Skeeter Reece facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Skeeter Reece
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Skeeter Reece performing in 1983
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Zachary Reece
1950/1951 (age 73–74) St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
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| Education | Theodore Roosevelt High School, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College |
| Occupation | Clown |
| Military career | |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| War | Vietnam War |
Zachary "Skeeter" Reece (born December 7, 1950) is a famous American clown. He decided to become a clown after serving in the Vietnam War. Skeeter Reece is known for his funny and silent clown acts. He has performed in many big shows and circuses around the world.
Early Life and Growing Up
Skeeter Reece was born in St. Petersburg, Florida. He grew up mostly in the Bronx in New York City. His father, Amos, worked in construction. His mother, Ella Mae, worked for the public schools. Skeeter was one of five children. His grandmother gave him the nickname "Skeeter" because he was very small when he was born.
He spent his childhood in both Florida and New York. He described St. Petersburg as a place where Black people lived separately. New York was very different, with white and Spanish kids living in his building. This helped him learn to fit in anywhere. In Florida, he was a good kid with his grandmother. In New York, he sometimes got into trouble.
Skeeter went to Theodore Roosevelt High School. He played basketball and ran track. These sports helped him later with his clowning. He also learned how to ride a unicycle. A man named Jerry King taught kids like Skeeter to unicycle. This helped them make good choices instead of bad ones. This group later became the famous King Charles Troupe of unicyclists.
Time in the Army
Reece joined the army. He spent 22 months serving in Vietnam. He had enjoyed army life in the US. But in Vietnam, he saw American soldiers hurting Vietnamese children. Because of this, he left his post without permission. Later, his army discharge was changed to an honorable one.
When he returned to America at age 21, he felt very upset. He was angry about what he had seen. His family was worried about him. They suggested he move to Florida to live with his grandparents. He did, and it helped him calm down.
Becoming a Clown
In Florida, Skeeter met a cousin who was part of the King Charles Troupe. Skeeter knew about the troupe from New York. He was invited to join them. The circus was a friendly place with people from many backgrounds. This helped him feel much better about life. In 1975, Skeeter tried on clown makeup at a Thanksgiving dinner. He felt like being a clown was what he was meant to do.
In 1977, he went to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. Only about 50 out of 3000 people were accepted each year. He became a professional clown. He later returned to the Clown College to teach others. His unicycle skills became a big part of his clown act.
The comedian Rain Pryor wrote in her book that Skeeter was her mother's boyfriend. Rain was about nine years old in the late 1970s. Her mother worked as a photographer for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. She introduced Rain to the world of clowns. Rain said Skeeter was "endlessly entertaining." He taught her magic tricks and played games with her. He even gave her a parakeet.
One day, Rain drew a picture of Skeeter at school. Her teacher told her, "Now, Rain, you know there's no such thing as a black clown." Rain insisted, but the teacher did not believe her. Rain wanted Skeeter to come to school to prove her point. But he was traveling with the circus. Black circus performers were rare back then. In 1983, Skeeter was one of the few Black clowns in the US.
He performed with the Ringling circus in famous places. These included Madison Square Garden and the Spectrum. He left Ringling in 1982. In 1983, he performed with Circus Vargas. He was called their "Goodwill Ambassador." In 1987, he was in a show called Jamboree in Las Vegas.
In 1994, Skeeter Reece and Albert Alter performed together. They were called "Alter and Reece." They opened a show for the Smothers Brothers. Reece and Alter also worked as hospital clowns. In 1996, he warmed up the crowd for comedians in Las Vegas. In 2000, he performed for the Clark County School District. He also performed with the UniverSoul Circus. This circus had only Black and Hispanic performers at that time.
Skeeter Reece is an Auguste clown. This means he is a silent character. In 2021, he said, "I love my clown. That's just the way it is now. I know exactly who it is. ... I say 'my clown' because we're two different people."
Gallery
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Muhammad Ali, Charlie Frye, and Reece in 1980
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Reece in 1991
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Reece in 1996
