Johann Ludwig Jacob (better known by his stage name, Lou Jacobs) (January 1, 1903 – September 13, 1992) was an auguste clown who performed for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for more than 60 years. He was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989. He is credited with popularizing the clown car, which has been a staple of circus clown acts ever since. He is also often cited as the originator of the red rubber ball nose,...
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Johann Ludwig Jacob (better known by his stage name, Lou Jacobs) (January 1, 1903 – September 13, 1992) was an auguste clown who performed for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for more than 60 years. He was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989. He is credited with popularizing the clown car, which has been a staple of circus clown acts ever since. He is also often cited as the originator of the red rubber ball nose, which is used by many clowns today. He was the first living person to have his portrait appear on an American postage stamp.
Lou Jacobs was born on January 1, 1903 in Bremerhaven, Germany. His parents were a song and dance team. Lou was the youngest of their nine children. His original name was Jacob Ludwig. He broke into show business at age seven at a variety hall in Bremen, Germany. In his first performance, he played the hindquarters of an alligator, while his brother played the head and forefeet. He posed as a cherub in a living statue...
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