Emmett Kelly, Sr.

1898-1979

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Hometown Heritage

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Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 25, 2025

1. Emmett Kelly, Sr. Marker

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Excerpt:  Emmett Leo Kelly was born in Sedan, Kansas, on December 9, 1898. His father, Thomas, was a section foreman for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad. While he was still a child, the family moved to Southern Missouri where his father had purchased a farm in Texas County, near the community of Houston, Missouri. In the summer of 1909, he attended both the Mighty Haag and M.L. Clark and Son's circuses.
Kelly's

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 25, 2025

2. Emmett Kelly, Sr. Marker

Looking southwest along the South Grand Avenue sidewalk.

first professional appearance as a clown was with Howe's Great London Circus on July 14, 1921, in Mason City, Iowa. Although he originally performed as a white-face clown, it was during that tour that he first appeared as a hobo character. After only a few performances as a tramp, Kelly returned to more traditional makeup, but not before a photograph was made of the character which would later be identified as “Weary Willie.” At the end of the 1921 tour, the Howe's Great London Circus and Van Amburgh's Trained Wild Animal Show was acquired by the American Circus Corporation. In 1922 Kelly was assigned to perform his single trapeze act in the corporation's John Robinson Circus.
On September 12, 1929, John Ringling purchased the American Circus Corporation. Included in the deal was the John Robinson show, along with the Al G. Barnes, Sparks, Sells-Floto and Hagenbeck-Wallace circuses. Emmett was hired as a white-face clown with the Ringling-owned Hagenbeck-Wallace circus in 1932. A year later, the hobo character that had first been created on a drawing board in Kansas City came to life. Ragged homeless men were commonplace during the

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 25, 2025

3. Emmett Kelly, Sr. Marker & “Weary Willie” Murals

Looking southeast from the Houston Senior Citizens Center parking lot. The marker is on the left; South Grand Avenue is in the background. The "Weary Willie" murals are mounted on the north side of the building beside the marker.

Depression, and on April 21, 1933, the tramp clown made his first appearance during a performance at the Chicago Coliseum.
Kelly was inducted into the Circus Ring of Fame in Sarasota, Florida in 1988 and International Circus Hall of Fame in Peru, Indiana in 1994. On May 1, 1996, a bust of Kelly was dedicated in the “Hall of Famous Missourians” at the state capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.

By Barbara White & Lyn Wightman, 2023

4. “Weary Willie” Mural

By Barbara White & Lyn Wightman, 2023

5. “Weary Willie” Mural

By Barbara White & Lyn Wightman, 2023

6. “Weary Willie” Mural

By Barbara White & Lyn Wightman, 2023

7. Emmett Kelly, Sr. Mural

Houston’s own Emmett Kelly, Sr.
World Famous Clown
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 25, 2025

8. Emmet Kelly Park

½ mile northeast of marker, at East Main Street & 4th Street

From Wikipedia: On August 9, 1956, the Kelly family visited his adopted hometown of Houston, Missouri when the town renamed the open area where he gave his first performance at the “Old Settlers Reunion” in 1920 as “Emmett Kelly Park” in his honor. Nineteen years later Kelly returned to Houston for a final time when Governor Christopher Bond recognized Houston's former resident by declaring October 9, 1975, as “Emmett Kelly Day” in Missouri.