Collection

The Red Skelton Collection

The Red Skelton Museum Foundation boasts a vast collection of original memorabila relating to Red Skelton. The bulk of the collection, now valued at more than $5 Million, was generously donated by his widow, Mrs. Red (Lothian) Skelton. The collection includes costumes, props, original artwork painted by Red, awards, photographs and manuscripts. This one-of-a-kind collection provides a tangible link to "One of America's Clowns."

A Featured Item from the Collection

When CBS insisted that Red Skelton have a writing team for his show, the great comedian was chagrined. As the show’s characters were the products of Red’s own creative design, he felt that no one knew them as well as he did. The result was an often strained relationship with the writers for the Red Skelton Show. During a show, if a particular joke or sketch failed to invoke applause or laughter from the audience, Red would often say, “Don’t blame me folks, I didn’t write this stuff!”

Despite their creative differences, Red and the writers of the Red Skelton Show received the Emmy Award for “Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy” in 1961. The Emmy Award is 15 inches high and 7 ½ inches in diameter. It depicts a winged female holding aloft an atom, which represent art and science respectively. The etching around the award’s base names all the members of Red’s writing team and reads:

-NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS AND SCIENCES
-1960-61 AWARDS PERIOD
-OUTSTANDING WRITING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
-RED SKELTON
-MARTIN RAGAWAY – SHERWOOD SCHWARTZ – DAVE O’BRIEN – AL SCHWARTZ
-“THE RED SKELTON SHOW” CBS

Many comedy writers worked with Red during his career. His first wife, Edna Stillwell, helped Red develop many of his characters and continued to write for him even after their divorce in 1943. Late-night legend Johnny Carson wrote for the Red Skelton Show early in his career and filled in as host on occasion. Sherwood Schwartz, whose name appears on the 1961 Emmy, worked with Red from 1956 to 1962 before going on to create the classic sitcoms Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch.

Red’s 1961 Emmy Award, along with two others awarded to Red in 1952, is currently on display in the lobby of the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center, 20 Red Skelton Blvd, Vincennes, Indiana.