Harty the clown

Harty the clown (1906 - 1986)
Born in 1906, Frank Christopher Hart spent most if his childhood in Brighton, becoming a dance band drummer in his late teens.
In 1929, at the age of 23, Frank joined the famous Willy Panzer troupe of midgets. The act's line-up, apart from Willy, included his two sons Freddy and Tommy, Frank Hart and six midgets. They all played musical instruments and were acomplished acrobats. The act continuously toured the music halls and circuses of Britain and Europe from 1929 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, when Frank joined the Buffs Regiment in Canterbury as ceremonial bass drummer in the marching band.
Towards the end of the war, Frank married Lily Sherval and had two children, David and Jacqueline.
From 1946-1948, Frank was back on tour and in 1948, he left England for America, where he joined famous comedians of the day Olsen and Johnson on the Funzapoppin' American Tour. Together they toured America and Canada for more than a year in huge auditoriums, such as Madison Square Garden, as well as appearing on TV many times. It was in America where Frank made the transition from zany comedian to becoming Harty the clown.
Returning to the UK in 1949, Harty joined Tom Arnold's Circus at Harringay Arena for six winter seasons, and then in 1950 joined Billy Smart's Circus for twelve summer seasons as chief clown, before retiring from the ring in 1962.
During his time with Billy Smart's Circus, Harty appeared on TV many times (1) and in 1958 beat the panel on the BBC's What's My Line.
In 1956 his clown face, along with those of eleven other clowns including Coco and Charlie Cairoli, was chosen by Kellogs to feature as a cut-out mask for children on Corn Flakes packets and he was regularly reported as being Europe's tallest clown (2).
Well into his late 70s, Harty could still be found playing the drums in pubs around south London and he died at the age of 80 after a lifetime entertaining.

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