History in 20th-century North America
In the early 20th century, with the gradual disappearance of the "rustic simpleton" or "village idiot" character of everyday experience, North American circus and comedy developed derived characters such as the "tramp" or "hobo," notably Charlie Chaplin's The Tramp (1914) and Emmett Kelly's Weary Willie (developed by in the 1930s based on the hobos of the Depression era). Another influential "tramp" circus clown character was played by Otto Griebling during the 1930s to 1950s.
Red Skelton's character in The Clown (1953), Dodo the Clown, depicts the circus clown as a tragicomic stock character, "a funny man with a drinking problem".
In the United States, Bozo the Clown was a very influential Auguste character since the late 1950s. The Bozo Show premiered in 1960 and was received nationally via cable television from 1978.
The McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain derived its mascot clown Ronald McDonald from the Bozo character in the 1960s. Willard Scott, who had played Bozo during 1959–1962, first performed as the mascot in 1963 television spots. The McDonald's trademark application for the character dates to 1967. Based on the Bozo template, the US custom of "birthday clown", private contractors who offer to perform as clowns at children's parties, developed in the 1960s to 1970s.
The strong association of the (Bozo-derived) clown character with children's entertainment as it has developed since the 1960s also gave rise to "Clown Care" or "hospital clowning" in children's hospitals by the mid 1980s. Clowns of America International (established 1984) and World Clown Association (established 1987) are associations of semi-professionals and professional performers.
The shift of the Auguste or "red clown" character from his role as a foil for the white in circus or pantomime shows to a Bozo-derived standalone character in children's entertainment by the 1980s also gave rise to the evil clown character, the attraction of clowns for small children being based in their fundamentally threatening or frightening nature.[7] The "evil clown" stock character was notably popularized by Stephen King's novel It (1986).
