Richard “Red” Skelton (1913-1997) is remembered as one of the twentieth century’s most beloved and talented comedians. His long and remarkable career spanned genres and media, including stints in medicine shows, showboats, circuses, vaudeville, burlesque, radio, movies and television. Born in Vincennes, Indiana, the youngest of four boys, his father’s death left the family financially insecure, and Red began working at an early age to help support them. He began working on showboats before he was thirteen years old and honed his comedic talents over the next decade as a traveling performer. In 1937 he achieved his first major success with his “Doughnut Dunkers” routine in which he imitated the idiosyncratic way various people eat their doughnuts. His tour of major American vaudeville houses led to his radio debut and a series of engagements as master of ceremonies for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Red Skelton became a prolific movie actor and radio host. He was noted for his genius for physical comedy and the memorable recurring characters he developed over the years. He was also known for his innate kindness and humanity. The ability to perform on stage and connect with audiences was of paramount importance to him, and he was known to treat the studio audiences of his radio shows to additional routines after the broadcast had ended. The advent of television gave him the opportunity to share his performances with an even wider audience, and the medium was an ideal showcase for his skill with pantomime and physical impressions. The Red Skelton Show and later The Red Skelton Hour ran from 1951 to 1971 and was one of the top ten rated shows for 17 of those years. Red Skelton and his wife Lothian Toland Skelton were married in 1973. They had been friends throughout the years through her parents, and their relationship flourished after Red moved to Palm Springs. Red continued to perform live on television specials for many years and developed a successful career as a painter before finally retiring in 1993 at the age of 80.

Red Skelton’s interest in jewelry may have had its roots in advice he received from his grandmother, who counseled him during his early years that a wise investment in gemstones could provide security for the future. She gave him an emerald that he later had mounted as a ring (lot 114). As his career became increasingly successful, Red Skelton built his jewelry collection. He became a close friend of Beverly Hills jeweler William Ruser and developed a connoisseur’s eye for gemstones. His acquisitions included impressive pieces by Harry Winston, including a 23.65 carats diamond ring (lot 115) and a striking ruby and diamond bracelet (lot 116). Red enjoyed wearing his favorite diamond rings and cufflinks but was careful to keep his interest in jewels separate from his public persona as a performer. He did not want anything to interfere with his ability to engage with his audiences and to fully embody his characters. Since his death in 1997, his hometown Vincennes, Indiana, has become the site of The Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy, the Art Gallery, the Performing Arts Center and an annual Red Skelton Festival, where visitors and students continue to learn about and celebrate his legacy of laughter, and be inspired by its positive impact on people’s lives.