 is sometimes given instead of 1913, but Skelton's biographer Arthur Marx claims that the comedian told close associates he was really born in 1906.

In 1986, in character as Clem Kaddiddlehopper, Skelton received an Honorary Doctorate of Foolology from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Skelton was a Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity member and an honorary brother of the Phi Alpha Tau fraternity (based out of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts), from which, in 1961, he received the prestigious Connor Award.

Star of "The Red Skelton Show" on NBC Radio (1941-1949) and CBS Radio (1949-1953).

His third wife, and widow, the former Lothian Toland, was the only daughter of preeminent cinematographer Gregg Toland.

Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1994.

His brother Paul Skelton worked as an uncredited prop man on Irwin Allen series such as Lost in Space (1965).

Appears as the character Freddie the Freeloader on a 44¢ USA commemorative postage stamp in the Early TV Memories issue honoring The Red Skelton Hour (1951). The stamp was issued 11 August 2009.

He became well-known as an outspoken proponent for the addition of the phrase "Under God" to the United States Pledge of Allegiance.

Grandfather of Sabrina Alonso.

Skelton was a Freemason, a member of Vincennes Lodge No. 1, in Indiana. He also was a member of both the Scottish and York Rite. He was a recipient of the Gold Medal of the General Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. (By: Fletcher L Gray Jr.).

In April 2025, he was honored as Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month.

Early in his career as a performer, Skelton was a sought-after master of ceremonies for dance marathons. The winner of one of these marathons was a teenage girl, Edna Stillwell, an usher at the old Pantages Theater. After the end of the contest, Edna approached Skelton to criticize his supposedly uninspired jokes. He challenged her to write better jokes, and she came up with funnier jokes. Skelton hired her as his main comedy writer, and they started a romantic relationship as well. They were married to each other in 1931.

Red was born in the house at 111 East Lyndale Avenue, Vincennes, Indiana.