Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College (Originally located in Venice, Florida, then relocated to Sarasota, Florida) trained around 1,400 clowns in the "Ringling style" from 1968 to 1997. This particular style of clowning was rooted in the "American" style, with an accent towards broad and slapstick type humor, as opposed to the "European" style which was typically more stylized and elegant. Because of the "three ring" configuration of the Ringling show, and the bigger arenas that were needed to present such an attraction, audiences were larger and many patrons sat in balconies or upper decks, far above the action. In order to reach the people in every area of these larger arenas, clowns on the Ringling show had to design their make up to be seen at a distance, and use their props and clear physical movements to show the audience what was happening during a gag, no matter where in the house they were seated.
Irvin Feld , then the owner of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, opened the school because, at the time, there were only a handful of clowns in the show's alleys and most of them were over fifty years of age. In an effort to preserve the art, and to pass the torch on to a newer generation of buffoons, Clown College was founded.
Feld also saw the potential PR opportunity in having a place that could become the Mecca of clowning in America, and wanted to use the school as another way of keeping his show more attractive to audiences than his competition, and have a place where he could guarantee getting an endless supply of new talent.
Kenneth Feld, Irvin Feld's son, eventually closed Clown College because the needs of the show had changed, and continuing to run the school was no longer profitable. Currently, clowns are hired based on auditions, much like any theatrical event.
Clown College was a unique institution for several reasons. First, the method to apply to the school was an extensive written personality profile, that gave the directors an opportunity to have an understanding of the applicant's psychology, interests and previous experience. The circus also held in-person auditions at most stops along the route to drum up interest in the show and to get a range of people from all over the United States to apply.
Next, tuition was free (though students were responsible for their own room and board, as well as any other incidental expenses incurred), and a graduate from the school typically finished with a full "Agent Suit" or specific clown costume, including a wig and proper clown shoes and full make-up kit, as well as the training needed to be a good clown performer. The number of students admitted to any year's session varied but it ranged from thirty to fifty, with the vast majority being men. The ratio of men to women in a Clown College class was roughly 8 to 1. It was also said that admission to the institution was more challenging than being accepted to Harvard Law School.
The school's session over the years ranged from approximately thirteen weeks down to ten and a half weeks before it was eventually scaled down to an eight-week course in its final years. Students would work together or "play off" each other 8 1/2 hours a day, six days a week preparing material for the "Big Show" (Clown College served as a think tank to come up with new gags for the circus) and learning all of the basics of clowning. Typical classes included make-up application, costume design, acrobatics, juggling, stilt walking, pantomime and other skills training. Films of classic performers like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and The Three Stooges as well as the cartoon work of Wile E. Coyote and Bugs Bunny were also studied.
The entire session was one long audition for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, as the instructors took note of which students had what they were looking for to fill the positions for the new season's show, which began several weeks after the Clown College session ended. Chosen graduates received a one year contract to travel with "The Greatest Show on Earth," and grads not selected to tour were often given opportunities to perform in other capacities within the Feld Organization, or with other circuses that sought well-trained clowns for their shows.
Two notable national events took place involving RBBB Clown College. The first event was in 1988, when CBS Television broadcast the "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College: 20th Anniversary" special. This hour long program was hosted by Dick Van Dyke and it featured a cadre of clown alumni, performing their favorite routines, as well as Mr. Van Dyke, in character as the school custodian "Burford," who was trying to pick up some of the "course material" on the sly.
The second was in 1992, when Ringing created "Smiles Across America," an event done locally in cities and towns across the country to raise awareness of various issues and to help make people happier. Clown College graduates performed such civic duties as visiting hospitals and parks and appeared for photo ops and "meet & greet" with the media and the general public.
Van Dyke and long time Today Show weatherman (and Original Ronald McDonald) Willard Scott are both honorary graduates of the school.