Red Skelton Quotes (1913-1997)

“If I may I would like to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and give you a definition for each word. I—me, an individual, a committee of one. Pledge—dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity. Allegiance—my love and my devotion. To the Flag—our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there is respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job. Of the United—that means that we have all come together. States—individual communities that have united into 48 great states, 48 individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that's love for country. Of America. And to the Republic—a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people. which it stands. One nation—meaning, so blessed by God. Indivisible—incapable of being divided. With liberty—which is freedom and the right of power to live one's own life without threats or fear or some sort of retaliation. And justice—The principle or quality of dealing fairly with others. For all—which means "it's as much your country as it is mine".”

“Don't laugh but I think the logical successor to Chaplin is Skelton. Red, to my mind, is the most unaclaimed clown in the business.”

“With one prop, a soft battered hat he successfully converted himself into an idiot boy, a peevish old lady, a teetering-tottering drunk, an overstuffed clubwoman, a tramp, and any other character that seemed to suit his fancy. No grotesque make-up, no funny clothes, just Red. There is no one around who can take a comic fall as magnificently as he can. He also sings, dances, delivers deceptively simple comic monologue and plays a dramatic scene about as effectively as any of the dramatic actors, Method or otherwise.”