Clowns

Clowns have always been an integral part of the circus, providing comic amusement.
They have also appeared in pantomimes and vaudeville, in films and television, and as straight or comedic characters in plays and operas.

There are three basic types of clowns:

Whiteface Clown
The whiteface (or white clown) holds the highest status in the clown hierarchy and is the oldest of the clown archetypes. In modern times, when whitefaces perform with other clowns, they usually function as the straight man or the leader of the group. Whiteface clowns cover their entire face and neck with white makeup. Features are then usually painted on in either red or black.
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Auguste Clown
Accompanying the white clown there is often another clown variety known as an auguste or red clown; the auguste’s role is different from that of the white clown. In strict classical European circuses of the past, the augustes were never described as clowns because, technically, they were not instigators but recipients of the comic doings. The augustes are the ones who get the pies in the face, are squirted with water, are knocked down on their backside, sit accidentally in wet paint, or have their pants ripped off.

The base color for the auguste makeup is red or flesh tone. The eyes and the mouth are encircled in white and the features are highlighted, again, traditionally in red and black. The auguste is usually costumed in baggy plaids accented with colorful polka dots or loud stripes. They boast wide-collared shirts, long neckties, unruly colored wigs and oversized noses and shoes.
The Auguste clown originated in Germany. Auguste means silly.
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Character Clown
The character clown is a clown type that is clearly recognized as playing some role
commonly represented by the Sad Tramp or Happy Hobo
The character clown adopts an eccentric character of some type, such as a butcher, a baker, a policeman, a housewife or hobo. Prime examples of this type of clown are the circus tramps Otto Griebling and Emmett Kelly. On film, Red Skelton, Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin would all fit the definition of a character clown. (Note: Nowadays, the hobo or tramp clown is often considered a separate class and is treated as such in competitions at clown conventions.)

The character clown makeup is a comic slant on the standard human face. Their makeup starts with a flesh tone base and may make use of anything from glasses, mustaches and beards to freckles, warts, big ears or strange haircuts. The most prevalent character clown in the American circus is the tramp or hobo clown with a thick five-o’clock shadow and wearing shabby, crumpled garments.
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