Frank "Kelly the Clown" Kelly
Clown Week's humble beginnings were in the 1950's. Not
much happened 'till 1966 when the first National Clown Week chairman,
Frank "Kelly the Clown" Kelly, was appointed by Ray Bickford, president
of Clown Club of America.
In 1967 Clown Club of America members were urged to
write to their congressmen and senators requesting a presidential
proclamation naming August 1-7 as National Clown Week.
Finally in 1969 a resolution was introduced. After clowns met with
Senator John McClellan of Arkansas who was chairman of the Senate
subcommittee on Observances and Holidays success was finally achieved.
On October 8, 1970, Public Law 91-443 under the 91st
Congress, JJR 26 was passed by both the House and Senate and was sent to
President Richard Nixon for his signature.
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BILL "BOOM-BOOM" BAILY
Bill was an original member of Clowns of America when it was founded
in 1967 and held membership number 81. He was named the U.S. Chairman
of National Clown Week.
Because each year a chairman had to be chosen in each state to ask
their governor to issue a proclamation honoring National Clown Week,
Bill pushed for National Clown Week publicity.
He convinced Congressman Garmatz of Maryland and Congressman Myers of
Indiana to introduce a joint resolution in Congress establishing
National Clown Week as an annual event. He lobbied congress and
organized a visit by clowns to the senate building in Washington, D.C.
The joint resolution was signed into law by President Nixon on August
2, 1971. Bill remained National Clown Week Chairman for Clowns of
America and Clown of America International until his death. |
