The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 04, 1983, Page 10, Image 10
-entertol
In town ft
'Grec
By John Vaughan
The long, silver train pul
l~i: . i_ ii i i.
ruiuuiiugsiuwiy mrougn me c
There was no parade, no fz
arrival but the words printed <
children scampered alongside
And the clowns unloadec
Therapy for a beer.
THE ENTRANCE may not
but the mystery is certainly s
Earth has come to town!
The 112th edition of the I
Bailey Circus is in Columl
formances in Carolina Colisei
Among this season's featu
known as the "Phantom of B
*
i} u?j|f
^ ji^h -
Sam Drummond (inset), a forme
one of the mary clowns with
Earth for almost three years.
inment
ir the week
i test Sh
lied into Columbia last night,
:ity with its strange cargo,
infare, nothing to announce the
on the sides of the train cars. No
j the tracks in welcome.
I and went down to Group
have been like those of legend,
till there. The Greatest Show on
lingling Bros, and Barnum &
)ia this weekend for six perim.
red performers is a daredevil
talance," world-renowned tiger
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im mi - - - j
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J
ir USC student has been
The Greatest Show on J
end
ow on I
and elephant trainers, the work
acrobat ever to perform a quadi
trapeze.
This year's big production
Spectacular, featuring the Slav
version of the old West's "Conj
World." The Wild West show fe
showgirls, cowboy and Indian c
and dancing.
PERFORMANCES are today
a.m., 3 and 8 p.m., and Sunday
are $8, $6.50 and $5.50. Tonight i
all tickets are discounted by $2.
will receive $1 off the first show !
Tickets are on sale at the Co
other area locations. For ir
Coliseum box office at 777-5111.
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Hrai ,
Ex-studen
By John Vaughan
Sam Drummond has been cl<
remember.
Growing up in Ninety Six, S
jokes, perform little skits, and
i # ? -
applied iace makeup and blackei
He was the class clown at IS
started some "serious" clow
parties and other small events
remember when he didn't want t
SO IT COMES as no great sur
well that Drummond has spent t
of his life as a clown with The Gr
"You can't just run away an<
Drummond explained in a r
"There's a lot more work involve
Drummond was accepted in 11
Bros, and Barnum & Bailey Cloi
was one of the oldest ones there
they're about 17 to 20 years old,"
But he had waited some tir
decision. After graduating froi
Drummond spent two years at J
and then came to USC as an art n
HE ATTENDED USC for ?
ployment at South Carolina E<
illustrator. Living in Columbia,
clowning by working birthday ]
Raleigh, N.C., Diane Nance.
Nance, flow a Columbia reside
Earth'
1's smallest man and the first
uple somersault on the flying
number is the Wild West
'ovi Riding Act as a modern
?ress of Rough Riders of the
atures elaborately costumed
;lowns, and plenty of singing
at 7:30 p.m., tomorrow at 11
at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. Tickets
s WIS-TV Family Night, and
Children under 12 years old
Saturday.
liseum box office and many
lore information, call the
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J
x . v
t busy clo
>wning around since he can
C., young Sam used to tell
make people laugh when he
ned his teeth.
linety Six High School, and
ning by working birthday
t. Drummond said he can't
o be a clown.
prise to those who know him
he past two-and-a-half years
eatest Show on Earth.
d join the circus anvmnro "
^
ecent telephone interview.
?d."
)80, at age 28, to the Ringling
vn College in Venice, Fla. "I
. Most clowns go there when
he said.
ne before making that big
n Ninety Six High in 1970,
Spartanburg Junior College,
najor.
i year before finding <?m
0
iucational Television as an
Drurr.mond kept up with his
parties, as did his sister in
>nt, still works as Little Dee
holds 33-inct
smallest man, in a circus productioi
j??
i
iwning aro
Dee the Clown. She and Drummoi
today at 9:30a.m. atLonnieB. Nei
Drummond said the Clown Collt
its 4500 annual applicants. "You
they can polish, and a good person
An extensive nine-week course i
costuming and other clownish tal
college. Upon graduation, the c
apprenticeship before being able
tract.
"MOST CLOWNS stay in it al
Drummond said. "Me, I love it. It1
to do. I think I'll be a clown for the
"We have a lot of freedom. V\
costumes, ones we make ourselv<
costumes for the big numbers. Wf
own gags. And when we're nol
(backstage) and read a book or wr
Drummond said he does get lone
the road all the time. "But you'<
buddies. We (the circus member
group. We have a lot of foreigners
English and we know hardly anj
everybody is real nice."
Drummond works hard. Altho
weeks off each year, it does two pe
is constantly traveling.
"I love it though," the friendly
sisted. "I love meeting all the
becoming a job, that's when I'll gel
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jj^j
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i Michu, the world's
n number.
und
id are performing together
Ison Elementary School.
ege accepts only 50 or 60 of
nave to nave a funny bone
ality," he said.
n mime, juggling, makeup,
ents is the program at the
lown serves a three-year
to negotiate his own con?
sout one to three years,"
s what I've always wanted
rest of my life."
le have our own personal
js, and we get supplied the
i come up with some of our
t on, we can come back
ite a letter or something."
i__ -
iy once in a while, being on
ve always got your clown
s) are a pretty close-knit
? they know a little bit of ( j
r of their language ? but
ugh the circus gets four
rformances most days and
man from Ninety Six in
s people. When it starts
:out."